August 25th

Post date: Aug 27, 2019 4:50:6 PM

August 25, 2019 Homily by Fr. Karl Schray- Mass Part 2

I want to continue speaking about the Holy Mass, the Eucharist. Last

weekend I told you of the different names God’s people have called the

Lord’s Supper: Breaking of the Bread, Eucharist, Divine Liturgy, and Mass.

Did you know the Mass we celebrate today is the same

as the Eucharist celebrated by the first Christians?

Before the year 155, Justin Martyr wrote a letter to the Roman Emperor

and the Senate describing the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Christians.

“On the day called Sunday, all who live in the cities or country gather

in one place and the memoirs of the Apostles (called the Gospels) and the

writings of the Prophets are read. He who presides admonishes and

challenges them who have gathered to imitate these beautiful things.

Then he offers prayers for those present and for all people.

Then bread, wine and water are brought. And he who presides,

in like manner offers prayers as the people assent saying AMEN.

He distributes to each; and to all who are absent, a portion is sent.

This food is called, among us, Eucharist. And this food no one is allowed

to partake of except those who believe the things that we teach are true

and who have been washed with the washing that is for the remission of

sins and unto regeneration.

For not as common bread and common wine, do we receive these.

In like manner, as Jesus Christ, our Savior was made flesh by the Word

of God, so, we have been taught that the food that has been blessed by

His Word, IS the flesh and blood of Jesus and by transmutation nourishes us.”

The Second Vatican Council restored the Mass as the

celebration of all of us, not just of the priest. We offer ourselves with Jesus.

We are not attending Mass as spectators, we are participants.

The Liturgy of the Word is the first part of Mass and

the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the second part.

“Liturgy” is a word meaning worship by the people.

Mass begins with a gathering hymn or prayer, the Penitential Rite and the Gloria (except during Advent and Lent).

We begin the Liturgy of the Word with an Opening Prayer.

Then we listen to and often read along with 4 Scripture passages.

The Homily explains today’s Scripture readings and how they apply to our

lives. We make our all-important Profession of Faith on Sundays.

Then we conclude the Liturgy of the Word by praying for people’s needs

in the world and locally.

How does the Church choose the Scripture passages for each Sunday, (and weekdays as well)?

They assigned the most significant Gospel events and teachings of Jesus to each of the Sundays over a 3 year period.

Then for the First Reading an Old Testament passage is selected that relates to that Gospel.

The Responsorial Psalm (one of the 150 Psalms) is then prayed with the congregation.

In the Second Reading the Church gives us the 156 most important

teachings from the 21 Epistles of St. Paul and other Apostles, Acts of the Apostles, and the last Book of the Bible: Book of Revelation.

In the weekday Masses we read all the remaining significant passages of the Bible.

According to the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, Christ is present in his Word "since it is, he himself who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church.” or read privately with faith. Not only is Jesus truly present in Holy Communion but in Sacred Scripture as well. WOW! (in English- I BELIEVE! or in Hebrew- AMEN!)