About the Holy Mass
(part I) 

Introductory Rite

As you go through the religious education and formation, a basic explanation about the Mass will be helpful. It is also very important to learn what the parts of the Holy Mass are about. 

Entering the Church for Mass

An understanding of the Mass starts by entering the Church building itself. The entrance to the church sometimes referred to as the “The back of the church” is called the vestibule. The size, look, and function of the vestibule varies from church to church. However, there are some items which are common.

One common item found in the vestibule and other entrances to the church is the holy water fount. From here you dip our fingers into the water and bless yourself with the sign of the cross using words associated with baptism; “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” These words remind the Catholic of their Baptism (in the case of the candidate the baptism to come) and grace which flows into your life freely from this sacrament as well as the other sacraments.

From there you proceed to the seats referred to as pews. Before entering the pew, you genuflect towards the alter. This is a sign of reverence towards God and a personal sign of homage and surrender to God. It is also to pay homage to Jesus Christ who is present in the tabernacle in the form of the Eucharist to genuflect you bend one knee to the ground and make the sign of the cross.

The Introductory Rites

Opening – Sign of the Cross

The opening of the Mass begins with the “Introductory Rites.” The community of those gathered for the celebration of the Mass begin together with a Sign of the Cross “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” As Catholics this is in many forms of prayer. As a sign of Baptism, it acknowledges that we are set apart for Christ.

When you say these words, you are following what is found with many persons throughout in the Old Testament of the Bible. They would call upon the name of the Lord for help, strength, reverence His holy name, for His blessing into their lives as well for worship. When using these words, you also are inviting God’s presence, invoking His holy name as a blessing, seeking His Aide as well as for worship. You are asking God to consecrate this moment of worship. It is God who consecrates. It is not you or any person who consecrates lest we should boast.

The action of physically making the sign of the cross as ritual can be said to be prophetically foreshadowed in Ezekiel 9:4 : and the LORD said to him: Pass through the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and mark an X(tav) on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the abominations practiced within it. This is the mark of the faithful followers of God. This ‘X’ is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet; the ‘tav’.

This letter in Paleo Hebrew (The lettering used at the time Ezekiel was written) resembles a slanted ‘T’ or lopsided ‘X.’ The equivalency to this letter in the Greek language is the “Tau” or T which resembles the Cross. One of the meanings for the Hebrew letter ‘tav’ itself is ‘Covenant.’ It is a sign of protection. It is a sign of fidelity. This sign for Christians as an overt statement that we choose to be faithful to God by following His ways and not the ways of the world.  

 The Lord be with you

The opening greeting by the priest is:“The Lord be with you!”

The community responds; “and with your spirit!” While far from being a pious or religious way of saying “Hello” it is significant in another way.

From a biblical perspective “The Lord be with you,“ retells what God said to certain individuals, “I am with you or I will be with you.” These words are significant because they were used whenever someone was called to by God or His angel to accept a daunting task. We see this in both the Old and New Testament.[1] The address of these words preceded the call of those who are to do God’s will and be a part of God’s plan of salvation. It is a constant reminder of the reality of God’s call to us through our Baptism to do His will. And God tells us He will be with us.

When the community responds; “and with your spirit” we acknowledge the unique role of the Holy Spirit in the priest. In the ordination of the priest, the Holy Spirit comes to act in a particular and unique way which enables the priest to offer the Mass. 

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[1] The essence of these words are given to Isaac ( Gn 26:3,24), Jacob (Gn 28:13-15), Moses (Ex 3:12), Joshua (Jos 1:5,9), Gideon (Jdgs 3:12), King David (2 Sam 7:3), the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 1:6-8), The Apostles (Mt 28:20), and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lk 1:28)

 The Confiteor

This is a prayer said by the priest and community:

 “I confess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters that I have sinned….  .”

This is a prayer which appeals to the mercy of God and an act of humility. We confess our failings to God. We are reminded to live a life centered on Christ. Not simply by avoiding sin, but by living as Christ did; with and in His love. We are called to self-sacrifice.

 The Kyrie

The Kyrie is the prayer which follows the Confiteor. This prayer is known in the vernacular as the “Lord Have Mercy.” The community can either pray this in the vernacular (English, Spanish etc.) or in the original Greek. Often this is sung. The name Kyrie or the longer name Kýrie, eléison comes originally from the Greek.

Lord Have Mercy                             Kýrie, eléison

Christ Have Mercy                           Christe, eléison

Lord Have Mercy                             Kýrie, eléison

Here the community follows what is conveyed in scriptures numerous times where certain individuals are asking for mercy. It is not simply an asking or action of “throwing ourselves on the mercy of the court” for fear of the God’s wrath. From a biblical perspective we are asking God for help for those things we struggle with; weaknesses, lack of faith and uncertainties.

The Kyrie is a humble cry for God to have mercy on all our misgivings and a plea for help. We are asking God to help us on our journey, for the things we are discerning or struggles in our spiritual life. We also entrust those we love to Gods care by asking for mercy on behalf of them.[1]

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[1] Matt 15:22 A mother goes to Jesus and asks for mercy because her daughter is possessed by a demon.

The Gloria (Glory to God)

After the Kyrie the Community prays the “Gloria:”

“Glory to God in the Highest,

And on Earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you,  we bless you

We adore you,   we glorify you,

We give you thanks for your great glory,

Lord God, Heavenly King,

O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us;

You take away the sins of the world, Receive our prayer;

You are seated at the right hand of the Father,   Have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,

You alone are the Lord,

You alone are the Most High,   Jesus Christ,

With the Holy Spirit,

In the Glory of God the Father.   Amen.  ”

This prayer is typically sung as inspired by the angels. We find these words sung by the angels at the time of the birth of Christ.[2]  The Gloria is done in the Introductory Rite because it is here where the community gathered for the Mass are preparing for a sacred encounter with God.

It is proper to give this praise to God because first we will encounter God in the reading of the scriptures which is the next part of the Mass. Then we encounter God in the second main part of the Mass which is the ‘Liturgy of the Eucharist’ where we receive the sacrifice of Jesus in Holy Communion. The prayerful singing of the Gloria properly suited because it is a synopsis of salvation history in praise.

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[2] Luke 2:13-14 13  And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:  14  “Glory to God in the highest  and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 The Collect

Once the Gloria is completed there is a short prayer offered by the priest. It is a gathering of prayers for the community and offers them up to God. This concludes the Introductory Rite. What follows is the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy of the Word consists of the readings from the bible.

The Introductory rite concludes with the Gloria and the Collect Prayer prayed by the celebrant (priest). After the Collect the community is seated for the reading out of the Bible. This is the next part or Rite of the Mass called the Liturgy of the Word.