Blessings everyone!
This page is a compilation of weekly reflections included in our bulletins from June 2025 through March 2026. They were written by Bernadette Parrott and endeavour to reveal and illuminate the various parts of the Mass, how they inspire us to worship and bring us to community.
The Mass is the most important prayer for Catholics. It is a time set aside to pray and come humbly before our God in prayer and worship. We may come to the Church feeling happy, sad, angry, joyful, anxious, busy or at peace. We may come alone, with friends or with family. We may even come just to “get it done” before our busy day begins. Whatever the reason, we should come, bring it all and place it at the Altar in the loving arms of our God.
In order to prepare ourselves for the Eucharistic Sacrifice, we remember why we really have come: to worship our God, to praise and thank Him who is so great and good, to pray and sing of God’s great love for us, to hear His Holy Word and to respond to it with love, to offer ourselves as a gift with Jesus to God our Father and to receive Jesus in Holy Communion and grow in His love for us.
Each section below can be expanded to reveal a reflection on part of the Mass that was included in the Parish bulletin during a given week.
At the very end, you will also find the following:
- a downloadable and printable PDF version of these reflections;
- a video from Ascension Press, with host Father Mike Schmitz, that helps to break down the Mass not as a familiar ritual, but as a profound encounter with Christ.
Posted June 20,2025
Before we even enter the sacred space of the House of God itself, we are invited to encounter Jesus through the warm welcome of our Greeters. Their genuine greeting and smile bring to mind that we are all children of God welcomed home!
We bless ourselves with Holy Water, make the Sign of the Cross reminding us of our baptism, and at this, and every Mass we renew our promises made at our baptism. These holy waters cleanse our soul and bring us the blessing of Christ. Making our way to our seats, we come into the presence of Christ present in the Tabernacle. We genuflect, greet and adore Him. Because we have a relic of a saint in our altar, we bow in reverence to the altar.
The Introductory Rites of the Mass gathers us to worship. They prepare us to listen during the Liturgy of the Word and to celebrate during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Introductory Rites include: the Opening Hymn and Entrance Procession, the Sign of the Cross, the Greeting, (a brief introduction to the day’s Mass), the Penitential Rite, the Glory to God and the Opening Prayer. Today we look at the Opening Hymn and Entrance Procession.
As a people of God journeying to Him, we come to worship with faith and love. When Mass begins, we stand, expressing our attentiveness and readiness. The Opening Hymn is our joyful welcome. Sung as the priest and ministers process to the altar, it brings us to experiencing the joy and love we are called to all share with Jesus and our faithful community gathered to worship. So much symbolism is present even in the Entrance Procession. The Cross reminds us that Christ goes before us, with us, and is always in our midst. We greet him in His House. The arrival of the priest completes the People of God. All the ministers bow to the Altar and take their places in the Sanctuary. We then move to the celebration of the Mass.
Posted June 27,2025
The priest has arrived at the Altar to begin the Mass! Have you noticed that the very first action that takes place is the Kissing of the Altar? Practiced close to the 2nd century, this action shows reverence for the Altar that represents Christ’s sacrifice and also recognizes the reverence due to the relic in the altar. In every altar, there is a stone tablet centered in it reminding us that the first altars were made of stone. If you watch closely, you will also notice that all our sacred vessels are placed on the corporal on this stone.
The priest begins the Mass with the Sign of the Cross, recalling our Baptism (in the name of Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and calling on the presence of God. It is the oldest gesture of faith bringing us back to the earliest traditions of the Eucharist. For us, it begins and ends every prayer, including the Mass. It is itself both a prayer and a blessing.
The Greeting of the priest “The Lord be with you”, is both a wish (may the Lord be with you) and a profound statement of faith (as you assemble for worship, the Lord IS with you).
As we encounter the everyday activities of this week, let’s remember always, that the Lord is with us!
Posted July 2, 2025
There are two major prayers contained in the Penitential Rite, so I’m separating this Rite into three weeks. This week – an introduction. The Penitential Rite was officially instituted into our Mass in 1570.
The Church is holy because it is given to us from Christ. However, we who attend Mass are a community of sinners on a journey. The Church recognizes that we need continuous, every day conversion asking God’s forgiveness to become worthy to receive His Body and Blood. It is during this Rite we recall our common need for salvation and our desire to seek God’s merciful compassion and forgiveness towards us, His children. We implore God’s mercy upon us. If Holy Water is used during the Rite, we are reminded of our baptism by the sprinkling. Do we come humbly before our God at this time in the Mass and ask for His forgiveness? Are we ready to receive His Precious Body and Blood?
Posted July 9, 2025
I think the nature of the “I Confess” is summed up in the prayer of the Priest before and after we pray it. “Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries” and “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.”
The Confiteor or I Confess is a prayer of general confession of sins where we acknowledge that our sins affect the community that surrounds us. We acknowledge our broken nature with God and ask for His forgiveness and mercy.
Our very thoughts, words, action and lack of action are brought to heart and placed with our neighbour and with God for forgiveness. We strike our breast three times as a gesture of humility and sorrow for our sins and ask all of heaven and those in our community to pray for us. We are all indeed brothers and sisters in Christ. What can we do to reconcile with our brothers and sisters even before we enter the Church for Mass?
Posted July 16, 2025
When we pray “Lord, have mercy,” we show our trust in God’s great mercy and His desire to forgive us and give us strength to live as His people.
The triple invocation which concludes our penitential rite is one of the oldest known prayers of the Mass. In Greek, the Church’s first official language, “Lord, have mercy” is “Kyrie eleison”. That has been carried over to the Latin translation.
The Lord Have Mercy is summed up in the words of the priest, “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.” Our “Amen” signifies our acceptance and consent to this prayer on our behalf.
“Lord” primarily refers to Jesus. This is the consistent way the New Testament writers used the term of Lord showing that they regarded him as God. “Christ” simply means “the anointed one” or “the Messiah”.
Is God’s mercy foremost in our hearts and minds while we pray the Kyrie? Is He Lord and Christ for me and is His Name Holy represented in my own personal use of His Name?
Posted July 23, 2025
We are reminded and encouraged to sing of God’s glory in Psalm 96. How do we sing our praise to God? The Gloria is a powerful ancient hymn praising Almighty God. It is a joyful exclamation and should be sung with a deep love of God in our hearts. If it cannot be sung, our whole heart should speak each word with joy and praise and thanksgiving to the greatness and holiness of God. It is prayed on all Sundays, Solemnities, Feasts, and other solemn special celebrations but is omitted during the Seasons of Advent and Lent, reflecting their penitential nature.
Are we humbled in joyful acknowledgement of the greatness of our God every morning as we awake, and recite this prayer of praise on Sundays with the sure hope of our great love of God and of God’s great love for us?
Posted July 30, 2025
It has been tradition for the leader of the assembly to gather up the needs of the people and offer them to God in prayer.
In the Collect, the priest now invites us to pray with the words, “Let us pray”. Have you noticed that the priest will wait for a few seconds before continuing? That silence allows us to pray for our personal intentions and for those of the Church. God is listening to our prayers! Then the priest prays a prayer that reflects the theme of the particular Mass. He then ‘collects’ the petitions we have prayed for in silence and offers them to God the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit. All who are present make the prayer their own by acclaiming “Amen”, our “yes, I believe, or “so be it”. We are now ready to hear the Lord in His Holy Word.
Posted August 6, 2025
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4).
I’ll be breaking the Liturgy of the Word into several parts over several weeks. It is now time to encounter the Word of God.
Within the scriptural readings we encounter the wisdom and actions of God. They are a dialogue between God and each of us personally and intimately and invite us to be part of the story of salvation. Early Christians gathered to “break bread”, but they also gathered to “break open the Word”. When we hold the Word of God dear and close to our hearts, and really listen, it becomes alive and active in us. During our Collect, God was listening, and we were speaking. Now, God is speaking! Are we listening? We should find ourselves thinking about and praying about what we have heard.
How do we prepare for receiving the Word of God at Mass? Do we take the time to read the Readings and Gospel in advance, so when we do arrive at Mass, we can just listen and let God’s word penetrate into our hearts?
Posted August 12, 2025
The Lector begins the Liturgy of the Word by proclaiming the First Reading. Taken from the Old Testament, God reveals His love and faithfulness in dealing with His people through the origin of our covenant with Him and his plan of salvation for us. We know in faith, that He shows the same loving care for us today.
There is continuity between the two Testaments: both lead us to Jesus Christ. Through these Old Testament readings, we find understanding and appreciation of the New Testament to follow. After the first reading we pause just for a moment in order to reflect and pray about what we have just heard. The First Reading and the Gospel reading are usually connected by a theme.
Our response, “Thanks be to God” is a reminder that God is in dialogue with us and the message shared through the reading was his personal, intimate message. Don’t forget to cry out “Thanks be to God” this week!
During the Easter Season the First Reading is taken from the New Testament books.
Posted August 20, 2025
The Responsorial Psalm is a prayer from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament. It is God speaking to us and us responding to him combined in beautiful prayer-song. It is in response to the First Reading. With our response we make God’s word our own. We are encouraged to be active participants in this prayer.
Coming from the Hebrew Scriptures we know with certainty, that they were also prayed by Jesus. We join our prayer to His now in praise to the Father. Some psalms express the joy and thanksgiving. Others tell of a suffering people who are sorry for their sins and are in need of a loving, merciful God. A challenge this week – open your Bible and read a Psalm of your choosing!
Posted August 27, 2025
Following the Responsorial Psalm and after a moment of silence, the second reading (or Epistle) is proclaimed by the Lector.
Always from the New Testament writings and often from the Letters of Paul, the Second Reading is usually unrelated in context to the Gospel. It focuses on the living faith in the early church. This witness of the apostolic community provides an example for all times. We too are asked to recall the love of God, made present in Christ and with the Holy Spirit step bolding into our community sharing the Good News through our love of neighbour. We are called to be active witnesses of our faith. The Epistles are our guide to action. Where and when will you be an active witness to your faith this week?
Again, we respond, “Thanks be to God”, for indeed all praise and thanksgiving is His.
Posted September 3, 2025
We have been sitting in passive involvement during the First and Second Readings, allowing those readings to penetrate our soul, but we now stand showing our active participation in the reciting of the Gospel Acclamation. We are preparing for Jesus himself to speak to us.
The Gospel Acclamation is led by a cantor and should serves as a reflection on the first two readings and as a joyful acclamation in anticipation of the Gospel. Here, our Alleluia, which in Hebrew means “Praise to you, Lord”, should fill the church with a joyful noise to the Lord.
Because the inherent character of “Alleluia” is that of rejoicing, during Lent it is replaced by a text which is more appropriate to the season.
How will your “Alleluia” resound through the Church this week and every week to follow?
Posted September 10, 2025
The Gospel is very sacred, since these are the words and deeds of Christ, we surround it by many distinct acts of respect; one of these is that we stand for the Gospel Reading.
Even though all of the readings are recognized as the Word of God, Christ’s presence in the Word is manifested most clearly through the Gospel. Taken from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, this text recounts events from the life of Christ and communicates to the assembly the message of redeeming salvation through him.
Because the Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word, it receives special consideration. The Gospel may be proclaimed only by the priest or another special minister (deacon). Further attention is given symbolically through the use of incense or often the use of a special “Book of Gospels.” The Gospel’s importance is stressed even more through specific actions and words by the priest and assembly. These include standing during its proclamation, an optional procession, special invitations before and after proclaiming the text and the kissing of the book.
Posted September 17, 2025
The Priest greets us again with “The Lord be with you,” then introduces the Gospel and marks himself with cross on his forehead, lips and heart, while silently asking God to cleanse his mind, and heart so he may worthily proclaim the Gospel. We too mark ourselves in the same way, asking God to purify our minds so our thoughts may be holy, so every word we speak may be holy, and so our hearts are strengthened with love for Him and others. This outward sign is a profession of our inward faith in the Trinity and our desire to listen attentively and live a holy life in accordance with the Gospel we are about to hear. Our response to the introduction of the Gospel, “Glory to You, Oh Lord”, again affirms that all glory and praise is due to Jesus, the inspiration of the Gospels.
An invitation for you the next time you listen to the Gospel. Take time to really pray, “The Word of God be ever in my mind, proclaimed by my lips, and pierce my heart leading me to deeper communion with you, Jesus.”
Posted September 24, 2025
I’m always humbled that we stand for the Gospel. I feel like I should be on my knees. Jesus is speaking to me. But, as a sign of respect and understanding that the Gospel is Jesus’ words, I stand. I stand in reverence and attentiveness.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It seems we all know the order of the Gospel writers from childhood, but these four evangelists walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, listened attentively to his words and recorded them so we too can be witnesses to the world, spreading the Word of God.
The Gospels tell of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection and is only to read by either a Deacon or the Priest. Jesus taught the people of His time about the Father’s goodness and love. He taught them how to live as true children of His Father. If you find yourself lost in the words of Jesus, don’t be afraid to stay there with Him! He’s teaching us the same thing he taught those so long ago.
It’s so important not to fall into the “I know this reading by heart because I’ve heard it so often” trap. There a truth revealed to us every time we hear the Gospel read, either new or strengthened. The Gospel reading concludes with “This is the Gospel of the Lord” and we respond, “Praise to you Lord, Jesus Christ” again proclaiming our faith in Christ’s presence in the word.
Indeed, as we find in Matthew 4:4, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Posted October 1, 2025
We sit for the Homily as a reminder of the time of Christ in the synagogue.
The homily is a continuation of God’s saving message, which nourishes faith and conversion. Drawing on the biblical texts of the readings, the priest or deacon shows in the homily how God continues to share himself every day in the lives of all present. During this integral part of the Liturgy of the Word, we are all called to become a more holy people and to prepare to offer ourselves during the celebration of the Liturgy of the Eucharist which is to follow.
Just as we break a large piece of bread to feed individuals, through the words of the Homily, God’s Word is broken open to be received by the congregation.
Do I challenge myself to really be present to the words shared by the deacon or priest, or do I allow myself to be easily distracted?
Posted October 8, 2025
I believe. Two little words. What is it that we really believe and profess to be the true, foundational stones of our faith? The unshakable, the unmoveable and the unchangeable? A study of the Creed could take weeks upon weeks and still not be exhausted.
After the homily, a few moments of silence are offered up in thanksgiving for the Word and the message that we have just received. Again, we stand. The oldest statement of faith, the Apostles Creed has its roots in the first centuries and is a summary of all Christian teaching. This is a communal profession of faith, a community affirming in unity their belief in all the Catholic faith holds to be true. Take the time be become really aware of our faith and what we profess when we recite the Creed.
A challenge. Every time you recite the Apostle (or Nicene) Creed, join with Father as he begins to pray. If we wait, we miss the “I BELIEVE” and join in late. Don’t forget to say, “I BELIEVE”.
Posted October 15, 2025
We close the Liturgy of the Word with the Prayer of the Faithful or General Intercessions. These prayers are read either by a deacon or a lay minister.
Here we are called to answer the call of Jesus to intercede for the needs of all people, to be our brother’s keeper. We are invited to resemble the Body of Christ, providing peace, shelter, healing, food, and love. Our prayers come as petitions, remembering our universal concerns. We pray for the church, our Holy Father, and our Bishop. We pray for the needs of our world, our own country, our diocese and our parish. We pray for people suffering from injustice and pain and for those who have died. We pray for people we know and love.
What petition do you bring and set at the feet of Our Lord when you come to Mass?
The priest gathers all our prayers and presents the petitions to God in a concluding prayer.
Posted October 22, 2025
“The Liturgy of the Word prepared us to celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Eucharist is why we celebrate the Liturgy of the Word. Both are essential.” (Living with Christ).
The second major part of the Mass contains two elements – the meal, (breaking of the bread) which Jesus left as His memorial; and the Hebrew tradition of sacrifice offered to God. Together, they are the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Until now, all the actions of the Mass have taken place away from the altar (either at the Priest’s chair or at the pulpit also known as the ambo). It’s all about to change.
As with any table, it is set, we say grace and share we the food. Everything will now center on the altar where the Eucharistic Sacrifice will take place. The altar is prepared; the gifts are “set apart” and then presented as we join ourselves in the sacrifice of Christ.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist are the prayers of the priest – to God. They are offered on our behalf. We are participants and witnesses only, responding, yes, but it is the prayer of the priest. All the actions belong to the priest. At our Mass, these ritual actions are called the Preparation of the Gifts, the Eucharistic Prayer and the Communion Rite.
“Do this in memory of me.” And so, we do. Every time.
Posted October 29, 2025
What are you bringing to the Altar of the Lord?
Offering of actual gifts and/or monetary support for the church or the poor has roots in Hebrew Liturgy and in the early church. The Offertory Procession and Presentation of the Gifts symbolically express our participation in the Eucharistic celebration.
At the Offertory we are still in the preparatory stage for the actual sacrifice of the Mass, but a much more direct preparation. Having established a mood of unity, expressed sorrow for our sins, and listened to God’s message, we now begin the immediate preparation of the material elements to be used in the Eucharistic sacrifice.
Bringing up the gifts, presenting the gifts and the placing of the gifts on the Altar shows the unity of the faithful in the sacrifice that is about to be re-presented.
Are you in unity with your faith community? What are you bringing and placing on the Altar of the Lord’s Sacrifice?
Posted November 5, 2025
“Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink.“
These prayers of praise recognize the Almighty guiding hand of God and our reliance on Him, the giver of all gifts. Our response “Blessed be God forever” is an ancient response of praise. Between these two prayers, what is perhaps the most symbolic prayer of the entire Mass is said: The priest (or deacon) prays it as he pours a drop of water into the wine:
“By the mystery of the water and wine, may we come
to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled
Himself to share in our humanity.”
This prayer truly captures the spirit of the Mass. Christ took on our human nature so that we could share in his divine nature. The priest then washes his hands as a symbol of internal purification to prepare for the most sacred part of the Mass and prays quietly:
“With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God. Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.”
After preparation, the priest invites us to pray that the sacrifice of the priest may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father and we respond in prayer.
The Offertory closes with the Prayer Over the Gifts and then the Preparation of the Gifts closes with the Prayer Over the Offerings to which we respond, Amen. Do we stop in thanksgiving for all the gifts that God has given to us?
Posted November 12, 2025
Now we arrive at the most sacred part of the Mass, the Eucharistic Prayer, the center and high point to the entire celebration. It is essentially a statement of praise and thanksgiving for God’s works of salvation. We could spend years discovering the riches of the great Eucharistic Prayer. It is here that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.
The priest prays to God on our behalf, but as a reminder that we are all participants in offering this prayer, we will enter into a dialogue three times.
The language and events of the Eucharistic Prayer form the essence of the entire Liturgy of the Eucharist. They give thanks and praise to God and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, make present the Body and Blood of the risen Lord. Recalling the words and actions of our Lord at the Last Supper, the priest and the assembly join themselves with Christ to acknowledge the works of God and to offer the sacrifice.
This long prayer brings us to the very center of the Mass and the heart of our faith. While its words may vary from Sunday to Sunday, it always has this structure:
– We call upon God to remember all the wonderful saving deeds of our history.
– We recall the central figure in our history, Jesus Christ, and in particular the memorial He left us. And recall too, his Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
– Finally, we ask God to continue Christ’s saving deeds in the present: we pray that we may become on body, one spirit, in Christ.
Posted November 19, 2025
The Preface is a brief prayer that offers praise to God the Father for His gifts of creation and redemption. It corresponds to specific Sundays, Feast Days, Holy Days and Seasons and there are many to choose from. I find it more prayerful to just listen to the prayer the priest chooses. However, before we encounter this prayer in its fullness, we enter into our first dialogue of the Eucharistic Prayer:
> The Lord be with you. And with your spirit.
> Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.
> Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right and just. (Eucharist translated from Greek means “Thanksgiving”)
The purpose of the Preface is to bring us to recognize the reason we are at Mass glorifying God. I invite you to really listen to the words prayed by the priest. They will open our hearts more fully to the Mass being celebrated. This is an ancient prayer of the Church and binds the people of God to the prayer of the priest. It’s important here as well, to not fall into the “heard that already” trap as this prayer does vary.
Whichever Preface is chosen, it always begins the same with the initial dialogue:
“It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.”
It then moves to address the special nature of the Mass focusing on the feast being celebrated that day.
The last lines of the preface bring us to our acclamation of faith which we will look at more closely next week. With it, we join our voices to the Angels and the Saints in a joyful acclamation. It is usual for the Preface to be sung.
Do we “always and everywhere” give thanks to our God?
Posted November 26, 2025
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. 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 our second dialogue of the Eucharistic Prayer, where once again we join our prayer to that of the priest who is offering the prayer on our behalf. The “Holy Holy” is also called the Sanctus. This prayer was acclaimed in churches from before 400 AD and is inspired by scripture (Isaiah 6:1-5, Revelation 4:2-8 and Matthew 21:1-9). The Sanctus concludes the Preface.
The Sanctus begins the Eucharistic Prayer proper and should be sung in the recognition of its holy nature. This is one of my favourite prayers of the Mass. With it, we are all united in prayer, praise and adoration. It is here that we fall to our knees in prayer. It is one of the oldest prayers reaching all the way back to the 1st century.
Repeating “holy” three times in repetition is a reminder of the Trinity and an invitation to place ourselves at the feet of the Only Truly Holy One. We get a glimpse of heaven in this small prayer. It reminds me of when the Sacred Body is removed from our Tabernacle and we must pull away the veil there – in this prayer, we pull back the veil of heaven to get a small glimpse of God’s throne in heaven, and we join with the angels and saints in worship. The Sanctus is an amazing and powerful invitation to share in adoring the Trinity, but it is also a plea of salvation that comes only through Jesus. When I fall to my knees in prayer, do I seek to look upon Jesus and gaze to Heaven and cry aloud in adoration:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. 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.
Posted December 3, 2025
Blessings everyone! Today, we begin our reflections on the great Eucharistic Prayer. There are four major Eucharistic Prayers that the priest can choose from, but there are others the priest may choose in extraordinary celebrations. Fr. Neil usually prays the Eucharistic Prayer 2, the shortest of the Eucharistic Prayers available to him, and that is where I place my focus on this part of our reflections on the Mass going forward. He also often chooses Eucharistic Prayer 3. This high point of the Mass is so integral to our faith, and I’ll be breaking it down into several sections.
The Eucharistic Prayer is more than just the prayer the priest says to consecrate the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. It tells us what the Eucharist is all about – giving thanks and praise to Almighty God, being united in Jesus’ sacrifice for our salvation and being transformed by the Holy spirit to act as vessels and witnesses to our faith. This prayer is addressed to God the Father, not to Jesus, but it’s about Jesus. If we put ourselves in that understanding, then this prayer opens up in its fullness to us. I’m going to rely on the Holy Spirit to help me reveal the depth of this prayer.
Posted December 10, 2025
We have just prayed the Sanctus together, pronouncing our three-fold steadfast belief in the Holiness of God. The priest’s response gathers us together once again, offering his prayer with a sure and faithful acclamation…. “You are indeed Holy, O Lord….”
“You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ”
If ever there is a time to bow our heads, here it is! The Invocation of the Holy Spirit is such a powerful moment in the Mass. Of course, the Holy Spirit is always present, but at this moment he is called to be present at the Altar; present with us in our sacrifice and to sanctify (or make holy), the bread, water and wine on the Altar. The very nature of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit is present at this moment. Take time to be aware when Father makes the Sign of the Cross over the gifts on the Altar. My eyes were opened by a friend who mentioned their favourite part of this prayer was “like a dewfall”. Beyond its dictionary explanation of water vapor condensing, the phrase is so much richer. It’s a reminder of the Manna from heaven received by the Israelites in the desert. Imagine the Holy Spirit descending, gently, quietly and miraculously, sanctifying the gifts present before us. Do I bow in humble adoration at the coming of the Holy Spirit?
Posted December 17, 2025
Following the Invocation of the Holy Spirit, the priest turns his prayer to God the Father towards the Institution Narrative. So, what is that? The Institution of the Eucharist began at the Last Supper, and this narrative recalls for us the words of Jesus to his disciples on that most Holy Thursday night. The retelling or re-presentation of the story unfolds at this time in our Mass.
Jesus changes the familiar narrative of the Passover. He took bread, gave thanks (as we should all do), broke it and gave it to his disciples. But then, he said,
“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body which will be given up for you.”
And after supper, he took the chalice, gave thanks again, gave the chalice to his disciples and said,
“Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” He added; ” Do this in memory of me.”
After this Passover meal, Jesus is betrayed and entered into His passion, death and ultimate Resurrection.
But why is this narrative so important to us as Catholics? During its re-presentation, the transubstantiation takes place, the greatest invitation to our faith. When Father elevates the ciborium and the chalice and says, “this is my Body, this my Blood”, he acts and speaks in the person of Christ, and the bread and wine are completely changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. Only the appearance of bread and wine remain. Jesus is truly present on the altar, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. This truly is God’s action in the world and our covenant with Him is renewed. At every Mass. “Oh, what a gift, what a wonderful gift!” Do you believe?
Posted December 24, 2025
The Memorial Acclamation takes place directly after the consecration. Again, let’s put ourselves into the narrative unfolding before us. A substantial change has just taken place through the Transubstantiation. It truly is a matter of faith, truly a mystery. It is our duty to accept in faith because we cannot use reason only to justify what has just taken place.
The beautiful and challenging words of each Acclamation remind us of the central truth of the Mass we are celebrating. Each one invites us to recall the sacrifice of Jesus and the rewards of eternal salvation for each one of us.
This is our third dialogue in the Eucharistic Prayer, and it is in response to the priest’s invitation: “The mystery of faith”. The priest may choose between three proclamations each of them truly inviting us to step into the past, a memorial, a time of remembrance; the present a time of thanksgiving, praise and worship; and the future a time we now spend as we journey towards our eternal reward.
Which one draws you into the mystery of our faith?
Posted December 31, 2025
The first part of the continuing Eucharistic Prayer reminds us that we indeed are celebrating the memorial of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. We have placed on the altar, the Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation and offer it to our loving God. At this point, I am always humbled and thankful to be Catholic. We can partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. Through the Holy Spirit, we pray that we may be gathered into one body, worshipping together. Our prayer is one of unity. I travel this world as much as I can. I search for Sunday Masses to be united with my brothers and sisters throughout this beautiful world in unity, we indeed are spread throughout the world. It is our call to action and charity, to be witnesses both at home and abroad together with our Pope, Bishop, and clergy.
The second part brings us to seeking mercy. Through intercessions, we seek mercy for those who have died, and mercy for ourselves as we fall away from God in sin. We seek the intercession of our Mother Mary, the Apostles and the Saints so we too may be pleasing to God, so that we may one day arrive at the heavenly table, of which this table is only a hint. Heaven and earth are united in prayer so those who have answered the call to participate in the redemption and salvation purchased by the Body and Blood of Christ as satisfied.
…”Remember, Lord, your Church…”
Posted January 7, 2026
What is a doxology and why is it so integral to our worship during Mass? Simply put it is a prayer of praise to the Holy Trinity. The Gloria is our Greater Doxology and this prayer at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer is our Lesser Doxology. It serves as a concluding prayer summarizing our faith and beliefs. This prayer belongs to the priest alone, we should not be participating in it, as it is a part of the Eucharistic Prayer. With it, our praise is returned to the Father. It is at this point in time, that both the paten with the host (or ciborium) and the chalice are elevated once again for us to gaze upon our Lord.
Through him, and with him, and in him,
– Here we are speaking of Jesus, it is His sacrifice that we celebrate and in Christ we honour the God we praise.
O God, almighty Father,
– We recognize that all things are possible through God, He is almighty and our praise rises to Him
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
– The Father and the Son are bound by the unity of the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice on the Altar is complete as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together and through this unity we are transformed into the living body of Christ and are empowered to continue His mission in the world.
All glory and honour is yours,
– Remember that this glory and honour belong to the Father, through the Son in the unity of the Holy Spirit
For ever and ever
– God’s love for us is enduring to the end of time, Jesus’ sacrifice is enduring to the end time, the Holy Spirit remains with us until the end of time.
How beautiful is the concluding prayer!
Posted January 14, 2026
“Amen” means “I believe” or “so be it”. Of all the “Amens” we say, why is this one “Great”?
We have actively participated in the Eucharistic Prayer through listening, responding and uniting our hearts to the sacrifice taking place on the Altar before us. The Great Amen belongs to the congregation – to us! It is our response to all that was prayed by the priest through the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer. It is a powerful moment when, with one voice, all of us gathered proclaim an act of faith – I believe that all praise and worship and thanksgiving belong to the Father, that the unity of the Trinity are united in this sacrifice, that the Trinity have cooperated during Mass to bring us to this holy moment, that Jesus is truly present on the Altar.
Our Amen completes our participation in the Eucharistic Prayer. It is indeed one of the most powerful moments in the Mass. After we have given our assent to the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest then lowers the paten and chalice that has remained elevated.
It is “Great” because this Amen is not just a word, it is an act of faith.
Do you believe?
Posted January 21, 2026
Immediately following the Great Amen, we turn to the final preparations for the Eucharistic Meal – to the reception of Holy Communion, Christ within us. Our hearts still full of joy we also recognize our need for reconciliation before our God. Everything that follows during the Communion Rite prepares us for Holy Communion.
We have experienced the unity of the Holy Trinity, and now we prepare ourselves for the unity of the community who have worshipped together.
During this Rite, we will pray as Jesus taught us to pray, we will extend our hands in a sign of peace, we will be a witness to the comingling of the Body and Blood of Jesus. We will ask for mercy and peace one final time, we will come humbly in prayer to our Saviour and finally, we will receive Jesus himself during Holy Communion.
Here’s an invitation to focus your prayer on every component of the Communion Rite, don’t let a single moment slip through the cracks.
Posted January 28, 2026
I could spend endless hours revealing the richness of the Lord’s Prayer and each of us find our own comfort in its words. I’ll try to encapsulate it as briefly as I can. I would like to start with the words of the priest that invite us to prayer: “At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say”
This is not only a prayer of unity, but it is also a prayer of humility. These are the words of Jesus. He has taught us to pray, and we come to him humbly as in unity we recognize our need and dependence on God. We dare to speak the words given to us. But we do speak them with certainty, with faith, with trust, as a community.
The seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer remind us that God is our Father and his unending love for us. The first three focus on our loving God as the Almighty One, and the final four still focus on God but bring us to recognize our need and reliance on Him.
Our Father who art in Heaven – We call upon his name as children gathered together
Hallowed be thy name – We recognize that He is the Holy One deserving of our reverence
Thy Kingdom come – Brought to us through the Word Incarnate, proclaimed through the Gospels, we are called to action before His final coming
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven – The Great Commandment – love one another, even as I have loved you. We are called to unite our will to the will of God.
Give us this day our daily bread – We trust that we will be given all we need today – we can worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. We hunger for bread, but we also hunger for the Word of God. Our invitation is to pray daily.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us – Not always easy to do, I know. But this is a statement of unity found in forgiveness. We cannot be forgiven until we have also forgiven.
And lead us not into temptation – We ask God to take us away from the path of sin. We implore the Holy Spirit for discernment and strength.
But deliver us from evil – This is not an abstract petition – this is referring to the Evil One. This petition is directed towards our final judgement – to be freed from all evils. We need God’s protection and cannot stand alone.
Posted February 4, 2026
Before the final doxology, the prayer of the priest implores, on our behalf once again, for protection against EVERY evil, peace in our days, freedom from sin, and the strength to wait in blessed hope for Jesus’ coming in glory.
There are three petitions present in this final doxology, proclaimed with adoration and thanksgiving.
For the kingdom – the glorification of His Name
The power and glory are yours – the coming of His reign
Now and forever – the power of his saving will.
This is a simple, but powerful prayer of praise and adoration.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Posted February 11, 2026
Before we extend our hand in peace to our brethren gathered in worship with us, we once more ask for mercy and forgiveness and for the same peace given by Jesus at his greeting to his apostles. The Perfect Peace. Everything in accordance with His will, not ours. As the priest sends his blessing upon us – “the peace of the Lord be with you always”, we return the blessing to the priest, “and with your spirit”. Then, in a spiritual pledge of unity through the true peace known only through Jesus, we reach out with the blessing bestowed upon us and turn it towards those around us. It’s not the time to wander the whole of the church, because very soon we enter into the final moment of asking for mercy upon our souls before we approach Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. It is the time, though, to reach out to those directly around us with joy, community, and peace.
We look inward too, looking to build up the peace in our own hearts so we can be witnesses to our community and build up His kingdom here on earth. This moment in the Mass expresses our faith that Christ is present and that we are united in oneness with him.
“If you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift at the altar, go first to be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Mt. 5:23-24).
How do you seek reconciliation in your life so peace may be restored?
Posted February 18, 2026
In a remembrance of Jesus’ gesture of breaking the bread during the Last Supper and then sharing it with those at table with him, so to, the priest breaks the bread so it can be shared with us, another clear sign of charity and unity in one bread, one body. Somewhat hidden and silent, the priest places a small piece of the Body of Christ so it can mingle with the Blood of Christ. Don’t miss this moment. It signifies “the unity of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious body of Jesus Christ.” As this action takes place, the priest prays quietly,
“May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.”
The Lamb of God accompanies the Breaking of the Bread; it does not precede it. Ever. The prayer originated in the Gospel of John, Chapter 1, verse 29; “the next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Just as Jesus asked Peter three times do you love me, we strike our breasts three times in humility and supplication seeking mercy, “Lamb of God, have mercy on us and grant us peace”. We are in the final moments before our reception of Holy Communion.
The priest continues with a silent prayer asking Jesus to free him from all his sins and every evil and so much more. This is a great moment in the Mass when we too can pray for our priests.
Posted February 25, 2026
The priest does not take a bow. He does, however, genuflect deeply before the presence of our Saviour. When he rises, he offers the Body and Blood of Jesus for us to ‘behold’. To behold: to look upon something with a sense of awe…. (and may I add, worship). Don’t forget to behold – don’t forget to look upon our Saviour. Then, in humility, bow your head in adoration for we truly are blessed. We have been called, and we have come to the banquet, perhaps broken, perhaps in joy, but we have come.
“Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb”
Our final prayer before the reception of Holy Communion is one of the greatest prayers of total surrender of faith. Just as the centurion in Matthew 8:8 surrenders in faith for the healing of his servant, so too must we surrender ourselves to the Lamb for the redemption of our soul.
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
As we surrender to the fact that we truly are not worthy and yet Jesus seeks to find and save us, the priest quietly prays, “May the Body and Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.” He then reverently consumes the Body and Blood of Christ and proceeds to distribute Communion (perhaps with the assistance of other Ministers) to the congregation gathered.
Who do you see when you behold the Lamb of God present before you?
Posted March 4, 2026
Most of us will agree that the Reception of Holy Communion is the high point of the Mass. It completes the sacrificial nature of the meal and unites us to Christ’s Passover. The Church teaches that it is our source and our summit.
Everything we have celebrated before this moment has prepared us for Communion. Our Opening Rites, our Liturgy of the Word, our Offertory, our Liturgy of the Eucharist, our Communion Rites have all brought us to this moment. As we process, we come forward as brothers and sisters. St. Augustine has said, “we receive what we already are, in order that we might become more truly who we are.”
As we stand in anticipation of the reception of Holy Communion, take the time to pray that you too are kept safe for eternal life. As you approach the Altar, approach in silence, humility and prayer – look forward with your eyes focused on our Saviour present before you, waiting for you. You are walking towards an experience of healing and forgiveness.
When you come to the minister, bow, it is Jesus who is there. As you gaze upon the Body and Blood present in the consecrated host, and the minister proclaims, “The Body of Christ”, may your Amen (yes, I believe!) resonate in Heaven.
If you come forward, feeling unworthy, unprepared, and not in union with the Catholic church, come and take the first step, Jesus is waiting for you too! Come, receive the blessing that He wants to impart upon you. Don’t remain in your seat – don’t deny yourself this incredible gift. Just come. He is waiting just for you with open arms.
“Take and eat”, and so we do as often as we can. “Do this in memory of me”, as so we do at every Mass. It truly is the source and summit of our Christian life.
When you have returned to your seat – take the time to pray in thanksgiving.
O Sacrament most Holy,
O Sacrament Divine,
All praise and all thanksgiving,
be every moment Thine.
Our Communion Rite closes with the Prayer After Communion. It too is a time for us one more time to come in thanksgiving, the priest then gathers all our prayers and presents them to God, this time focusing on the Sacrament we have just received.
Posted March 11, 2026
There are four basic components of the Concluding Rites – the Final Blessing and the Dismissal, and the Kissing of the Altar and the Recessional. Together, they bring the Celebration of the Eucharist to a close.
What’s left after we receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist? Our Call to Mission. We are sent forward with God’s blessing to bring Christ into our little part of the world. Our final blessing begins as the priest once again sends forth God’s blessing to us and we return it to him as a prayerful farewell until we meet again at our next Mass. Then the priest continues with hands outstretched:
“May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.
We bow our heads to receive this heavenly blessing, signing ourselves as we did at the very beginning of the Mass with the Sign of the Cross. Once again, our AMEN should pierce heaven. It should not be quiet and reserved. We have completed the prayer of the Mass.
Posted March 17, 2026
Now that the prayer of the Mass is complete, we are strengthened to carry whatever cross we may encounter in the coming week by the blessings of our shared community, the Scripture we have heard proclaimed and by the Body and Blood of Christ received in the Eucharist.
The priest, or Deacon if present, instructs the assembly to go forth in peace and to serve one another in the peace of Christ by living the words of the Gospel. “Ite, missa est” – Go, you are sent. The word “missa” became the name of the celebration – translated now into English, the “Mass”.
The priest will now reverence the altar once again as he did when he began the Liturgy. The kiss of farewell at the end of the celebration mirrors the kiss whereby the altar is greeted at the beginning of Mass.
Don’t leave early – the Mass is not yet complete! The celebration concludes with the Recessional. The priest, deacon, and servers lead us out into the world. We should not leave the House of God until the priest has led us forward.
May each of us be richly blessed as we come to the House of the Lord to celebrate the Mass together. Jesus is always there waiting for each one of us. Blessings! AMEN!
God loves you so much!
REVEALING THE MYSTERY AND THE BEAUTY OF THE MASS
This document is a compilation of weekly reflections included in our bulletins from June 2025 through March 2026. If you would like to download a complete copy for printing, it has been reformatted and made available for download.
Ascension Press, with host Father Mike Schmitz, has developed a video to help break down the Mass not as a familiar ritual, but as a profound encounter with Christ.