An exchange with my children on the way home from Mass last Sunday:
“You’ve heard about Vatican II, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Well, what was it?”
“The bishops got together to explain what the Church teaches.”
“That’s right. And a lot of ideas came out of Vatican II. One of the most lasting is the idea of ‘participation’ — the idea that members of the laity are called to participate fully in the Mass. What do you think of when you hear the word participation?”
“Joining something. Doing something.”
“Yes. That’s generally what participation means. And when it comes to the Mass it’s about joining your heart and soul with the prayers of the priest to God. During the years after Vatican II the word came to take on a very ‘external’ meaning. Do you know what I mean by that?”
“Not really.”
“What I mean is that many people came to believe that to participate at Mass meant you had to ‘do things’ at Mass — serve as a reader, become an extraordinary minister, become an altar server. It focused on external activities rather than internal things like prayer. Now, some of these things are okay, but they’re not what the Church really means by participation. The Church teaches that participation is primarily an internal thing — like prayer. It’s an awareness of the mystery being celebrated at Mass and how it is connected to our daily lives. Does this make sense?”
“I think so. Why did people get … confused?”
“It’s kind of a long story, but when your Mom and Dad were little, there were a lot of folks running around claiming to be experts on this sort of thing. They said that to get people to participate, we need to have them do as many external things as possible. Some of their ideas are still with us.”
“That’s too bad.”
“It is, but it’s getting better. Pope Benedict is a great teacher, and he’s been spending a lot of time on the Mass.”
“Good.”
“Good indeed. Let’s try a quiz. Who is participating more at Mass: the mom holding a baby in the back of the church or the extraordinary minister in the front?”
“What’s an extraordinary minister?”
“People call them ‘Communion ministers’ or ‘Eucharistic ministers.’ They’re supposed to be used in exceptional circumstances, even though they’re used all the time.”
“Why?”
“Because of what we were just talking about. The idea that participating means ‘doing things’ — external things — at Mass. Now back to my question. Who is participating more, the mom or the extraordinary minister?”
“Neither. They’re both participating.”
“Of course. Now let’s talk for a minute about the priest. His role is to ’sanctify’ members of the laity. What does ’sanctify’ mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on. Think.”
“To make something … holy.”
“That’s right. To make something holy. The priest serves the people by making them holy — sanctifying them. How does he do this?”
“Through the Eucharist.”
“Yes. Through the Eucharist. The priest consecrates bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. The divine grace that comes to us in the Eucharist makes us holy so that we can go out into the world and do the Lord’s work. We do this by serving as witnesses at school, at play, at work. So as members of the laity, our focus ought to be on what we can do out in the world, not in the sanctuary. Does all of this make sense?”
“Yes.”
August 26th, 2008 at 5:40 am
“So as members of the laity, our focus ought to be on what we can do out in the world, not in the sanctuary. Does all of this make sense?”” — well, no. Our focus, first and foremost in church is to worship while celebrating the Eucharist. Then, once we leave our place of worship, are we witnesses to God and His work.( Does someone has an issue with rubrics?)
August 26th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I’m not sure I really have the expertise to comment, but it seems to me that worship has two ends: one, praising God and giving Him His due, and two, preparing ourselves to go out into the world.
August 26th, 2008 at 7:57 am
As the marriage of a husband and wife does not end the door step of the home, niether does the marriage of the laity and Jesus end at the door step of the Church.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:07 am
In fact, now that I think about it, the Latin for the closing words of the Mass is “Ite, Misse Est,” which means “Go, you are sent.” The word Mass is therefore from the Latin for “sending.” So it seems to me that it is entirely proper to speak of preparation for going forth into the world as one of the ends of the Holy Mass, along with praise and worship.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Joe raises a good point; that our primary focus at Mass is worship. I thought I had made that fact clear in my earlier comments, especially by stating, And when it comes to the Mass it’s about joining your heart and soul with the prayers of the priest to God. The “focus” later in the piece was meant to distinguish the often confused roles of the laity and clergy. My apologies if I failed in that regard.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I get it. We need demonstrably to be Catholic Christians.
Ken
August 26th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I seem to be missing something here. I thought that since God created us physical beings as well as spiritual we are to physically participate in the worship at Mass and that the priest does his part and we do our part. Isn ‘t this what Vatican II said, “participate” don’t just sit there like a bump on a log worship God with your whole being. This is why we sing, why we respond in Mass as well as lector, serve, be Euchristic ministers,etc. We join all the angels and saints in worship in the heavens and on the earth. I don’t think we are just suppose to be quiet and let the priest do it all. When we receive our Lord in the Eucharist he can’t say our Amen for we must say it, he can’t say the creed for us we must say it, it is our statement of faith not his.If we participate fully in the Mass chances are we will participate fully in our families and in our communities. We will know what we received at Mass and what we take out when we leave. Jesus! We are to be Jesus to everyone and every situation.
Jim
August 26th, 2008 at 11:40 am
It’s not that I didn’t get the point of the article, but the way I read it was that there seemed to be a focus down playing the roles during the Liturgy. The ritual of liturgy enables us be One as Church. The way things are done is important on many levels. IF the roles of each participant is just being done without the thought of purpose of prayer, praise and worship they become external distractions(do then for the sake of them being done). We worship as community - One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as well as indivduals who bring our faith in Christ into the world by our actions (what we do). I did know what you were trying to say, but I didnt read it that way.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
This may sound very simplistic, but for me going to Mass is an important event. I get to be present as Jesus becomes present for me and all who are there. At the same times, as I celebrate, all of those around the world who attend and those in heaven are celebrating at the same time.
I receive Jesus..HIs real presence, and do my best to bring what I have heard in the readings into my own life and apply this as I leave.
Not easy, but I find that when I am truly present and there at mass……………..which is such miracle in itself, when I just think about what is taking place, then I can sincerely ask Jesus to change me to be more like Him. ty sharon (we all have a part, to be present…….very present and then to be receptive)
August 26th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
It’s not that I didn’t get the point of the article, but the way I read it was that there seemed to be a focus down playing the roles during the Liturgy.
That’s because the roles we play are an important aspect of the Mass (not the only thing, mind you, but an important thing.) Other essays could of course cover other aspects of the Mass.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I think this is a good time to define a term you brought up and was used improperly in a comment: Eucharistic Minster. The Eucharistic Minister’s at Mass are the Celebrant, any Co-celebrants and any Deacons. They are the Ministers of the Eucharist through the gifts of their ordination.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are those additional people that, when need arises, assist in providing communion to those gathered for the Mass. The Ordinary Ministers are Bishops, Priests and Deacons and when ‘extra’ people are needed due to an insufficient number of Ordinary Ministers we call on our Extraordinary Ministers to assist.
I know some are thinking potato v. potato (looses something when you right it) but there is a difference. The Ordained are a necessary part of the Eucharist without them there can be no Mass, they are ordinary. Confusion of these terms can lead to confusion of thought, well why can’t that guy over there say the prayers if we can’t get a priest for our church so we can still have Mass, he is a Eucharistic Minister. No he isn’t he is not Ordained but is a lay minister and is an extra.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:34 am
Dear Mr Leonardi,
I’m so sorry you’re being picked apart so much over such a valid and insightful article. It’s got to be frustrating to have people focus on terms (which by the way, were used in illustration only folks–the proper term was used in the original line) and ideology when, in face, we probably all agree. I took the point as get your head/heart in line when you go to Mass and PRAY the Mass, not say the responses. Having a liturgical role at Mass is not the only nor the best way to participate. We are human beings, not human doings–be fully present in heart, mind and body and you will be doing rightly, no matter where you are seated, or what your “function” is!