Roman Catholic Liturgy
Essay by mkenny • February 3, 2014 • Essay • 519 Words (3 Pages) • 1,417 Views
In the Roman Catholic liturgy and the Mass of the Holy Spirit, many similarities appear between the two holy masses. In both masses, there are greeters to welcome all the people to the celebratory mass. Next, in both masses is the Penitential Act, then later there is the Liturgy of the Word, or readings from the Word of God. Also, in both masses, we stand for the Gospel Reading and then the Homily is spoken by the priest. General Intercessions, or praying to help us become who God is calling us to be, occurs in both due to its importance. Preparation of the Gifts, the Eucharistic prayer, and the Preface and Acclamation bring us to the center of the masses and prepare us for Communion. One of the most crucial part of all masses is the Communion Rites, the Invitation to Communion as well as Communion, therefore, all of the above occur in both masses and should occur in most masses around the world. To end our religious experience in church, the blessings and dismissal occurs, and leaves us with a greater understand of our faith and how God expects us to live our lives.
In the Roman Catholic Liturgy and not the Mass of the Holy Spirit, are the use of water as well as genuflection, posture, song, and greeting. In my opinion, these are not crucial parts to the mass, therefore, they were not greatly missed. Also, in the Holy Spirit Mass, the Three Readings and a Psalm and the Creed were not spoken. After the Preface, the Institution Narrative Consecration and the Prayer for Unity and Intercessions were not in the Mass of the Holy Child. Overall, some key moments in the Roman Catholic Mass were not included in the Mass of the Holy Child due to time constraints, but, all of the major moments such as Communion were part of the mass.
Mass, the gathering place for all Catholics, celebrates God and the importance of his actions. Most Catholics attend mass to worship together, as a community, to strengthen their belief in God. By attending mass, and listening to the Readings, Psalm, and Gospel, it allows people to understand the history of the Catholic Faith. The stories of our past are shared, as well as advice on how God expects us to live our lives, which can ultimately better each person who attends the mass. By gaining this deeper understanding of our past and our faith, we can all share this newfound knowledge with younger generations, such as siblings, cousins, or friends. As we spread the knowledge, more people will understand the importance of attending mass and will appreciate all the different activities and moments that moments that mass has to offer. Mass is truly one of the places where God is most active. He will hear everyone's prayers and act towards helping each and every person who attends the mass. Not only is God present during mass, but by attending mass you develop a deeper bond and relationship with him if you attend the service regularly rather than only once in a while.
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