Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

This final episode, Liturgical Posture, covers the various “sit, stand, kneel” postures during the Mass, and how they help orient us in worship to God.

Perhaps you’ve heard the tongue-in-cheek phrase “Catholic calisthenics” referring to the sitting, standing, kneeling, genuflecting, and bowing we do at Mass.

The Inspiring Worship pillar of the St. Wenceslaus strategic plan says, “We will be drawn into the fullness of God’s love through liturgies that engage every person and match the beauty of our church.” Although “engage” refers primarily to our internal engagement, our physical actions are important too.

Human beings are both body and soul, so liturgical posture has a physical component and a spiritual one. Posture is, in a sense, sacramental. The outward sign of our posture helps us be interiorly disposed to worship, and our interior disposition is expressed in our bodily posture. “Lex orandi, lex credendi” – we pray how we believe, and we believe how we pray.

Sign of the Cross: Catholics have been making the sign of the cross since at least the 3^rd century. Pope Benedict XVI said, “The Sign of the Cross is the fundamental act of our prayer. Making the Sign of the Cross means saying a visible and public ‘yes’ to the One who died and rose for us.” It is a mark of our identity as Catholics.

It is fitting that we start and end Mass with the sign of the cross. Before the Gospel is proclaimed, we make a smaller sign of the cross. As we make this sign, many people will silently pray “May the Lord be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.”

Striking the breast: During the Confiteor, at the words “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault”, we strike our breast as a sign of penitence.

Stand: Standing has been a posture for prayer since before the time of Jesus. We stand for the opening prayer, the Lord’s prayer, the petitions, and the closing prayer. We show our unity of belief by standing during the Creed. Standing is also a sign of respect, which we show by standing during the processions and especially during the Gospel.

Sit: Sitting is a posture of listening and learning, so we sit for the homily and for the readings other than the Gospel.

Bow: Bowing is a sign of deep reverence. During the Creed we bow at the words “by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man”. This is one of the central tenets of our Christian faith – that God became man – so we bow as we say those words. On the two Holy Days that specifically recall the incarnation (Christmas and the Annunciation), we genuflect instead as an even deeper sign of reverence.

Bowing is the normal sign of reverence before receiving communion, although some people take this sign further by genuflecting or kneeling instead.

Kneeling and genuflecting: The Bible tells us that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bend.” (Phil 2:10). Kneeling shows our humility before God. We kneel for the consecration as Jesus Himself is made present.

For more on postures and on the Mass in general, read The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

In this video, The Beauty of Music, we look at music and how it lifts our hearts, minds, and voices to God in the liturgy.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us in paragraph 1156, “The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art…as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy.”

Worship expressed through music is a deeply moving and personal experience. Throughout the centuries, a legitimate diversity of musical expression has developed in the church.

The purpose of every expression of liturgical music is to draw us into prayer and to glorify God. St. Thomas Aquinas taught that God is “Truth, Goodness, and Beauty”. To seek what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful is to search for God, so we should worship Him that same way.

Music at Mass must first be true. Hymns are a mini homily. We learn theology through the songs we sing, so the words matter. The hymns we use must not communicate weak theology or incorrect theology.

That which is good is often thought of as that which is desired. Good liturgical music orients our desires toward God, not ourselves or other earthly things.

Similarly, many of the Greek philosophers taught that beauty creates a longing within us. It creates a vacuum in us that Catholic tradition recognizes God alone can satisfy. Good music orients our desires toward God and beautiful music creates a longing for Him.

Pope Francis said, “Every expression of true beauty can thus be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus.” Beauty in music can be expressed in different ways, including poetic words, melodies, harmonies, and accompaniment.

The beauty in the accompaniment is often conveyed by the pipe organ. Have you ever wondered why the organ is the instrument often used at Mass? The Second Vatican Council taught that at Mass, “The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem…since it is the Mass’ traditional instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lift up men’s minds to God and higher things.”

Engage in Mass by singing! The more people who sing, the less self-conscious we each need to be about our own voice!

For more about sacred music, read Why Catholics Can’t Sing by Thomas Day.

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

This video, Why Do We Ring Bells, discusses bells and what they mean at Mass.

There is a Latin saying – “Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi”. What is prayed, is believed, is lived. We cannot disconnect how we pray the Mass from what we believe. If we worship God with reverence and beauty in architecture, music, and ritual, then our beliefs are strengthened so we can more effectively live the gospel and share it with others.

Our faith teaches the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We believe Jesus is totally present – body, blood, soul, and divinity – under the appearance of bread and wine and that they are not merely a symbol. So, when Jesus Christ, through the priest, is made present at Mass it is important that our actions reflect that belief. Ringing bells when this miracle happens is one way to help us understand what has taken place.

Bells have been rung at Mass for over 800 years. These bells, known as “Sanctus bells”, are primarily rung to “make a joyful noise to the Lord” (Psalm 100:1). They also serve the practical purpose of informing the congregation that the consecration is taking place if their attention has wandered.

In times past, and even at some churches today, the Sanctus bells were not small bells rung at the foot of the altar. They were large outdoor tower bells that signaled to those not at Mass that something supernatural just happened and gave them the opportunity to also pray in that moment.

Bells are rung at three points in the Mass. The first is at the epiclesis. The term epiclesis comes from the Ancient Greek for “calling upon” or “to invoke”. This is when the priest places his hands over the bread and wine and prays that the Holy Spirit will change these gifts into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus. The bells remind us that something miraculous is about to take place.

The second ringing takes place at the elevation after the priest says, “This is my Body” and raises the host. The bells ring in praise of God as He is now truly present, and to remind us of the solemnity and sacredness of the moment.

The final ringing happens at the elevation after the priest says, “This is my Blood” and raises the chalice. Again, the bells ring in praise of God and as a reminder to us of this great gift.

The Sanctus bells are a beautiful sign and sound of praise. Historians tell us that the cymbals mentioned in the Bible were more like bells than what we call cymbals today. “Praise Him with sounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!” (Psalm 150:5-6)

We pray as we believe, and we believe as we pray. The ringing of Sanctus bells is a great way to engage our senses and help solidify our belief in the Real Presence by the way we pray.

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

This video, Why Do We Use Incense, discusses incense and its use at Mass.

Incense has been used in worship since ancient times. When God taught Moses how to worship Him, He gave instructions for mixing incense and told Moses to place it outside the entrance to where the Ark of the Covenant was kept (Exodus 30:34-36).

In Revelation 8:3-4, John says, “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints.”

Sounds a lot like the Mass, doesn’t it?

At Mass, all our senses are engaged. We touch holy water. We hear scripture proclaimed and hear music and bells. We taste and see the Body and Blood of Christ. And we see and smell incense.

Incense helps emphasize the sacredness, solemnity, and mystery of the Mass. It helps focus us on prayer and worship. It reminds us that worship is important. By using incense, we not only add ritual beauty to the Mass, but we more fully engage. And by engaging in the Mass we encounter the living God.

Incense symbolizes both purification and our prayers rising to God (Psalm 141:2), which we can see throughout the Mass. In a lighthearted way, it has been said that we are “shaking smoke at the Devil”. This may be true. Certainly, Satan hates a Mass celebrated with beauty and reverence.

You may notice that the thurible is often swung with three double swings. The double swings recall the two natures of Jesus (human and divine), and three swings are symbolic of the Holy Trinity.

As Mass begins, the priest incenses the altar. The opening rites are heavily focused on preparing ourselves for worship. The altar is the central focus at Mass, so it is symbolically purified and prepared for Mass too.

Before the Gospel is read, the Deacon incenses the Book of Gospels. Along with the candles it emphasizes the importance of the Gospel and the presence of God in His Word.

After the gifts are prepared, they are incensed to purify them before they are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, then the altar is incensed just as it was at the beginning of Mass. The deacon incenses the priest, purifying him before he offers the sacrifice and showing the priest’s offering of himself. As the priest prepares to begin the Eucharistic Prayer, the deacon incenses the entire congregation, symbolic of us offering ourselves and our prayers to God.

While the Holy, Holy is sung the servers kneel at the foot of the altar with the thurible. When the priest elevates the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ to offer them to the Father, the server incenses them as the angels take our offering to Heaven. In the words of Fr. Mike Schmitz, this moment is “where time and eternity meet, where Heaven and earth kiss.”

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

This video, Why Do We Have Altar Servers, relates the meaning and significance of altar servers.

The position of altar server evolved from the ministry of acolyte, which has existed since the 2^nd century. Today, the ministry of acolyte is rather rare. Most of the duties of an acolyte are now performed by altar servers, although the position of altar server itself has existed in some form since at least the 9^th century.

Like many things about the Mass, the use of altar servers is both theological and practical.

The practical elements are apparent: Bringing items to and from the altar, holding the Roman Missal for the priest as he prays, helping the priest during the lavabo (washing of hands), holding the incense boat and thurible, ringing bells at the consecration, and any other need the priest may have during Mass.

Theologically, the servers represent the entire people of God. As they process in, they symbolically stand in our place on our journey toward Heaven. The formality and ritual with which the servers process in and out of the sanctuary remind us that the worship of God is serious business. Put simply, they enhance the beauty, reverence, and solemnity of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Opportunities for youth to serve at the altar are one way they are being exposed to a possible vocation. Being present in the sanctuary and being attentive to the flow of the liturgy helps servers grow in a deeper love and reverence for the Mass. It also helps plant the seed of a vocation in the minds and hearts of those boys whom God is calling to serve as priests or deacons, and girls called to the religious life.

Our most recent popes have all spoken about the importance of altar servers. Pope St. John Paul II told servers that “Your commitment to the altar is a genuine holy service. Therefore, in the liturgy, you are much more than simple ‘helpers of the parish priest.’ Above all, you are servers of Jesus Christ, of the eternal High Priest.”

If you know an altar server, be sure to thank them and encourage them in this important role.

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

Episode 3, The Structure of the Mass, looks at the different parts of the Mass and what they mean.

Have you ever thought about why the Mass is structured like it is? Although it forms a fundamental whole, it has several parts.

Before Mass: This is a time to quietly prepare for Mass. To lay our worries down. To calm our minds from the rush of getting the kids ready! In the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), which is the book containing the instructions for celebrating Mass, we are reminded that “Even before the celebration itself, it is a praiseworthy practice for silence to be observed in the church.”

Introductory Rites: The priest and deacon process in, then kiss the altar as a sign of reverence. In the Penitential Rite, we ask God to forgive our venial sins so we can worthily participate in Mass. We give glory to God by singing the Gloria. Then the priest says the opening prayer. This prayer is called the “collect” (pronounced KOL-ekt), which in Latin means “the gathering of the people together.” The priest is “collecting” all our prayers into one.

Liturgy of the Word: We listen to the Word of God in the First Reading (usually from Old Testament), the Responsorial Psalm, the Second Reading (from the New Testament), and Gospel. There is a common theme among these readings. The homily helps us apply the readings in our lives. We recite the Nicene Creed which summarizes our beliefs. Finally, we bring our needs before God in the prayers of the faithful.

Liturgy of the Eucharist: The gifts of bread and wine are presented, prepared for consecration, and the Eucharistic Prayer begins. There are several Eucharistic Prayers from which the priest can choose. The most ancient one, used continuously for over 1,500 years, is Eucharistic Prayer I (also called the Roman Canon). You’ll recognize this one because of the long list of saints in it. Eucharistic Prayer II also has ancient origins, based in part on a Eucharistic Prayer written by St. Hippolytus in the 3^rd century. After saying the Lord’s prayer, we offer a sign of peace before communion. This comes from Matthew 5:24, “leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother.” The Liturgy of the Eucharist ends with the reception of communion which unites us to Jesus and to our fellow Catholics.

Concluding Rites: The priest gives the final blessing, then we are dismissed to live the Gospel. This dismissal is where we get the word Mass. It comes from the Latin word Missa, which means to be sent.

Why is the Mass celebrated in this order? It is a logical pattern of approaching the altar of God, begging His forgiveness, praising Him, learning about Him, receiving Him, then taking the Gospel into our lives outside of the church. For more on the parts of the Mass and their meaning, see paragraphs 1345-1355 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Jimmy Akin’s booklet Mass Appeal is also an excellent resource.

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

This video, Why Churches Look Like They Do, explains the shape and content of churches.

When you walk into our beautiful church every Sunday have you ever looked around and wondered why the church looks like it does? The Book of Wisdom (13:5) tells us “For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator”. The church building invites us into a sacred encounter with God. What is architectural is ultimately theological.

Over the centuries churches have developed into buildings that are both symbolic and practical, and powerful expressions of theological realities. The new St. Wenceslaus church was intentionally built with more traditional architecture to better draw our minds, hearts, and souls toward the majesty and power of God.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of significant items in the church:

Cruciform shape: The next time you walk into the church, look around at its overall shape. You will see that it is built in the shape of a cross.

Baptismal font: Have you noticed the octagonal shape of the baptismal font? In Genesis 17:12 we see that male Jews were circumcised eight days after birth as a sign of their covenant with God. This prefigures the sacrament of baptism in the New Covenant. So baptismal fonts have eight sides to harken back to the eighth day in the Old Covenant. The symbolic “eighth day” of the week also signifies the day of the resurrection.

Altar and tabernacle: The altar is on the centerline of the church. This is symbolic of the centrality of Christ’s sacrifice to the Christian faith. As you approach it you get a sense of reverence and can feel how it represents the sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist. As you look to the right, you see the tabernacle where Christ is truly present. It is His presence that inspires us to remain quiet inside this holy place.

Statues: Statues are reminders of the communion of saints and inspire our devotion to them. Most Catholic churches have statues of Mary and Joseph. Have you noticed that Mary is on the right side of the altar as the priest looks out on the congregation? It is traditional that secular Queens sit to the right of the King. So, it is fitting that the statue of Mary is placed to the right of the altar where Christ the King is made present during the Mass. For more on the symbolism in the church building, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1150 and 1179-1186. The Church: Unlocking the Secrets to the Places Catholics Call Home by Donald Cardinal Wuerl and Mike Aquilina also explains much more about the symbolism of the church building.

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture

Last year I wrote an eight-part series for my parish about the Catholic Mass. For the Catholics in my audience, or anyone who wants to know more about why Catholics do what they do, these articles and videos are a great resource!

The first video, Why the Mass, explains the reason behind why Catholics celebrate Mass in the first place.

When we think about Catholic worship, the Mass is the first thing that comes to mind. But many of us show up at Mass every Sunday without thinking much about why we worship God the way we do.

In Luke 22:19, at the Last Supper, Jesus tells the Apostles to “do this in remembrance of me”. The Last Supper was the first Mass, and we’ve been doing it ever since. One of the earliest Christian writings, the Didache, written somewhere around AD 50, said “On the Lord’s Day, when you have been gathered together, break bread and celebrate the Eucharist.”

By about the 4^th century, the form of the Mass developed into essentially the same form that was used until the time of the Second Vatican Council when the current Ordinary form of the Mass was developed. When we celebrate the Mass we are connected to our Christian ancestors who have worshiped in nearly the same way for 2,000 years.

The primary reason we celebrate the Mass is because it is a sacrifice that we offer in Thanksgiving to God. It is properly called “The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”.

How is it a sacrifice? Sacrifice has been a basic element of worship for millennia. The Jewish people expressed thanksgiving, atonement, and praise to God through animal sacrifice. This earlier form of sacrifice was completed and surpassed by Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

At the Mass, Jesus’ sacrifice transcends time and is made present for us under the appearance of bread and wine miraculously transformed by the Holy Spirit, through the priest, into the Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus is not sacrificed again at Mass, but that same once-for-all sacrifice is made present for us today. The Mass is much more than a simple remembrance of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross for us. He is truly present.

The Mass is also a communal form of worship. By gathering together, we live a Christian community that supports one another in the hard times and celebrates each other’s joys. It is important to remember, though, that the communal meal symbolism of the Mass does not outweigh or overshadow the sacrificial aspect of the Mass.

The Mass is a sacred encounter with the Risen Christ, made sacramentally present to us. At Mass, Catholics are united with Christ and with one another, nourished spiritually, and strengthened. If you are interested in going deeper into the history and meaning of the Mass, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1322-1347. Scott Hahn’s book The Lamb’s Supper is also an excellent resource. You will be amazed by how much of the Mass is straight out of the Bible.

#1 – Why the Mass?

#2 – Why Churches Look Like They Do

#3 – The Structure of the Mass

#4 – Why Do We Have Altar Servers?

#5 – Why Do We Use Incense?

#6 – Why Do We Ring Bells?

#7 – The Beauty of Music

#8 – Posture