Lex Orandi, Lex Crendendi - "As We Pray, So We Believe"

INTRODUCTION
Back in December of 2008, Monsignor Joseph R. Lamonde asked me to write a series of short articles for a monthly parish publication called the Communiqué. Monsignor chose the “Holy Sacrifice of the Mass” as the topic for the articles. I was honored and agreed to give it my best; I also asked that he check each article for accuracy. When I began gathering resources I was quickly humbled by the magnitude of the task; not to mention the enormous responsibility associated with trying to explain the mysteries God has placed in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Fortunately, God strengthens the weak to do his work. Prayer and reflection resulted in the series being titled "Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi."

A heartfelt thanks to a litany of very special people is in order at this point but that would be pretentious. I will say "thank you" to my wife Evelyn for her 33 plus years of loving support. Also; thanks to Msgr. Lamonde for his faith and trust in my relationship with God; and asking me to take on this project. May God richly bless his service to the One High Priest.

The monthly articles began in January of 2009 and are included below. I will add a new one each month. Please pray for me. Thank you for your gracious time and attention. May God richly bless you.

+++ +++ +++

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - “As We Pray, So We Believe.”
January 2009 A.D.

This Latin phrase summarizes Church teaching on liturgical celebrations. Holy Mother Church uses her God given authority to spell out, with particular care, how Holy Mass is celebrated. The most common directions are called the rubrics and are in the Sacramentary (the book the priest uses). Ecumenical Council documents, Canon Law, Liturgical Law, and Papal authorized instructions are other tools Mother Church uses to ensure we receive authentic Catholic worship.

Fortunately, most of these documents are available to everyone with an internet connection. A recent document is the 2004 instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum. The Church outlines some serious concerns and the corrective action expected by Her deacons, priests, bishops, and each of us.

Every time we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we take part in the highest form of prayer known to man. We need to learn the structure of the Mass and our role within that structure so that Lex Orandi becomes Lex Credendi in our hearts. We will learn more about this Sacred Drama, Divine Liturgy, or Holy Mass in a series of articles over the next few months. My sincere prayer is that these articles will help us understand God’s message to us during this Christmas Season and into this New Year.

+++++

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - “As We Pray, So We Believe.”
February 2009 A.D.

January’s article was about The Church’s God given responsibility and authority to ensure faithful worship for all of us. This time we will learn about the major parts of the Mass.

During Holy Mass the priest, acting as alter Christus (another Christ), leads God’s people, in a shared dialogue with The Father. The priest, acting in persona Christi, prays to God in our name while we join our hearts and minds to that prayer. This is an intimate relationship because the priest and the people share in direct prayerful dialogue with God, The Father.

The major parts of the Mass are: The Liturgy of the Word and The Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Introductory Rites begin the Mass. They include the entrance antiphon or liturgical song, greeting, act of penance, Kyrie, Gloria, and opening prayer. Each of these has a specific purpose and a long history in the life of The Church.

The Liturgy of the Word follows the introduction. This proclamation of God’s word from Sacred Scripture is normally performed by a Lector or the Priest. The first reading is usually from the Old Testament followed by the relevant Responsorial Psalm. An Epistle (usually one of Paul’s letters) is the second reading. The joyful singing of the Alleluia and Gospel Acclamation join these three pieces of Scripture to introduce the Gospel reading. The Gospel is always proclaimed by, and the homily is always given by: the Deacon, Priest, or Bishop. The celebrant then begins reciting the Creed and the people join in. The Creed is the super-condensed wording of what we Catholics believe. The Intercessory Prayers are introduced by the celebrant and conclude the first part of the Mass.

Next month we will learn about the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Concluding Rites. Until then, please pray for all priests, Monsignor, and one another.

+++++

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - “As We Pray, So We Believe.”
March 2009 A.D.

February’s article was about the Liturgy of the Word; the first of the two major parts of Holy Mass. We learned that the priest, acting in the person of Christ (in persona Christi), prays to God in our name while we join our hearts and minds to that prayer. This time we will learn about the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

The priest fully exercises his ordained ministry in the Liturgy of the Eucharist which begins with the Offertory. Here we offer our gifts to God. Earlier generations actually brought animals, grains, bread, fruit, and other items as their tithing (10%) or gifts. Today our gifts are largely money and are symbolic of us offering ourselves to God. While the gifts are gathered, the altar is prepared to receive the gifts. The corporal, the Chalice with Paten & Pall, and the communion cups are placed on the altar. The gifts are brought forward in procession to symbolize our unity as God’s family. The bread & wine are placed on the altar. A suitable song usually accompanies the Offertory.

The bread and wine are prepared by the priest with the prayers “Blessed are you Lord God of all Creation…”; and we respond with “Blessed be God for ever.” We are reminded of our divine beginning and the divinity of Christ in the prayer “By the mystery of this water and wine…” which is prayed before the wine is prepared. The priest asks God to accept our gifts, offered with humble and contrite hearts, and then washes his hands. The people and the priest offers the last prayer in this series; “Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. The people reply with “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 (holy) Church. This last priestly prayer with the people’s response is a good summary of why we come to Holy Mass.

Remember; Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 25 February 2009 A.D. What are you going to do for Lent?

Next month we will continue with the Liturgy of the Eucharist; specifically the preface and the Eucharistic prayer. Until then; please prayerfully prepare for Lent, pray for our community, the ministries we support, Monsignor, and one another.

+++++

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - “As We Pray, So We Believe.”
April 2009 A.D.

We began a discussion on the Liturgy of the Eucharist in the March Communiqué. The Offertory and the Preparation of Gifts were the focus of that edition. You may remember that the prayers of the Priest and the people ended that discussion. Priest: “Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” The people reply: “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 (holy) Church.” These last two prayers summarize our basic beliefs, and explain why we come to Holy Mass. Next is the priestly prayer called the “Prayer over the Gifts.” The prayer varies each week and connects the theme of the Opening Prayer with the message in the readings in the Liturgy of the Word. Our job in the Liturgy is to listen to these prayers and take them to heart. The question now is; whose hands make the offering for us?

God teaches us, through The Church, that our one High Priest is Jesus, The Christ. He makes the one sacrificial offering to God the Father. He instituted the sacrament of Holy Orders, and uses that sacrament to make the hands of the next priest – His Hands. Having done so, it is Christ, in the person of the priest, who presents our gifts, prays for us, and offers the sacrifice to the Father. This is what in persona Christi means and it illustrates the functioning priesthood.

The item in the “Order of the Mass” is the Preface. The Preface takes us to the deep and full meaning of Holy Orders; a mingling of Heaven and Earth begins with this prayer. The priest says, “The Lord be with you,” then “Lift up your hearts,” then “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” The people’s responses serve to bring us deeper into the mystery and set us up for the great mysteries in the Eucharistic prayer. This also concludes the priest’s words to the people. The words, “Lift up your hearts,” are more than an invitation, they are a command. The Latin, sursum corda, means, “Hearts on High!” Remember, what we see at the altar is the man we know as Father, Monsignor, or Bishop; in reality it is Jesus who speaks to us, Jesus who commands us, Jesus who leads us – leads us to God the Father.

The rest of the Eucharistic prayer is directed to God the Father, through the Son (priest), and in the Holy Spirit. We join with Mary and the saints to encounter the deep and unending mystery of God as it unfolds in this timeless and ancient prayer. The mystery of one God in three divine persons; the mystery of God become man (the new and perfect Adam); the mystery of His Church; and the timeless mystery of the Eucharist, the climax of the Holy Mass.

We can enter deeper into the “sacred mysteries” by listening closely to the words spoken at Holy Mass, watching the deliberate and reverent postures of the priest and servers, and by performing our parts of the Holy Mass with reverence and awe.

Listening and participating at Holy Mass takes practice and effort on our part. Unfortunately, society, advertising, and the mass media have conditioned us to have a 10-15 second attention span. Remaining focused for an hour is equal to 240 commercials that are 15 seconds long each. Four hours of prime time TV exposes us to the roughly same number of commercials. Increasing our attention span is not a change we can make quickly; unless we have help. We need God’s grace to help us focus on Holy Mass. Please pray for that help for yourself and your family.

Next month we will go deeper into the Eucharistic prayer itself. The mystery that enlivens our souls, leads us to God, and makes our salvation possible is all contained in this beautiful prayer. Please continue your Lenten sacrifices and to pray for our community. Come to the Penance Service and the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, & Holy Saturday). I wish each of you a blessed and Happy Easter.

+++++

Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - “As We Pray, So We Believe.”
May 2009 A.D.

The Preface, its place and purpose in the Holy Mass, and a brief discussion on learning to listen during Holy Mass were our topics last month. We recall that the priest leads the people in a prayerful dialogue that focuses on God the Father. The priest’s last words in this dialogue are “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” The people respond with; “It is right to give Him thanks and praise.” All prayers from this point forward are addressed to God the Father. “Father all powerful and ever living God…”

The priest’s voice is the voice of the people and he is our mediator (in persona Christi) before God. He speaks for the people and he speaks as our High Priest (again, in persona Christi). This charism of Holy Orders is unique to the Catholic Church because of her four marks; One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic (remember the Creed?). The Apostolic mark is the source of Holy Orders and gives us priests whose ‘priestly pedigree’ is traceable back to one of the 12 Apostles.

The people’s response at the end of the Preface, “It is right to give Him thanks and praise,” is meant to awaken our need to Thank God for everything --- literally every-thing. Our very existence, our lives, the earth that sustains our lives, our salvation from sin, Jesus (our Savior), the Holy Spirit, Holy Mother Church, the Mass, the Eucharist, and so on, and so on. These are all God’s creations. Aren’t we often too slow in recognizing God’s goodness and thanking Him for those great gifts? This response is meant to remind us of God’s generous and loving care.

Shortly after the priest begins speaking to the Father he quickly comes to the Sanctus, the Holy, Holy, Holy. This hymn is rooted deep in scripture from both the Old and New testaments. This ancient hymn describes the mystery of God in human terms. Isaiah 6:1-4, Ezekiel 3:12-13, Revelation 4:8, and Psalm 118:26 are the primary sources for this wonderful declaration of God’s holiness. Read them for yourself; you will get a deeper understanding of this hymn.

We, who are sinners, rightly and joyfully proclaim that God is indeed God, and that He is HOLY beyond our understanding. Because God is HOLY, the creator of all we know, the source of our salvation, beyond our understanding, and awe inspiring --- we kneel in adoration at the end of this hymn. Adoration is what we “owe” to God, because he is God and we are not. Remember; our sin in the garden was thinking we were gods; it is also the first of the mortal sins. Kneeling in adoration helps us remember that we are creatures honoring the Creator. The Father of us all is entitled to our respect, honor, and awe. Reverence is the more common and more accurate term for this respect.

The Sanctus hymn sets the stage for heaven and earth to meet. We are mysteriously lifted up to heaven and heaven reaches down to earth. We come in the name of the LORD, we sing Hosanna in the highest. We approach the holy of holies; we seek to touch the Creator; we look for Him and we are not disappointed.

Next time we will delve even deeper into the Eucharistic prayer. Our focus will be the consecration; the climax of this sacred drama, and our response to a uniquely Catholic and miraculous event. Please pray for our First Communion class, our community, Monsignor, your own families, and for mine. Please continue to celebrate the Easter mysteries through the Easter Season. He is RISEN; as He said, Alleluia! I wish all mothers a very Happy Mother’s Day.