Unit 8 Amen

 The Creed reminds us who we are and who we are called to become. When we say “Amen”, we let God guide us in both our being and our becoming.  Amen: The word “amen” means “so be it” or “I believe” (“I do”)

Real Presence: Jesus/God’s presence.  The bread and wine becomes Christ for us so that when we eat them, Christ enters us and nourishes us. When we share the sacrament of communion, Jesus enters us and supports us with his life.

 The Eucharist gives us and the entire faith community the strength to live out what we say we believe in the CREED.

Our place of worship  Our physical environment can affect the way we pray and celebrate as a community. Throughout the ages, people have built churches and chapels to help them be aware of God’s presence. The place of worship is the Church for the Catholic faith. The church has three main divisions:

Cont.  The vestibule- (entrance)- symbolic of the entrance into the kingdom of heaven  The nave (the body)- visible expression of the church where people gather to celebrate  The sanctuary- (the center)- mystical center of the church where the throne of God, the table of heaven and the altar of sacrifice are found.

Pentecost  At Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit down to empower the apostles to spread the good news. Jesus told the apostles to preach the gospel to the entire world. Jesus established the Catholic Church through Peter. He was the first Pope, who was called “the rock.” This is the only church that has an uninterrupted line of bishops that come directly from the apostles.

Symbols in Church  There are many symbols in the church that are there to remind us of our faith. Here are some of the items found in every Catholic Church: Baptismal Font  Often located near the entrance of the church to remind us that through Baptism, we enter this community of faith an become the sisters and brothers of Jesus

Assembly  the people who gather to listen to the Word and share in the Eucharist are a sign of Christ’s presence  The arrangement of the seats in the church or chapel should help everyone to feel like participants in the celebration and not just spectators

Cross  we gather to join ourselves in the sacrifice of Jesus  it reminds us that during Mass, we celebrate that Jesus gave his life so we might have life  also a sign of faith we share together

Altar  the table of Lord around which the community gathers  Jesus’ sacrificial death and his rising are made present to us on this table  Around this table, God’s people are fed

Lectionary  collection of readings from Scripture that have been chosen for each Mass during the year  it is often carried high in procession as a reminder that it contains God’s words

Ambo  The place from which the word of God is proclaimed  reminder that Jesus is present to us when the word of God is read and listened to

Candles  a reminder that Christ is present in our midst and that this light casts aside all the darkness  conveys the festive spirit of the mass

Sacred Vessels  the chalice and paten are the cup and the plate used only for the Eucharistic celebration  reminds us that the body of Christ that we receive is real food for our journey, and that his blood is real drink to strengthen us

Sacramentary  large book that contains the prayers of the mass  every Sunday, Catholics around the world use the same prayers in the celebration of the Mass---It helps us stay united

Cont.  Tabernacle  Where the Blessed Sacrament (the bread that was consecrated but not eaten during the Mass) is kept  Sanctuary Lamp  near the tabernacle, here a (red) candle remains lit all the time as a sign that the real presence of Christ is the consecrated bread

Theme of Mass  The “theme” of every Mass is Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. In planning the liturgy, we do not develop new themes; we choose to look at different aspects of the central mystery and the way it touches our lives.

Liturgy: the ritual and actions of the people  The liturgy is how we as a community celebrate our faith. The flow common to every Eucharistic liturgy is: gathering, listening to the word of God, blessing, eating and drinking, and sending forth. Since liturgy is “the work of the people” our taking part in the Mass is very important. The following is the order of the Mass:

Gathering (Introductory Rite)- to gather as a community  Opening Song: opens the celebration and leads our thoughts to what we are celebrating  Entrance Procession: involves those with special role within the celebration such as the lectors and the priests

Cont.  Sign of the Cross/Amen: reminds us of the trinity that is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit  Greeting/Response: this greeting can take one of several forms (in each form we are reminded that God is, and always will be, with us).

Cont.  Penitential Rite: The community seeks reconciliation with one another and with God  Gloria: Ancient Christian hymn of praise and thanksgiving  Opening Prayer Silence/Amen: This is the “collect” or gathering prayer

The Liturgy of the Word- to listen  First Reading: A proclamation from the Old Testament  Responsorial Psalm/ Refrain: A psalm that reflects the spirit of the first reading: The psalm is best sung.

Cont.  Second Reading: A proclamation from the letters of the New Testament  Gospel Acclamation: We welcome the Lord our God joyfully by singing an alleluia or other acclamation

Cont.  Gospel: A proclamation from one of the gospels as word of God.  Homily: The homily is the key part of the liturgy and is necessary for the nurturing of Christian life.

Cont.  Profession of Faith: The creed or profession of faith helps the people response and agree to the Word of God.  General Intercessions: This is an act of the whole community. It offers the Lord of the world, which the community is sent to serve.

The Liturgy of Eucharist- to give thanks and praise  Preparation of the Altar and Presentations of the Gifts: Before beginning the Eucharistic action, we prepare the table.  The Eucharistic Prayer: There are nine different Eucharistic prayers.

Communion Rite- to receive the body and blood  Lord’s Prayer, Rite of Peace: Before we break bread together and eat and drink of the same loaf and cup, we express unity with one another  Breaking of the Bread: This is the key action of the celebration: we all eat from the one bread which is Christ

 This is the Lamb of God….Lord, I am not Worthy: Priest and people prepare themselves to receive the Christ’s body and blood  Communion: We receive the body and blood of Christ

Dismissal (Concluding Rite)- to dismiss and go forth  Blessing/Amen: The final blessing can be given in a simple or more complex form  Dismissal/Thanks be to God: The liturgy always concludes with the Trinitarian blessing  Closing Song: The closing song and procession remind us that we are sent out into the world to share the Good News we have received.