Guest Post by Deacon Dennis Brown
“AT THE TABLE: ENTERING INTO THE LITURGY”
WHAT ARE THE INTRODUCTORY RITES OF THE MASS AND WHY DO WE NEED THEM?
SIMPLY PUT, THE INTRODUCTORY RITES, ALSO KNOW AS THE GATHERING RITES, ARE RITUALS TO REMIND US OF WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE OF GOD, THE BODY OF CHRIST, COME TOGETHER TO GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE TO GOD. THESE RITUALS PREPARE US TO FULLY ENTER INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE MASS.
THE ENTRANCE PROCESSION IS NOT A WELCOME RITUAL FOR THE PRESIDER, BUT IS SYMBOLIC OF ALL OF US ENTERING INTO THE LITURGY, BRINGING OUR JOYS AND SORROWS, SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES, AND FAILINGS WITH US. COMING TOGETHER FROM OUR SEPARATE LIVES, WE ARE PILGRIMS ON A JOURNEY OF LIFE AND LOVE, JOINING OUR VOICES INTO ONE VOICE, IN SONG.
WE MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, THE ANCIENT SYMBOL OF FAITH IN OUR TRIUNE GOD. WE GATHER IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, WHO LOVED EACH OF US, AND ALL CREATION, INTO BEING; WHO IMAGINED AND DESIGNED US, MOLDED AND SHAPED US INTO THE DIVINE IMAGE, WHO BREATHED LIFE INTO US AND PUT US ON EARTH FOR A PURPOSE. WE GATHER IN THE NAME OF THE SON, JESUS, WHO LIVED, DIED, AND ROSE FOR US, TO SHOW US THE WAY OF LIFE AND LOVE, AND WHO CALLS US TO FOLLOW HIM AND COMPLETE HIS WORK. WE GATHER IN THE NAME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO ENLIVENS, STRENGTHENS, AND GUIDES US TO COMPLETE THAT WORK FOR WHICH WE ARE CREATED AND CALLED. WE GATHER IN THE NAME OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY, THIS DIVINE FLOW OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE THAT DRIVES THE UNIVERSE, IN WHOM WE HAVE LIFE.
THE PENITENTIAL RITE, IN WHICH WE PROCLAIM “LORD, HAVE MERCY; CHRIST, HAVE MERCY; LORD, HAVE MERCY,” IS NOT A QUICK SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. IT IS BOTH A REQUEST FOR MERCY AND A PROCLAMATION OF MERCY ALREADY, AND CONTINUALLY, RECEIVED IN CHRIST. DURING THE EASTER SEASON, THIS RITUAL IS USUALLY REPLACED BY THE SPRINKLING RITE, REMINDING US OF OUR BAPTISM INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE MERCY OF GOD.
THE GLORIA IS A JOYOUS SONG OF PRAISE THAT WE OFFER TO OUR LOVING GOD. THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE: TO GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE TO GOD BECAUSE WE NEED TO GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE, NOT BECAUSE GOD NEEDS US TO DO SO.
AND FINALLY, THE OPENING PRAYER. AFTER THE PRESIDER SAYS, “LET US PRAY” WE ARE QUIET TOGETHER FOR A FEW MOMENTS; STILL, CALM, AND AWARE THAT WE ARE ONE PEOPLE, BRINGING OUR SEPARATE LIVES TOGETHER, IN PRAYER AND WORSHIP BEFORE OUR LOVING GOD. THE PRESIDER THEN PRAYS ALOUD, COLLECTING ALL OF OUR PERSONAL PRAYER INTO ONE GREAT COMMON PRAYER, TO WHICH WE RESPOND “AMEN!”
NOW WE ARE READY; THE CHURCH GATHERED AND HUNGRY TO LISTEN AND BE FED BY THE LIVING WORD OF GOD.