preparation for mass

“When our Lord instituted the Eucharist during the Last Supper, night had already fallen. This indicated, according to St. John Chrysostom, that ‘the times had run their course.’ The world had fallen into darkness, for the old rites, the old signs of God’s infinite mercy to mankind, were going to be brought to fulfillment. The way was opening to a new dawn–the new pasch. The Eucharist was instituted during that night, preparing in advance for the morning of the resurrection.

“We too have to prepare for this new dawn. Everything harmful, worn out or useless has to be thrown away—discouragement, suspicion, sadness, cowardice. The Holy Eucharist gives the sons of God a divine newness and we must respond in ‘the newness of your mind,’ renewing all our feelings and actions. We have been given a new principle of energy, strong new roots grafted onto our Lord. We must not return to the old leaven, for now we have the bread which lasts forever.

“Think of the human experience of two people who love each other, and yet are forced to part. They would like to stay together forever, but duty—in one form or another—forces them to separate. They are unable to fulfill their desire of remaining close to each other, so man’s love—which, great as it may be, is limited–seeks a symbolic gesture. People who make their farewells exchange gifts or perhaps a photograph with a dedication so ardent that it seems almost enough to burn that piece of paper. They can do no more, because a creature’s power is not as great as its desire.

“What we cannot do, our Lord is able to do. Jesus Christ, perfect God and perfect man, leaves us not a symbol, but a reality. He himself stays with us. He will go to the Father, but he will also remain among men. He will leave us not simply a gift that will make us remember him, not an image that becomes blurred with time, like a photograph that soon fades and yellows, and has no meaning except for those who were contemporaries. Under the appearances of bread and wine, he is really present, with his body and blood, with his soul and divinity.”¹

“Anyone who desires to receive Christ in communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance.”²

“Sometimes, indeed quite frequently, everybody participating in the Eucharistic assembly goes to Communion; and on some such occasions, as experienced pastors confirm, there has not been due care to approach the sacrament of Penance so as to purify one’s conscience. This can of course mean that those approaching the Lord’s table find nothing on their conscience, according to the objective law of God, to keep them from this sublime and joyful act of being sacramentally united with Christ. But there can also be, at least at times, another idea behind this: the idea of the Mass as only a banquet in which one shares by receiving the body of Christ in order to manifest, above all else, fraternal communion. It is not hard to add to these reasons a certain human respect and mere conformity.

“This phenomenon demands from us watchful attention and a theological and pastoral analysis guided by a sense of great responsibility. We cannot allow the life of our communities to lose the good quality of sensitiveness of Christian conscience, guided solely by respect for Christ, who, when He is received in the Eucharist, should find in the heart of each of us a worthy abode. This question is closely linked not only with the practice of the sacrament of Penance but also with a correct sense of responsibility for the whole deposit of moral teaching and for the precise distinction between good and evil, a distinction which then becomes for each person sharing in the Eucharist the basis for a correct judgment of self to be made in the depths of the personal conscience. St. Paul’s words, ‘Let a man examine himself,’ are well known; this judgment is an indispensable condition for a personal decision whether to approach Eucharistic Communion or to abstain.”³

Sacramental communion increases the communicant’s union with the Lord, forgives his venial sins, and preserves him from grave sins. Since receiving this sacrament strengthens the bonds of charity between the communicant and Christ, it also reinforces the unity of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ. The Church warmly recommends that the faithful receive Holy Communion each time they participate in the celebration of the Eucharist; she obliges them to do so at least once a year.⁴

Our Lord told us: “I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you.”

We must fast one hour before Communion. Water and medicines do not break the fast. The elderly and those who are sick, as well as those caring for them, may receive Holy Communion even if they have consumed something within the preceding hour.⁵

One should receive Holy Communion with utmost reverence and devotion, bearing in mind that he is receiving Christ Himself and not just an ordinary piece of bread. In some countries where the Holy See has confirmed the consultation of the Bishops’ Conference, Holy Communion may be taken in the hand, however, every Christian has always the right to receive Holy Communion in the mouth.

To celebrate and to offer the Holy Mass with greater fruit, we should consider that:

• The Mass is the most important event which happens to mankind each day.

• The Mass is the center of Christian life. All the sacraments, prayers, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, devotions, mortifications offered to God as well as apostolate, have the Mass as their central point of reference. If the center were to disappear and if attendance at Mass were consciously abandoned, then the whole Christian life would collapse.

• The Mass is the most pleasing reality we can offer to God. Every member of the Mystical Body of Christ receives at Baptism the right and duty of taking part in the sacrifice of the Head of that Body. Our Mother the Church wants us to assist at the Mass, not as strangers and passive spectators, but with the effort to understand it better each time. We participate in the Mass in a conscious, pious and active manner, with right dispositions and cooperating with divine grace.

• Pray on the way to Mass. Whether you drive to a distant chapel, or walk down the street to a cathedral, turn your attention to the coming celebration. Pray for the priest, that he will minister to the needs of the parish. Pray for the congregation, that they will open their minds and hearts to what is being taught at the Mass.

• Offer this sublime sacrifice in union with the Church. Live the Holy Mass feeling part of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the people of God. Be united to the bishop of the diocese where the Mass is being offered and to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ for the Universal Church.

• Be united to the Sacrifice of Jesus who is the only Victim. Through him, we also offer to God the Father with the Holy Spirit, all the sacrifices, sufferings, self-denials and tribulations of each day.

• Have the necessary preparation for Communion. If you are going to receive Holy Communion, you need–besides being in the state of grace–to have the right intention and keep the eucharistic fast.

These should be our thoughts and intentions at every Mass that we attend, uniting ourselves with Christ and making his desires and sentiments on the cross our own.

As immediate preparation, excite in your soul lively sentiments of faith, humility, and desire. Ask yourself:

• Who becomes present?

• To whom does He becomes present?

• Why does He become present?

Lord, Jesus Christ, I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling, for I am a sinner, and dare not rely on my own worth but only on your goodness and mercy. I am defiled by many sins in body and soul, and by my unguarded thoughts and words. Gracious God of majesty and awe, I seek your protection, I look for your healing, Poor troubled sinner that I am, I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy. I cannot bear your judgment, but I trust in your salvation. Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you. I know my sins are many and great, and they fill me with fear, but I hope in your mercies, for they cannot be numbered. Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man, crucified for mankind, look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer, for I trust in you. Have mercy on me, full of sorrow and sin, for the depth of your compassion never ends. Praise to you, saving sacrifice, offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind. Praise to the noble and precious blood, flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world. Remember, Lord, your creature, whom you have redeemed with your blood. I repent my sins, and I long to put right what I have done. Merciful Father, take away all my offenses and sins; purify me in body and soul, and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies. May your body and blood, which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy, be for me the remission of my sins, the washing away of my guilt, the end of my evil thoughts, and the rebirth of my better instincts. May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and profitable to my health in body and soul, and be a firm defense against the wiles of my enemies. Amen.

Ad mensam dulcíssimi convívii tui, pie Dómine Iesu Christe, ego peccátor de própriis meis méritis nihil præsúmens, sed de tua confídens misericórdia et bonitáte, accédere véreor et contremísco. Nam cor et corpus hábeo multis crimínibus maculátum, mentem et linguam non caute custodítam. Ergo, o pia Déitas, o treménda maiéstas, ego miser, inter angústias deprehénsus, ad te fontem misericórdiæ recúrro, ad te festíno sanándus, sub tuam protectiónem fúgio; et, quam Iúdicem sustinére néqueo, Salvatórem habére suspíro. Tibi, Dómine, plagas meas osténdo, tibi verecúndiam meam détego. Scio peccáta mea multa et magna, pro quibus tímeo: spero in misericórdias tuas, quarum non est númerus. Réspice ergo in me óculis misericóridiæ tuæ, Dómine Iesu Christe, Rex ætérne, Deus et homo, crucifíxus propter hóminem. Exáudi me sperántem in te: miserére mei pleni misériis et peccátis, tu qui fontem miseratiónis numquam manáre cessábis. Salve, salutáris víctima, pro me et omni humáno génere in patíbulo Crucis obláta. Salve, nóbilis et pretióse Sanguis, de vulnéribus crucifíxi Dómini mei Iesu Christi prófluens, et peccáta totíus mundi ábluens. Recordáre, Dómine, creatúræ tuæ, quam tuo Sánguine redemísti. Paénitet me peccásse, cúpio emendáre quod feci. Aufer ergo a me, clementíssime Pater, omnes iniquitátes et peccáta mea, ut, purificátus mente et córpore, digne degustáre mérear Sancta sanctórum. Et concéde, ut hæc sancta prælibátio Córporis et Sánguinis tui, quam ego indígnus súmere inténdo, sit peccatórum meórum remíssio, sit delictórum perfécta purgátio, sit túrpium cogitatiónum effugátio ac bonórum sénsuum regenerátio, operúmque tibi placéntium salúbris efficácia, ánimæ quoque et córporis contra inimicórum meórum insídias firmíssima tuítio. Amen.

Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of your only-begotten son, our Lord Jesus Christ, I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord, in your great generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. May I receive the bread of angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help to bring me to salvation. May I receive the sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood, and its reality and power. Kind God, may I receive the body of your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and so be received into his mystical body and numbered among his members. Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrimage I now receive your beloved Son under the veil of a sacrament, may I one day see him face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with you for ever. Amen.

Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, ecce accédo ad sacraméntum unigéniti Fílii tui, Dómini nostri Iesu Christi: accédo tamquam infírmus ad médicum vitæ, immúndus ad fontem misericórdiæ, cæcus ad lumen claritátis ætérnæ, pauper et egénus ad Dóminum cæli et terræ. Rogo ergo imménsæ largitátis tuæ abundántiam, quátenus meam curáre dignéris infirmitátem, laváre foeditátem, illumináre cæcitátem, ditáre paupertátem, vestíre nuditátem, ut panem Angelórum, Regem regum et Dóminum dominántium, tanta suscípiam reveréntia et humilitáte, tanta contritióne et devotióne, tanta puritáte et fide, tali propósito et intentióne, sicut éxpedit salúti ánimæ meæ. Da mihi, quæso, domínici Córporis et Sánguinis non solum suscípere sacraméntum, sed étiam rem et virtútem sacraménti. O mitíssime Deus, da mihi Corpus unigéniti Fílii tui, Dómini nostri Iesu Christi, quod traxit de Vírgine María, sic suscípere, ut córpori suo mýstico mérear incorporári et inter eius membra connumerári. O amantíssime Pater, concéde mihi diléctum Fílium tuum, quem nunc velátum in via suscípere propóno, reveláta tandem fácie perpétuo contemplári: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in saécula sæculórum. Amen.

Mother of mercy and love, blessed Virgin Mary, I am a poor and unworthy sinner, and I turn to you in confidence and love. You stood by your Son as he hung dying on the cross. Stand also by me, a poor sinner, and by all the priests who are offering Mass today here and throughout the entire Church. Help us to offer a perfect and acceptable sacrifice in the sight of the holy and undivided Trinity, our most high God. Amen.

O Mater pietátis et misericórdiæ, beatíssima Virgo María, ego miser et indígnus peccátor ad te confúgio toto corde et afféctu, et precor pietátem tuam, ut, sicut dulcíssimo Fílio tuo in Cruce pendénti astitísti, ita et mihi, mísero peccatóri, et sacerdótibus ómnibus, hic et in tota sancta Ecclésia hódie offeréntibus cleménter assístere dignéris ut, tua grátia adiúti, dignam et acceptábilem hóstiam in conspéctu summæ et indivíduæ Trinitátis offérre valeámus. Amen.

My purpose is to celebrate Mass and to make present the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the rite of the holy Roman Church to the praise of our all-powerful God and all his assembly in the glory of heaven, for my good and the good of all his pilgrim Church on earth, and for all who have asked me to pray for them in general and in particular, and for the good of the holy Roman Church.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us joy and peace, amendment of life, room for true repentance, the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit, and perseverance in good works. Amen.

Ego volo celebráre Missam, et confícere Corpus et Sánguinem Dómini nostri Iesu Christi, iuxta ritum sanctæ Románæ Ecclésiæ, ad laudem omnipoténtis Dei totiúsque Cúriæ triumphántis, ad utilitátem meam totiúsque Cúriæ militántis, pro ómnibus qui se commendavérunt oratiónibus meis in génere et in spécie, et pro felíci statu sanctæ Románæ Ecclésiæ. Amen.

Gáudium cum pace, emendatiónem vitæ, spátium veræ pæniténtiæ, grátiam et consolatiónem Sancti Spíritus, perseverántiam in bonis opéribus, tríbuat nobis omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus. Amen.

O blessed Joseph, happy man whose privilege it was, not only to see and hear that God whom many a king has longed to see, yet saw not, longed to hear, yet heard not; but also to carry him in your arms and kiss him, to clothe him and watch over him!

℣. Pray for us, blessed Joseph.

℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

God, who has conferred upon us a royal priesthood, we pray to you give us grace to minister at your holy altars with hearts as clean and lives as blameless as that blessed Joseph who was found worthy to hold in his arms and with all reverence to carry your only-begotten Son, born of the virgin Mary. Enable us this day to receive worthily the sacred body and blood of your Son, and fit us to win an everlasting reward in the world to come;

Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

O felícem virum, beátum Ioseph, cui datum est, Deum, quem multi reges voluérunt vidére et non vidérunt, audíre et non audiérunt, non solum vidére et audíre, sed portáre, deosculári, vestíre et custodíre!

℣. Ora pro nobis, beáte Ioseph.

℟. Ut digni efficiámur promissiónibus Christi.

Orémus.

Deus, qui dedísti nobis regale sacerdótium, præsta, quaésumus, ut sicut beátus Ioseph unigénitum Fílium tuum, natum ex María Vírgine, suis mánibus reverénter tractáre méruit et portáre, ita nos fácias cum cordis mundítia et óperis innocéntia tuis sanctis altáribus deservíre, ut sacrosánctum Fílii tui Corpus et Sánguinem hódie digne sumámus, et in futuro saéculo praémium habére mereámur ætérnum.

Per eúndem Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen

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1Saint Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, nos. 155 , 83, Scepter Press, New York.

2CCC 1415.

3John Paul II, On the Mystery and Worship of the Eucharist, no. 11, 1980.

4CCC 1416-1417

5CIC 919

“The vestment common to ministers of every rank is the alb, tied at the waist with the cincture, unless it is made to fit without a cincture. An amice should be put on first if the alb does not completely cover the street clothing at the neck. Unless otherwise indicated, the chasuble, worn over the alb and stole, is the vestment proper to the priest celebrant at Mass and other rites immediately connected with Mass.”⁶

The saying of the following is suggested.

The celebrant washes his hands and asks for the grace of purity.

Give virtue, O Lord, to my hands, that every stain may be wiped away: that I may be enabled to serve You without defilement of mind or body.

Da, Dómine, virtútem mánibus meis ad abstergéndam omnem máculam; ut sine pollutióne mentis et córporis váleam tibi servíre.

The amice, a rectangular piece of white linen cloth, is the helmet of salvation and a sign of resistance against temptation. The priest usually kisses it and passes it over his head before putting it across his shoulders and tying it around the waist.

Place, O Lord, on my head the helmet of salvation, that I may overcome the assaults of the devil.

Impóne, Dómine, cápiti meo gáleam salútis, ad expugnándos diabólicos incúrsus.

The alb, a white linen tunic which covers the priest’s whole body, signifies perfect integrity.

Purify me, O Lord, from all stain and cleanse my heart, that, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I may enjoy eternal delights.

Deálba me, Dómine, et munda cor meum; ut, in sánguine Agni dealbátus gáudiis pérfruar sempitérnis.

The cincture, a cord which fastens the alb at the waist, stands for purity.

Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of purity, and quench in my heart the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may remain in me.

Præcínge me, Dómine cíngulo puritátis, et extíngue in lumbis meis humórem libídinis; ut máneat in me virtus continéntiæ et castitátis.

The stole, the long silk band that fits around the neck, is a symbol of immortality and the sign of the dignity of the ministerial priesthood.

Restore to me, O Lord, the state of immortality which was lost to me by my first parents, and, although unworthy to approach your sacred mysteries, grant me nevertheless eternal joy.

Redde mihi, Dómine, stolam immortalitátis, quam pérdidi in prævaricatióne primi paréntis: et, quamvis indígnus accédo ad tuum sacrum mystérium, mérear tamen gáudium sempitérnum.

The chasuble, the outermost vestment worn by the celebrant at Mass, is the emblem of charity which makes the yoke of Christ light and agreeable.

O Lord, you said, “My yoke is sweet and my burden light,” grant that I may carry it so as to obtain your grace. Amen.

Dómine, qui dixísti: Iugum meum suáve est et onus meum leve: fac, ut istud portáre sic váleam, quod cónsequar tuam grátiam. Amen.

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6IGMR 298-299