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The Holy Mass

Introductory Rites	Prayer Over The Gifts
Penitential Rite	Eucharistic Prayer - III
Acclamation To Christ	Communion Rite
Gloria	Lord's Prayer
Opening Prayer	The Sign Of Peace
Liturgy Of The Word	Breaking Of The Bread
Creed Or Profession Of Faith	Communion
Liturgy Of The Eucharist (Offertory)	Concluding Rite

Introduction
Holy Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the New Testament in which the Body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, are offered to God under the appearance of bread and wine.

The Mass commemorates and re-creates two cardinal events in the Life of Christ; the Last Supper and the Sacrifice of the Cross.

The Mass Re-enacts what took place at the Last Supper on Holy Thursday. At the Consecration the priest repeats the words and acts of Jesus our High Priest. Secondly, the Mass also recalls and sacramentally renews the Sacrifice of the Cross on good Friday.

Jesus died shedding His Blood for us. In the Mass, the bloody aspect of the death of Jesus is not re-enacted. It is recalled, however, by the fact that on the altar, the host which becomes the Body, and the wine which becomes the Blood of Jesus Christ are separate, as His Body and Blood were separate on Calvary after His death. But on the Cross, Jesus, while shedding His Blood to the last drop, offered to His Divine Father, the suffering and death He was enduring for us. Now in the Mass, Jesus again offers to His Father the suffering and death He endured for us on Calvary.

In the Mass, there is something that was not at the Last Supper or upon Calvary. It is not only Jesus Who offers Himself to His Father on the altar, and not only is He offered by the celebrating priest, but also by all those participating in the Mass. Moreover, the priest and all those participating in Holy Mass offer themselves to God with Jesus. With Jesus, they offer up to God the Father, their joys, their sufferings, their whole lives. It is well to recall that, although it was by the Cross that Christ redeemed us, it is chiefly through the Mass that He brings us the benefits of that Redemption. The Cross without the Mass would be a sealed well; the Mass without the Cross would be an idle ceremony.

Name and Definition
The Mass is the complex of prayers and ceremonies that make up the service of the Eucharist in the Latin rites. From the time of the first preaching of the Christian Faith in the West, as everywhere, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated as Christ had instituted it at the Last Supper, according to His command, in memory of Him. But it was not till long afterwards that the late Latin name Missa, used at first in a vaguer sense, became the technical and almost exclusive name for this service.

The Holy Mass

* INTRODUCTORY RITES (standing)

* The ANTIPHON is recited if there is no ENTRANCE HYMN

Celebrant: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.

Cel: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.

* PENITENTIAL RITE

Cel: As we prepare to celebrate the mystery of Christ's love, let us acknowledge our failures and ask the Lord for pardon and strength. (a moment of silence for a brief personal examination of conscience)

All: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin and all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Cel: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.

* ACCLAMATION TO CHRIST

Cel: Lord have mercy.
All: Lord have mercy.

Cel: Christ have mercy.
All: Christ have mercy.

Cel: Lord have mercy.
All: Lord have mercy.

* GLORIA

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. - Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. - Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father; Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us: you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. - 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.

* OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Cel: O God... for ever and ever.
All: Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

* FIRST READING (from the Old Testament - seated)

.... This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

* RESPONSORIAL PSALM (the faithful may be invited to repeat the response before starting out the psalm)

* SECOND READING

.... This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

* GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (standing)

All: ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA! (except for Lent)

the verse is read together if acclamation is not sung.

All: ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!

* THE GOSPEL

Cel: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.

Cel: A reading from the holy Gospel according to....
All: Glory to you, Lord.

Gospel Reading....

Cel: ....This is the gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

* HOMILY

* CREED or PROFESSION OF FAITH (The Apostles Creed is most often used - standing)
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, Our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

* INTERCESSIONS

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

* PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS - The Offertory (seated)

(Presenting the bread)

Cel: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God forever.

(Presenting the chalice)

Cel: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God forever.

Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts. Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.

* PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

Cel: Pray brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His name, for our good, and the good of all His Church. (standing position is to be performed after those words)

* PRAYER

All: ...through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

- EUCHARISTIC PRAYER - III -

Cel: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.

Cel: Lift up your hearts to the Lord.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.

Cel: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

* PREFACE (for the Sundays of the Year - choices are made according to the liturgical time of the year)

Cel: Father, all-powerful and everliving God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Cel: Through his cross and resurrection he freed us from sin and death and called us to the glory that has made us a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart.

Cel: Everywhere we proclaim your mighty works for you have called us out of darkness into your own wonderul light.

Cel: And so, with all the coirs of angels in heaven we proclaim your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise:

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord,

All: God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

All: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Cel: Father, You are holy indeed, and all creation rightly gives You praise. All life, all holiness comes from You, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, by the working of the Holy Spirit. From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of Your name.

Cel: And so, Father, we bring You these gifts. We ask You to make them holy by the power of Your Spirit, that they may become the body and blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate this Eucharist. (kneeling)

Cel: On the night he was betrayed, He took bread and gave You thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said:

Cel: "Take this all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you." (bow in adoration)

Cel: When supper was ended, He took the cup. Again He gave You thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:

Cel: "Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me." (bow in adoration)

(Proclamation after Consecration)

Cel: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:

All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. (standing - two other acclamations are available)

Cel: Father, calling to mind the death your Son endured for our salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and ready to greet him when He comes again, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice. Look with favour on your Church's offering, and see the Victim whose death has reconciled us to yourself. Grant that we, who are nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his Holy Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ.

Cel: May he make us an everlasting gift to you and enable us to share in the inheritance of your saints, with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, Joseph her chaste spouse, with the apostles, the martyrs, (Saint N.), and all your saints, on whose constant intercession we rely for help.

Cel: Lord, may this sacrifice, which has made our peace with you, advance the peace and salvation of the world. Strengthen in faith and love your pilgrim Church on earth: your servant, Pope N., our bishop N., and all the bishops, with the clergy and the entire people your Son has gained for You.

Cel: Father, hear the prayers of the family, you have gathered here before you. In mercy and love unite all your children wherever they may be.

Cel: Welcome into your kingdom our departed brothers and sisters, and all who left this world in your friendship. We hope to enjoy forever the vision of your glory, through Christ our Lord, from whom all good things come.

(Doxology)

Cel: Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours almighty Father forever and ever.
All: Amen.

COMMUNION RITE

* LORD'S PRAYER (only the priest(s) hold their arms out)

Cel: Let us pray with confidence to the Father in the words our Saviour gave us:

All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Cel: Deliver us, Lord from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.

* THE SIGN OF PEACE

Cel: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: "I leave you peace, my peace I give you." Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever. Amen.

Cel: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And also with you.

* BREAKING OF THE BREAD

May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.

All: Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.