A Tour through the Mass!

Beginning Mass

Entrance Hymn

We begin Mass with the Entrance Hymn which is chosen as far as possible to suit the particular character of each celebration which often arises out of the readings of that day.

The purpose of this hymn is, of course, to give a significant opening to the Mass and to express the unity of the people gathered by their common singing of the hymn.  It also accompanies the entrance of the priest and other ministers who proceed to the altar and the priest goes to the chair from which he will preside.  The hymn seeks to gather those present into unity as the celebrating people of God.  It is important that this hymn can be sung by all who are gathered.  When there is no singing, there is an entrance verse which can be said by the people or it may even be the basis of words of introduction by the priest (see no 48 and 31 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal)*.

Sign of the Cross

We then have the Sign of the Cross with its accompanying words: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” to which all answer “Amen”.

As Catholics, we tend to take the sign of the cross for granted.  It is something we do frequently – and for most of us – something we have done since childhood.

We trace the cross on our bodies, that is we identify with it and take it to ourselves, and in so doing, we take the death of Jesus on the cross to ourselves.  That death – and resurrection – in and through which we have received unending life and deliverance from death and evil’s ultimate effects.  We proclaim our belonging to Jesus and express our desire that what he gives us might penetrate into us.

And the words accompanying this simple gesture proclaim our faith in the mystery of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

By Fr Frank O’Loughlin

* (The document quoted above – The General Instruction of the Roman Missal – is the document detailing the church’s fundamental understanding of the Mass.  It will be a constant point of reference as we go through this series of small articles on the Mass.  This document appears at the beginning of every official form of the Missal such as those used by the priest at Mass and it appears in many people’s missals, such as that produced by St Pauls Publications here in Australia.)