
Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 5)
by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu | 12/15/2024 | Live the LiturgyWhy do we move from sitting to standing to kneeling during Mass? Throughout the Mass, our posture— standing, sitting, or kneeling—carries deep significance.
Standing: We stand as a sign of reverence and respect, similar to how we stand when meeting an important person. During Mass, we stand when encountering Christ in the Gospel, receiving the Eucharist, or engaging in prayerful dialogue with God.
Sitting: Sitting is a posture for listening and reflecting, fostering a spirit of attentiveness to God’s Word.
Kneeling: Kneeling, introduced in the Western rite to replace the ancient practice of bowing for blessings, signifies humility and adoration before the Lord.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Liturgy of the Word concludes with the Prayer of the Faithful, transitioning us into the Liturgy of the Eucharist—a profound union with Christ. This begins with the Preparation of the Gifts, where bread and wine are brought to the altar.
In the early Church, believers presented goods to support the clergy and fellow Christians, a practice that evolved into what we now know as the collection. These gifts symbolize the work of human hands, offered back to God to be transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
As the priest prepares the gifts, prayers rooted in Jewish tradition are said, praising God the Creator for His abundant blessings. The priest prays that these gifts may be transformed into the “Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation.”
The symbolic mingling of water and wine represents the union of Christ with His people. The priest prays: “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.”
As you offer yourself to Jesus during today’s Eucharist, may He bless you with more than you could ever give. Amen!
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