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Listening to God’s word (the Bible) they grow in faith more conformed to the mind of Christ. Liturgy celebrates the wonders of creation and gives thanks for the reality of redemption. The liturgy is a celebration not of what God has said, but of God today speaking to our hearts and souls.
- Mass – Liturgy Of The Eucharist While the liturgy of the word focused upon the table of the Lord’s word-the lectern, the Eucharistic liturgy centers upon the altar-both a place of sacrifice as well as the table from which as Christians we are fed. The themes of sacrifice, thanksgiving and meal dominate.
- And the liturgy is the sacrament by which he comes personally and physically among us. The Mass is indisputably the single most important thing that human beings can do. You have your part to fill in this great work. In fact, that’s what the liturgy is: the word is from the Greek meaning “the laity’s job.”.
Latin Mass, 1523
In 1523 Martin Luther reformed the late medieval liturgy of the Mass. He called it Formula Missae or the Latin Mass. Luther used the purity of the Gospel (the doctrine of justification) as his main criteria for reforming the late medieval Latin Mass. Luther recognized the need for further reform of the church’s liturgy, hinting at this already in the text of his Latin Mass.
In 1526 Luther further reformed the church’s liturgy. He called it Deutsche Messe or the German Mass. Luther composed his German Mass to provide worship in the language of the people, primarily for those who were less educated and less experienced in theological matters.
What is probably the most surprising element of Luther’s reforms of the late medieval liturgy of the Mass, is that he did not select a single form and hold it up as the ideal liturgy to be followed by all Christians. Luther actually wrote against this.
What Luther in fact did was to evaluate the needs of the Wittenburg community he served, and then provide God’s people there with these two services. He did not hold up either service as more “authentic” than the other. Neither did he look down on those who displayed a need for the traditional forms they had grown accustomed to. Instead Luther ran these two very different services right alongside each other in the service of the Gospel in Christ’s church.
Lutheran services from 1526 to the end of the sixteenth century and into the seventeenth century by and large followed one of these two outlines. This demonstrates a willingness on the part of pastors and lay people during this period to allow for a certain amount of freedom in the execution of the church’s liturgy in different locations. It also demonstrates that they arrived at a formula that promoted harmony among God’s people.
A side-by-side comparison of Luther’s Latin Mass and Luther’s German Mass is one example of the liturgical diversity Luther and his colleagues were willing to allow for in the church. This comparison does not fully illustrate the diversity in the execution of the forms that the sixteenth-century reformers appreciated (Latin chants, German chorales, hymnic settings for liturgical texts like the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, e.g.). But it shows in the simplest way how they appreciated the need for diversity in worship practices even within the same local context.
The Latin Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The German Mass
Introit / Psalm …………………………… Spiritual Song (or Psalm in German)
Kyrie eleison[1] …………………………. Kyrie eleison (three times)
Gloria in excelsis[2]
Prayer (or collect) ……………………… Collect
Epistle ………………………………………. Epistle
Gradual (two verses) ………………….. German Hymn (by choir)
Alleluia[3]
Sequence[4]
Gospel ………………………………………. Gospel (read facing the people)
Nicene Creed[5] ………………………… Creed (sung in German)
Sermon[6] ………………………………… Sermon (on the Gospel)
Preparation of bread & wine
[…] …………………………………………… Paraphrase of Lord’s Prayer
Preface
[…] …………………………………………… Exhortation to communicants
Blessing of bread & wine ……………. Consecration of bread
… i.e., Words of institution
[…] …………………………………………… Elevation of Body of Christ
[…] …………………………………………… Distribution of Body of Christ
Sanctus …………………………………….. Sanctus (in German)
[…] …………………………………………… Consecration of wine
[…] …………………………………………… Distribution of Blood of Christ
[…] …………………………………………… Sanctus (in German)
Benedictus
Lord’s Prayer
Peace
Agnus Dei[7]
Post-communion collect …………… Thanksgiving Collect
Salutation
… i.e., “The Lord be with you,” etc.
Benedicamus domino
Benediction[8] …………………………. Aaronic Benediction
[1] Here Luther allowed for “various melodies for different seasons.”
[2] Luther gave the option to the local pastor to “decide to omit [the Gloria in excelsis] as often as he wishes.”
[3] Luther argued for the singing of the Alleluia during Lent, Holy Week, and on Good Friday. “For the Alleluia is the perpetual voice of the church, just as the memorial of His passion and victory is perpetual.”
[4] A sequence refers to a medieval musical arrangement that follows “in sequence” in the liturgical order. The term sequence also referred to the harmonic sequence of the music. Luther made this element of the liturgical order a choice of the local pastor.
[5] The singing of the Creed for Luther was a matter that “should also be left in the hands of the bishop.” Luther referred to the local pastor as “bishop.”
[6] Here Luther argued that the sermon should come before the reception of the Lord’s Supper; “. . . it might be argued that since the Gospel is the voice crying in the wilderness and calling unbelievers to faith, it seems particularly fitting to preach before mass.” Luther referred to the administration of the Sacrament of the Altar as “the mass.”
[7] During the singing of the Angus Dei, according to Luther, the presiding minister was to “communicate, first himself and then the people.”
[8] Luther wrote, “I also wish we had as many songs as possible in the vernacular which the people could sing during mass, immediately after the gradual and also after the Sanctus and Agnus Dei. . . . But poets are wanting among us, or not yet known, who could compose evangelical and spiritual songs, as Paul calls them [Col. 3:16], worthy to be used in the church of God.”
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The Mass, the formal, official worship service of Catholicism, is the most important and sacred act of worship in the Catholic Church. Going to Mass is the only way a Catholic can fulfill the Third Commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day and the only regular opportunity to receive the Holy Eucharist.
The Massincorporates the Bible (Sacred Scripture), prayer, sacrifice, hymns, symbols, gestures, sacred food for the soul, and directions on how to live a Catholic life — all in one ceremony.
The first part of the Mass in the Western (Latin) Church is the Liturgy of the Word, and its main focus is on Bible readings as an integral part of daily and weekly worship. The second part is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and its main focus is the holiest and most sacred part of the Mass — Holy Eucharist.
Eastern Rite Catholics call their Mass the Divine Liturgy, but it’s essentially the same. Eastern Catholics also use the two-fold division of Liturgy of the Catechumens and Liturgy of the Faithful, which coincide with the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The differences are merely from the fact that in the West, the Mass follows the tradition of the Roman liturgy, but in the East, it’s the liturgical tradition of Constantinople.
The Liturgy of the Word
The first part of the Mass is built around hearing the word of God. After the priest and his attendants process to the altar, the priest and congregation participate in the Penitential Rite, which is simply an acknowledgement that everyone is a sinner and has sinned to some degree during the week. This Confiteor is followed by the kyrie, which expresses public guilt and shame for any sins against God.
The Gloria, a prayer or hymn of adoration of God, is followed by a prayer that addresses all three persons of the Holy Trinity, and that usually sets the tone for the rest of the prayers and Bible readings at Mass. Every day has its own unique prayers and readings chosen by the Church, not the individual parish.
A qualified lectorthen reads the designated passages of the day. Following these readings, the congregation, which has been sitting, stands while the priest or deacon reads the holy Gospel, which contain the very words and deeds of Christ and require the respect shown by standing.
The congregation sits and listens to the homily, which is different than a sermon in that it’s an explanation and reflection on the Word of God read only by clergy. The priest or deacon connects the Scripture readings to the daily lives of the people, the teachings of the Church, or the particular celebration at hand.
On Sundays and holy days, the homily is followed by the Profession of Faith, or Creed, which succinctly sums up all the teachings of the Church. Then comes the Prayers of the Faithful, which are petitions are for the pope, the Church, the civil authorities, current concerns, and so on, to which the people respond with “Lord, hear our prayer” or “Hear us, O Lord.”
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Liturgy Of The Word Vs Mass
As the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins, everyone sits down and baskets are passed to collect monetary offerings. These are then brought to the altar along with a cruet of plain drinking water, a cruet of grape wine, and a container of unconsecrated hosts during the offertory.
The deacon or priest pours wine into the chaliceand adds a few drops of water to symbolize the union of the divinity and humanity of Christ. The priest lifts the hosts above the altar as an offering to God, then does the same with the wine-filled chalice. The priest then ceremonially washes his hands as priests and rabbis did before ritual slaughters. It’s a reenactment of the real sacrifice of Jesus.
After the Sanctus (Latin for Holy) is prayed, or, more often sung, the congregation kneels for the first time for the holiest part of the Mass, the Consecration. Catholicism professes that when the priest consecrates the bread and wine, it becomes the body and blood of Christ in the miracle of transubstantiation. It still looks, feels, and tastes like bread and wine, but it’s not.
The ringing of bells at the Consecration signifies the holiest moment of the Mass, a symbol of reverent rejoicing. Often, bells are rung when the priest elevates the Host, and again, when he elevates the chalice.
After the congregation prays the Our Father, the priest or deacon may say “Let us offer each other a sign of peace,” and each parishioner gives those standing next to and near to her a simple handshake to show solidarity as one family of faith before the real and most intimate sign of unity — Holy Communion.
The Agnus Dei (Lamb of God), which asks God for mercy and peace, is said or sung, and then the people kneel in prayer before lining up to receive the Holy Eucharist.
Liturgy Of The Word Mass
The priest first consumes the consecrated Host and then drinks the consecrated wine from the chalice. Then Catholics who are in a state of grace approach the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister and are given a consecrated Host. Sometimes, they’re also offered a sip of the Precious Blood (the consecrated wine) from the cup. Before actually receiving Holy Communion, a Catholic makes some sign of reverence — a bow of the head, the sign of the cross, a genuflection, kneeling, and so on.
When presenting the consecrated Host, the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister says “the Body of Christ” to which the recipient replies “Amen,” signifying, “Yes, I do believe it is Jesus.” If the Precious Blood is offered, the communicant may go to the person holding it who says, “the Blood of Christ,” and she replies again, “Amen.” Then she takes the cup and drinks a few sips of the consecrated wine and hands the cup back.
After receiving Holy Communion, the faithful go back to their pews and pray silently for a few minutes before sitting down.
The Mass ends with the priest blessing the congregation and sending them forth to spread the Word of God and put it into practice.