HAPPY FEAST OF ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, FOUNDER OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS (MY ORDER)!

At Mass this morning I began thinking about this post, the part I’ve been most looking forward to. Now, the Eucharist is my favorite thing (person, rather!) to think about, to ponder and consider. I don’t say this to boast, but just to let you all know that if I am not careful, I could just go on and on about the subject! So if you’d like to read a couple of other past posts about the Eucharist, you can find them here:http://ancient-scribe.xanga.com/683736487/thanksgiving/ and http://ancient-scribe.xanga.com/686270764/take-this-all-of-you-and-eat-it/ and http://ancient-scribe.xanga.com/710689228/miracles/ and http://ancient-scribe.xanga.com/708258537/i-want-to-see-his-body/  OK that’s probably enough!

 

For Part Four of my mini-series on the Mass, we arrive at last at the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the most important part not only of the Mass, but also of the whole life of the Catholic Church. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith; it is through the Eucharist that we are united across any distance, be it in miles, in time or the difference between heaven and earth. As St. Paul writes, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Cor. 10:16-17). When we participate in the Eucharist that is the living Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, when we eat His flesh and drink His blood, we become united to Him; the Bride (we, the Church!) become one flesh with Christ, the Bridegroom. Because we each are united to the same Christ, we all become united to each other. Those who have preceded us in faith, that “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) praying and waiting for us in heaven…all these people, together with all the angels in God’s service, are united to Christ as well, He who is seated at the right hand of God the Father. Thus, through Christ, especially in the Eucharist, we are united to them as well. For example my grandfather, who passed away when I was 5 years old, is united to Christ in heaven. When I go to Mass and partake in the Eucharist, I am closer to my grandfather than I ever was here on earth. When my mother passes away one day, the Eucharist will united us more closely than even that time when I was united to her via an umbilical cord. I suppose what I am trying to say is this: through the Eucharist, which the other six Sacraments lead us to and ever point towards, restores between God and Man what was torn asunder in Eden. Not only did God dwell with Adam and Eve in Eden, He was intimately united to us. We see this in all the suffering that came of the Fall; we cut ourselves off from God, the very source and sustenance of our life. In the Eucharist, in a manner by which we are accustomed now to receiving nourishment for our bodies, we receive nourishment for our soul, for God became Man to redeem both.

Through the Eucharist, then, we are reminded that we are meant to be united, intimately, with God, and we are also reminded that He is the source of life itself and the one who sustains us. “I am the Bread of Life,” Jesus tells us. In the Catholic Church we not only hear this in the Liturgy of the Word, and we not only see it in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, but we live it as well! So let’s continue on our way and explore the last part of the Mass, beginning with the Offertory and ending with the Dismissal, using the Bible as a guide to how the earliest Christians practiced and believed. 

Offertory

This is the part of the Mass following the intercessory prayers, when the nice men from the Knights of Columbus, or merely some nice men of the parish, go up and down the aisles with baskets. Free-will offerings are placed within; some churches tithe, but as far as I know the Catholic Church, while it reminds the faithful of their duty to support the Church however they can, makes no specific demands. Some people drop a few bucks, a twenty, a check of some other amount, some people mail their monthly contribution at once. Some people, particularly the poor, might drop in a handful of change, or perhaps they save up what they can over the course of a year and bring their gift at Easter. Some people cannot or choose not to offer anything at all but, really, I find their presence with me at the Eucharist to be gift enough. And parents: that you have brought your children to the Mass! I cannot thank you enough, and for having them baptized, for raising them in the faith…if a price could be affixed to that and such an amount could be secured…but so often, as St. Lawrence attested to with his very life, the poor, the sick, the lame are the true riches of the Church. We do not “buy in” to the Eucharist, for as the prophet Isaiah writes: “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant…” (Isaiah 55:1-3) Yes, the Eucharist is free for those who have entered into the covenant, as it is understood by the Catholic Communion. Not only is the Eucharist symbolic of divine unity, but ecclesial unity as well!

Besides the money offered for the support of the Church, many parishes have families that will bring up the bread and the wine that will be used at the altar. By their simple ministry we all participate in the ancient rite demonstrated by “Melchizedek, king of Salem, [who] brought out bread and wine…” (Genesis 14:18) By our baptism we, too, are priests of a sort, and here in this moment we exercise it. We are also reminded of the ancient tradition of our Jewish forefathers who brought offerings to the priests at the temple; bread and wine are the offerings Christ asks of us when we celebrate the Eucharist.

Personally, I am reminded of Cain and Abel. It was Cain who offered cereal (grains and other fruits of the earth) and it was Abel who offered his finest lamb. God was pleased with Abel’s offering, and Cain took offense, killing Abel in a mad fit of envy. As we make the offering of bread and wine, so much like Cain’s offering, we do so as sinners, marked by our wounded nature and identifying with him. Did we not crucify the innocent Christ by our sins, much like Cain killed the innocent Abel? But praise God, He will take our meager offering and transform it into one that is acceptable, one that is similar to Abel’s offering but far surpassing in glory, for the bread and wine will become not merely a lamb, but the very Lamb of God! 

Truly, we have brought the wood, the fire and everything necessary to offer sacrifice; but where is the lamb? Just as in the case of Abraham and Isaac, God Himself will provide one for us, His head tangled in thorns…

Preparation of the Gifts

The priest, concelebrants and altar servers receive the donations as well as the bread and wine, and perhaps the chalice and paten as well. The bread and wine are then taken to the altar and the priest holds up the bread first, saying, “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,” after which the people say, “Blessed be God forever!” Likewise with the wine, after the priest pours a small amount of water in it and prays quietly “By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity,” he then prays, “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.” The people reply as before. Then the priest says, reminding us all of our priesthood and that he offers the bread and wine on behalf of the whole Church, “Pray, my brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” We say, “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.”

There are many non-Catholics who see the Mass as Catholics crucifying Christ all over again, and for those that do they might see this latest exchange between the priest and the people as the beginning of it. But if we recall the way that sacrifices were conducted in the Old Testament, which was not abolished but fulfilled by Christ, we know that there are two parts of any living sacrifice. First, the animal is killed in a certain way. Then, the flesh, the blood, certain organs, etc. were offered up. Christ, the Lamb of God, was slain upon the cross. For the rest of time, as He established at the Last Supper the priests of the Church, sharing in the High Priesthood of Christ Himself, offers up the Body and Blood of Christ for the sins of the world, time and time again, every hour of every day.

Prayer Over the Gifts

The priest then says “Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.” The acolyte or deacon then brings forward a bowl and a small cruet of water, and the priest washes his hands saying, “Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.” The priest, on behalf of the whole people, prepares himself to enter into the Holy of Holies, into the very presence of God to speak on behalf of his people, one-on-one with God. He is reminded that he is not a priest on his own, but shares in the high priesthood of Christ. He admits his own unworthiness but, nevertheless, there is work to be done. The priest says to everyone, “Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” We say, “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.” He then offers a prayer that differs each day; if it happens to be a feast day, usually it pertains to the saint or the event celebrated. Afterwards we all say, “Amen!” and stand.

The Eucharistic Prayer pt.1

Now things are getting very serious; we are entering into the Upper Room and taking our seat around the table of the Last Supper. 

Priest: “The Lord be with you.”

All: “And also with you.”

Priest: “Lift up your hearts.”

All: “We lift them up to the Lord.”

Priest: “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.”

All: “It is right to give Him thanks and praise!”

Then comes the preface, the first part of the Eucharistic Prayer. Here is the preface of Eucharistic Prayer IV:

“Father in heaven, it is right that we should give you thanks and glory: you are the one God, living and true. Through all eternity you live in unapproachable light.

Source of life and goodness, you have created all things, to fill your creatures with every blessing and lead all men to the joyful vision of your light. Countless hosts of angels stand before you to do your will; they look upon your splendor and praise you, night and day.

United with them, and in the name of every creature under heaven, we too praise your glory as we say:”

 

Before we continue that thought, what have we done here? First we brought bread and wine, as Christians have done for ages. Just as our Jewish ancestors of old, we bring an offering to the temple priests for sacrifice, for the forgiveness of our sins. Here we make a second offering, an offering that I imagine many Catholics don’t consider. Did we not, just moments earlier, see the priest lift up the offerings of bread and wine, blessing God for these gifts? Here the people are encouraged to lift up their hearts, giving God thanks for our very lives, which we also offer as part of the sacrifice of the Mass. Not only will we witness the transformation of lowly bread and wine to the divine Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ, but we pray that by His sacrifice we may also be transformed, our lowly, fallen lives being exalted and raised to glory in His own Risen Body, which becomes our own body in the Eucharist. Lift that heart high, and rejoice! Don’t you just want to sing? I hope so…

 

Sanctus! Sanctus! Sanctus!

“Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory!
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!”

This is such a powerful moment in the Mass, especially if you are worshiping with a particularly large body, with an organ and an awesome choir, and singing a great arrangement of the song. When we sing this, or even if we recite it during the Mass, we are joining in harmony with the angels in heaven (“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!” they cried one to the other. “All the earth is filled with his glory!” Isaiah 6:3), with the Apostles and the saints in heaven (The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” Revelations 4:8) and the faithful people of God all over the world…”The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9-11) Yes, someone is coming, Jesus Christ, coming in peace (the Holy Spirit, peace Himself!) to be among us, the New Jerusalem. He will again come within the gates, to our great joy, and we lay our lives down before Him like palm branches as He walks that lonely way to Golgotha to offer Himself yet again for our sins. Prepare the way!

Eucharistic Prayer pt. 2

“Father, you are holy indeed, and all creation rightly gives you praise (see Rev. 4:11). 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. (Malachi 1:11, you might think!)

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 (the priest makes a sign of the cross over the bread and wine) and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate this eucharist.”  (from Eucharistic Prayer III)

Just as the Holy Spirit overshadowed the pure and simple Virgin Mary and worked the greatest miracle that mankind will ever know, the Holy Spirit, invoked by Christ through the priest, descends upon our pure, simple gifts and Christ is again made Flesh and Blood in our midst. But how do we know this change has occurred? They still look, feel, taste, and smell like the bread and wine we started with. 

Isaiah of the coming Messiah, “There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him…” (53:2) People did not look at Jesus and realize that He was the Son of God; it was a matter of faith. A person, responding to the grace of God, makes the choice to believe and accept that Christ is the Messiah, that by some unfathomable way the invisible, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, spirit God has become a human being. Our senses cannot confirm this. Even St. Peter is asked by Christ, “Who do you say that I am?” and St. Peter responds, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus tells him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 16:15-17) Yes, God reveals the truth of the Eucharist to us; not flesh and blood, and it is upon this faith that Christ builds His Church, starting with St. Peter (Matthew 16:18-19). In the Eucharist Christ comes to us in yet another mystery, not to hide from us but to invite us in, granting us the opportunity to make the same flying leap of grace-moved faith that St. Peter made. God Himself tells us ”my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:55), that “This IS my Body…this IS my Blood…” (Mark 14:22-24, for example). God reveals the truth; shall we accept it, though our sense fail us? Did not the Apostles recognize Him in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:30-32)?

Here we are, at every Mass, approached by the Word of God who says that this bread and wine, these unassuming, common things with no stately bearing, is His Body and Blood that we must eat to have life within us (John 6:53). Will we join those who admitted that it is a hard teaching and walk away (John 6:60), or will we stand by St. Peter and declare to the world alongside all the martyrs throughout the ages who died in witness to this truth, testifying by their own blood and crying out “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69)? 

In case we need a reminder, the priest says:

“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:

Take this, all of you, and eat it:
this is my body which will be given up for you.

When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:

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.”

We can almost imagine those early disciples in John 6, hearing our Lord’s teachings regarding His Body and Blood and saying, “This is hard!” It is so far beyond our own understanding yet, when the Apostles were gathered there at the Last Supper and Jesus was saying, “Take and eat/drink, this is my body/blood,” only Judas left; the others remained and ate/drank according to His command. This is a great mystery, the Eucharist, but mystery is a part of our reality…

Mysterium Fidei

The celebrant then says/chants, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.”

Several versions of this great Paschal Mystery, the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, can be offered here, usually at the prompting of the celebrant, the cantor or the choir.

“Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”
“Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.”
“When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.”
“Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the World.”

Here we are reminded of what is going on, what we are partaking of; we are present in the continuum of salvation, witnesses to Christ’s death, participants in the aftermath of His rising, proclaiming both and carrying out His command to “Do this in remembrance of me” until He comes again.

Eucharistic Prayer pt. 3

“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 favor 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.

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, with the apostles, the martyrs, and all your saints, on whose constant intercession we rely for help.

Lord, may this sacrifice, which has made our peace with you, advance the peace and salvation of all the world. Strengthen in faith and love your pilgrim Church on earth; your servant, Pope {Benedict}, our Bishop {name of local bishop}, and all the bishops, with the clergy and the entire people your Son has gained for you. 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.

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

Here we are reminded too of the Eucharistic reality we partake in. The priest, speaking on our behalf, tells our Father that yes, we recall what Christ has done for us (we just confessed it out loud!) and we stand ready to meet Him when He comes again. Here we are keeping vigil, our lamps alight, ready to enter His house and take part in the great Wedding Feast. 

For our sins we offer the perfect gift: the Body and Blood of the Spotless Lamb. How could God possibly spurn His own Son? Therefore, so long as the Church continues to offer Him, there will always be a perfect and acceptable sacrifice made to God, the Lamb that was slain upon the Cross, perpetually offered in the temple of His Church now and forever, until He comes again. As we “eat His flesh and drink His blood,” as He taught we must do in John 6 as well as at the Last Supper, we are not only nourished for our heavenward journey but also united with Christ, through Him with the whole Trinity and the rest of heaven. Also, because there is but one Christ, one Eucharistic Lord, those who partake in the one Bread and one Cup are united to each other; each member of the Catholic Communion who partakes in the Eucharist need never be alone or separated from their Catholic family; we are made one in the Eucharist! To those in the Communion reading this who go to Mass and partake in the Eucharist: thank you for being with me in the past, and I look forward to being with you this Sunday and all afterward! To those not in Communion: how I long to be at this Feast with you!

But just read this litany of communion; we are one with all the saints of heaven, the Pope, our local bishop and all other bishops, all the clergy, everyone in communion with the Church, everyone present at Mass with you in your particular location, and all your loved ones who have died in Christ. Truly, no Catholic should ever feel alone; you never are!

And all of this made possible through Christ. Can I get an amen?

The Great Amen

The celebrant says/chants, while holding up a large Host and the chalice: “Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.”

At that, the whole Church throughout heaven and earth shakes as throngs of people, as choirs, as organs and orchestras cry out, “AMEN!”

Does this not evoke the amazing scene from Revelations 5:13-14 when we read, “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.” The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

Yes, AMEN!!!!

 

Again, it looks like I will have to split this post! Fortunately for you, I already have the second half completed, so I will be able to post it next Sunday; no long wait for the conclusion! I hope this again has proven enlightening and useful, and feel free to ask any questions you wish! God bless ALL of you!

I have spent a couple of weeks thinking and praying about how I want to wrap up this series and, being inspired by Scott Hahn’s book “The Lamb’s Supper,” I decide to go through the Book of Revelation line-by-line to try and show the parallels between how the Church celebrates liturgy, and how that is inspired by the heavenly liturgy described by St. John. What? Yes indeed; there is rhyme and reason to the way the Church celebrates the Mass! But as I went through all twenty-two chapters of the beautiful final chapter of the Bible, I realized that there was too much to do in one blog, so please consider this Part III.I haha. This one will have lots of pictures for those who haven’t been to a Catholic Church or a Catholic Mass, with the hope that this will help illustrate the “setting” of the Mass. Part of what non-Catholics (and some Catholics, I’m sure) find confusing is all the imagery. While I can’t explain everything one sees at the Mass or in the artwork and architecture of every church building, hopefully the soon-to-be-quoted passages from Scripture, accompanied by pictures, will help define the universal basics you would find, wherever you go in the world.

 

“Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said: “Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, (our) God, the almighty. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment.” (Rev. 19:6-8)

Here we are, after the Liturgy of the Word, and “Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near!” (Rev. 1:3) Yes, the Lord is coming, for the Liturgy of the Eucharist will soon begin! We have heard the Word of God (He has given His Word, His promise!), we have been taught by those who belong, truly, to His apostles, that we may not be misled by “those who call themselves apostles but are not,” (Rev. 2:2). “Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” what the Spirit of God tells us through those He has chosen to speak for Him, that we may be given by Him “the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God,” the Eucharist. (Rev. 2:7) 

For “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20) He has knocked and we, listening to His voice, have opened our hearts to receive His word, and soon He will enter the temples of our bodies and dine with us, and us with Him. Can you even wait? Can you even believe that in mere moments the Lord of Lords will invite you to table, that He will say to you, “…[S]it with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne?” (Rev. 3:21) Truly, “Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!” (Rev. 3:22)

But what does this meal, this time of victory, look like? St. John paints an incredible picture in his prophetic writing, but he isn’t just writing about some future event; he was writing about the “there and now” of his own time, and the “here and now” of our own, for when you go to a Catholic Mass, you are witnessing the “Word Made Flesh,” the very Book of Revelation lived out, the Promise of God made True in the Eucharist, and an earthly anticipation of the eternal banquet to come in Heaven. There is no longer one temple made of stone in Jerusalem that is the only place fit for worship, for now His temple is the human race, and “for this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple.” (Rev. 7:15) Being human we are temporal, and thus we gather in certain places for this worship, but the Catholic Church exists throughout the world, as one temple of humanity.

Lord Jesus, “you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth.” (Rev. 5:9-10)

Truly His Church is Catholic, universal! Yes, reader, even now as you look at these words the Wedding Feast of the Lamb is being celebrated somewhere in the world by Catholic faithful, some in beautiful and ancient cathedrals, some in hidden basements away from persecuting governments, some in humble chapels of cinderblock, some on the battlefield in the scorching sun, some in the privacy of a sick person’s home. All for Christ, all for His people. “They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them,” (Rev. 7:16) for He will feed them all with His very Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist. Is there any gift so great in all this earth?

 

Come on in; the Water Saves!

Rev. 4:6 “In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal.”

The baptismal font is normally at the entrance of the Church, to remind us that it is through Baptism we come to be part of the Body of Christ. Some fonts are large, of sufficient size to baptize an infant; some are very large, enough to baptize an adult. Some are such as the one on the right, large enough to dip ones fingers into and make a sign of the Cross, to renew ones commitment to their baptism and to remember Christ’s saving act in their lives. It also is a reminder of the purification ritual of our Jewish ancestors in the faith.

The Priests, Deacons and Acolytes

Rev. 4:2-4 “A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.”

While a bishop may not always be present when you go to Mass, there is always at least a priest sitting “on a throne,” reminding us of the sovereignty of Christ who is truly presiding, through the celebrant.

Candles

Rev. 4:5 “Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.”

One of the strongest memory/scent associations I have is whenever I smell a candle being lit or a candle burning, I always think of Mass!

The Four Evangelists

Rev. 4:6-8 “In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a human being, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming…”

Oftentimes you will see the Four Living Creatures, representing the four Gospel writers, adorning the pulpit/ambo as well, and even the altar, or even statues of the men themselves holding up the pulpit, the altar, or adorning the four corners of the sanctuary.

St. Matthew and his Gospel are represented by winged man because his account starts with the geneology of Jesus, emphasizes His human nature and incarnation, and encourages us to embrace our own humanity, especially our reason, during our Christian journey. 

St. Mark and his Gospel are represented by a winged lion because his account begins with St. John roaring like a lion, reveals a very kingly and authoritative Christ, and it was once thought that lions slept with their eyes open; we are likewise told to be watchful for the return of Christ, and to be brave on our journey to Him.

St. Luke and his Gospel are represented by a winged ox because his account begins with Zechariah and his priestly duties in the temple, a site of constant sacrifice. We also read of Mary’s sacrifice, as foretold by Simeon, and the rest of the Gospel emphasizes Christ’s sacrifice and His role as High Priest. We are also reminded of the many sacrifices and offerings we must we willing to make.

St. John and his Gospel are represented by an eagle because his account expresses a very high theology and focuses on the divinity of Christ. Eagles were once though to be able to look directly into the sun, so we are encouraged to look up to heaven without turning away and to seek Christ.

Music and Incense

Rev. 5:8 “When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.”

Many churches have a loft in the back for the choir. I’ve always seen this not only in a practical sense (where else do you put an organ and a choir?!) but also because when a choir sings at Mass it is not a performance, but a ministry; it is not about the choir! Rather their music helps us to pray; it doesn’t matter what choir is doing that. Having the choir out of sight helps us maintain our focus on what is truly most important: the worship of Jesus Christ! And the music, the instruments will be different depending upon the culture of the Church. Everything from organs and pianos to violins and drums, from choirs and cantors singing magnificent works to soloists chanting in haunting simplicity, in every language you can imagine. We have traditional choirs, contemporary choirs, praise and worship groups, gospel choirs… diversity, without division.

Incense is another powerful memory/scent kind of thing; smelling it always makes me think of Mass, especially the bigger feast days! Not every church and not every liturgy will have incense, but it certainly adds another level of solemnity to the celebration, and also connects us back with our ancient Jewish roots and the use of incense and burnt offerings as prayers and sacrifices to God. There is also something very mysterious and powerful seeing the heavy, scented smoke hovering around the altar during the opening part of the Eucharistic Prayer…

Relics

Rev. 6:9 “When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God.”

In most altars there is built in, such as demonstrated in the portable altar above, a relic of a saint. Sometimes they are encased below the altar as on the right. This is a tradition that goes all the way back to the earliest beginnings of the Church, during the times of persecution when Christians would gather, before dawn, at the burial sites of their martyred brothers and sisters to celebrate the Eucharist, being strengthened and encouraged by the martyr’s witness and also as a reminder that through Christ in the Eucharist, their loved one is still with them in their own trials. I think this is beautifully explained in the ancient writing “The Martyrdom of Polycarp,” who died around 155 AD. The following is written after the account of the martyr’s death:

“17:2 So he put forward Nicetes, the father of Herod and brother of Alce, to plead with the magistrate not to give up his body, ‘lest,’ so it was said, ‘they should abandon the crucified one and begin to worship this man’–this being done at the instigation and urgent entreaty of the Jews, who also watched when we were about to take it from the fire, not knowing that it will be impossible for us either to forsake at any time the Christ who suffered for the salvation of the whole world of those that are saved–suffered though faultless for sinners–nor to worship any other.
17:3 For Him, being the Son of God, we adore, but the martyrs as disciples and imitators of the Lord we cherish as they deserve for their matchless affection towards their own King and Teacher.
17:4 May it be our lot also to be found partakers and fellow- disciples with them.
18:1 The centurion therefore, seeing the opposition raised on the part of the Jews, set him in the midst and burnt him after their custom.
18:2 And so we afterwards took up his bones which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place;
18:3 where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy, and to celebrate the birth- day of his martyrdom for the commemoration of those that have already fought in the contest, and for the training and preparation of those that shall do so hereafter.”

Notice it speaks also of the custom of celebrating the day of someone’s martyrdom, a tradition that the Church still upholds. This Saturday, July 17th, for example, is the Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Compiegne, sixteen Carmelite nuns who were killed during the French Revolution.

The Dome

Rev. 7:1 “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on land or sea or against any tree.”

Just makes me think of some church architecture! Not every church has a splendid dome held up by angels, but it certainly produces a nice effect…

Sealed in the Spirit

Rev. 7:3-9 “Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, ”Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites: twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Benjamin. After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.”

At Baptism we are anointed with chrism, with blessed oil, as a sign of strength and symbolic of our being anointed by the Holy Spirit, as Christ was at His own baptism, reminding us that we are now participating in His own life; we are a part of His Body. At Confirmation we as Catholics, many of us having been baptized as infants, confirm our parent’s choice and choose the faith fully for ourselves. Oftentimes, as with the girl above having chosen “Esther,” the confirmand chooses a patron saint to be their spiritual rolemodel and friend throughout their life. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit against so much; we receive so many gifts and graces by Him. These Sacraments are normally celebrated in the context of the Mass, so you may see this from time to time as well. Yet another ancient tradition, and as the quote reminds us, the Church encompasses all tribes and all nations; truly catholic!

 

“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”

Rev. 7:14 “I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

If you arrive early enough, you may notice people waiting in line to step into the confessional. As I mentioned in a previous post, we are strongly encouraged (1 Cor. 11:28-29) to examine our conscience and, if we find our white garments to be a bit dirty, we should go to confess our sins, washing them white in the Blood of the Lamb. This is also, as explained in Part I of this series, why we have the Penitential Rite built into the Mass. Then when Christ asks us, “Who are these people in white?” we can answer, “You know us, for you have made us clean!”

The Tabernacle

Rev. 7:17 “For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

 

Front and center, in most churches, you’ll find the tabernacle, within which is kept the Living Christ, as He comes to us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. If you ever want to spend time in His Presence, why wait until the Second Coming, especially since He promised to be with us until the end of the age?

Rev. 11:19 “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.”

Rev. 12:1-2 “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child…”

I’m sure this image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is quite familiar. This is a miraculous image; it appeared without any human making it (there are no brush strokes to be found!). Anyways, the convention of the chapter/verse aspect of the Bible did not come about until over a thousand years after Christ’s death, so it may seem initially that the verse at the end of Chapter 11 and the verse at the beginning of Chapter 12 are referring to two different things. But let’s think about the Ark of the Covenant; what was it?

-a sign of God’s abiding presence with His chosen people.

-a pure vessel within which God dwelt, within which was also kept the Ten Commandments (God’s Law), manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, a sign of his priesthood.

This is the Ark of the Old Covenant, that was built by human hands and then, when ready a “cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling.” (Ex. 40:34)

Mary, as has long been believed, is the very living Ark of the New Covenant. She is:

-a sign of God’s abiding presence with His chosen people, for the Lord asked Ahaz for a sign, saying, “Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” and when Ahaz would not dare, God said, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel,” (Isaiah 7:11, 14) which means “God With Us.” (Mt. 1:23)

-a pure vessel within which God dwelt (a perpetual virgin, holy and pure), within whom was kept the Living Law, the Bread From Heaven, and our High Priest.

Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant, created by God and then, when all that He had prepared throughout history was ready, she was told by an angel that, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:35) Furthermore, the Church believes and teaches that Mary was taken body and soul, like Elijah and Enoch, into heaven. Truly, then, the Ark of His Covenant can be seen in His temple!

Followers of the Lamb

Rev. 14:1-5 “Then I looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. They were singing (what seemed to be) a new hymn before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been ransomed from the earth. These are they who were not defiled with women; they are virgins and these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb. On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.”

Aren’t they beautiful?

Following the Lamb, wherever He goes… pray for your priests, your brothers, your sisters, who devote their lives to working alongside Christ in the world, who uphold you all in prayer every day. Pray for vocations; pray for me!

I promise that the next part of the series will be the final part; could you imagine this entry if I also went into the Liturgy of the Eucharist? Goodness!