From the Pastor’s Desk::
We now find ourselves in the Easter Season, a time in which the apostles prepared themselves for something, something they were not sure. When Pentecost came it would burst upon them in wind and tongues of fire. What are we preparing for this Easter Season? We find ourselves being reminded by the Church to look to the importance of the Eucharist. Sunday Mass is not just a nice time to come together to worship God. It is a time to be fed by our Eucharistic Lord, as He offers His Body and Blood.
The liturgy of the Mass coming from the Second Vatican Council made so many of the prayers prayed at the altar public, not silently said by the priest in Latin. The Roman Missal which was revised and printed about 12 years ago is the official prayer book of the Church.
Some of the prayers are hard to pray. Therefore, the Missal encourages the priest to chant the prayers of the Mass. By chanting the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest must slow down, attending to each of the words in the text. Chanting is an elevated form of speech, drawing our attention to what we are saying to God.
As we were taught in liturgy class, the bodily posture of the priest should also be one of prayer. In our class in 1980 we were video taped and the professor pointed out things like, you are not sitting still during the readings, or do not sway at the altar, stay focused because you are leading the people in worship.
It is not just the priest, the servers and other ministers who are involved in praying the Mass. The congregation are also to pray by word and posture. Whether standing, sitting or kneeling all should be with strength not laziness as I tell the actors on the stage. Coming to Holy Communion hands need to be folded and whether you receive on the tongue or in the hands do it properly. Your dominant hand underneath, to be able to then place the host in your mouth, if on the tongue should be held straight not down in front of your chin. As we are going to be presenting the chalice once again, both hands are to be used, one under the chalice and one to take the chalice. Each of us need to remind ourselves we are receiving the Jesus Christ the Son of God.