Month: August 2022

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Where is the Mass found in the bible?

Although we come to Mass, sometimes we have asked ourselves, “where is the Mass itself in the scriptures?” We should remember that the Mass comes from the Feast of the Passover meal (Luke 22:14-16), this being the most important celebration of the Israelite people, whom God rescued from slavery, and commissions them to celebrate in perpetuity (Exodus 12:14). Jesus take this celebration and perfects it by taking the place of the spotless lamb offered for sacrifice (Exodus 12:5), to free us from the slavery of sin. Likewise Jesus Christ tells us how to celebrate this new Easter through bread and wine (Luke 22:19), which through transubstantiation become the flesh and blood of our Lord.

As in the Jewish Passover meal, the story of Israel’s salvation through the exodus from Egypt is read and what is read is explained to the children.  At Mass, we too read our salvation history contained in its entirety in the Bible. The presbyter in turn explains to us the significance of these readings for our salvation (GIRM 29).

But not only do we have biblical elements in the Liturgy of the Word, but also in the prayers that we repeat from the beginning of the mass: The phrase “In the Name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” is found in the Gospel of Saint Matthew (Matthew 28: 19), the penitential act comes from the tradition in Psalm 32, we join the Angels of Heaven in reciting the Gloria as when they announced the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:14), the words that the presbyter proclaims before communion: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world…” (John 1:29) as also the response of the people of God “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed” (Matthew 8:8) are taken from the gospels.

We found the references to the Mass at the Passover meal, its institution on Holy Thursday and also when the risen Jesus Christ accompanies disciples on their way to Emmaus sharing the scriptures, explaining them, blessing and breaking of bread (Luke 24:13-35).

Let us then be like the disciples on the way to Emmaus, let us participate in the Holy Mass, let our hearts burn with joy as we listen to the scriptures, let’s go out and evangelize and share the good news after entering into communion with Christ himself.

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Why do we come to Mass on Sunday?

Although the third commandment says that God created the world in six “days” and after seeing that it was good, he blessed the seventh day, Saturday, and that day He rested. (Genesis 2:1-3), why do we go to mass on Sunday? The Church, by  a tradition handed down from the apostles, celebrates the Paschal Mystery on the first day (CCC 1166), Sunday; the same day of resurrection of our Lord. Because just as God started creation on the first day with “Let there be light…” (Genesis 1:3) and rested on the seventh day, Jesus Christ rests on the Saturday in the tomb and starts our redemption and salvation also the first day, since He is the light of the world (John 8:12) who comes to enlighten us so that we do not walk in the darkness that is sin.

Just as God rested and contemplated his work, seeing that it was good and blessed that day, we, by our call to holiness (Matthew 5:48), must bless Sunday, contemplate if our works have been good; and feed on the word of God, as well as the body and blood of our Lord to be able to be received at the end of times in the place in heaven that our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared for us (John 14:2).

So, let us come to Mass with joy, for the Lord awaits us with the prepared banquet that gives us eternal life; Mass not only begins when the priest enters the temple in procession, but also when each of us begins to get ready to attend the sacred meal on pilgrimage to the temple, because just as God brought the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 20: 2) towards the promised land, Jesus Christ takes us out of the darkness of sin towards eternal life with Him, because we are God’s chosen people by virtue of the new covenant in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:10, JPII Gen. Aud. Nov 6, 1991—1)

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Why do I have to confess to a priest?

“He is a sinful person just like me, so isn’t it better to confess my sins directly to Jesus?” this is sometimes our excuse for not complying with the sacrament of the Reconciliation, or as it is better known, the Confession. We must remember that it was Jesus Christ himself who gave authority to the apostles to forgive sins after having consecrated them (John 20:21-23), this authority is transmitted by apostolic succession to the bishops (Acts 1:21-26) and to those they designate (Matthew 18:18, CCC 1461). Although during the mass, through the penitential act, we confess our sins of “thoughts, words, what we have done and failed to do” and being truly sorry for said sins, we receive absolution from the priest, this absolution is only for venial sins (GIRM 51), thus making the sacrament of Reconciliation necessary for those mortal sins that we may have committed.

Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament of Reconciliation, because having been incarnated himself and having lived among us, he knows our human weakness and our inclination to fall into sin; He loves us so much that he gives us the opportunity to free ourselves from all sins and thus be able to recover the grace that was conferred unto us at the moment of our baptism (CCC 1446).

The Sacrament of Reconciliation implies a true repentance of the sins committed, humility to confess them, and the sincere intention not to fall back into said sins; it is then that, after confessing our sins, we turn our hearts towards the Lord and ask for His forgiveness, and it is through absolution, conferred by the priest “In Persona Christi” (Code of Cannon Law 1009§3) that we are reconciled with God and we are back in communion with the Church.

Let us not overlook then the great gift that Jesus Christ gave us in this sacrament, which through His love gives us the opportunity to once again enjoy His grace and be in communion with Him.

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Is Jesus Christ really present in the consecrated bread and wine?

“I still see a host and a little bit of wine…”, is the thought that comes to us many times when we see ourselves before the consecration of the gifts by the priest. In order to understand why us as Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is really present in the consecrated host and wine we must go to Jesus’ own words at the institution of the Mass, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: «Take and eat; this is my body». Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: «Drink from it, all of you, this is my blood…» (Matthew 26:26-28), Jesus did not say, “…this symbolizes my body…”, but “…this is my body…”, and then told us to repeat this formula in his memory (Luke 22:19).

Now, why is it important to recognize the real presence of Jesus Christ in the consecrated host? Because it is the means by which we will have eternal life! Only by eating his flesh and drinking his blood, through the consecrated bread and wine, can we attain the grace of eternal life (John 6:22-59).

That is why it is very important not only to attend Holy Mass but also to participate in the supper that our Lord has prepared for us. Who of you goes to a birthday party and leaves without having a piece of cake? Our Lord has prepared a banquet where the main dish He offers us is eternal life through His body. If we think that we are not ready to receive communion, let us remember that at the beginning of mass, during the penitential act, we all confess ourselves sinners and the priest gives us the absolution of those venial sins that we have committed (GIRM 51) by pronouncing the words: “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.”

Let us strip off the rags that are our sins (Matthew 22.1-14), let us get ready and share with Christ the great banquet that He offers us in the Holy Communion