PENANG — The Mass explained from the inside out: this was the unique experience of some 120 plus parishioners who filled the Church of Divine Mercy for A Walk-through Mass recently. A week into the journey of Lent, it was an insightful way to participate in Mass as parish priest, Fr Michael Raymond OFM Cap, took time while celebrating Mass to pause and explain the meaning and significance of all we do during the Eucharistic celebration.
At the start of the two-hour session, Fr Michael gave an overview of some important areas to note before he began the Mass proper. He explained that in the Study of the Eucharist, there were four important areas of consideration. These were the theology of the Eucharist (God present in the Eucharist), Liturgy of the Eucharist (movement through the Mass) Spirituality of the Mass (How we live the Eucharist) and the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Our understanding of the Eucharist in Mass).
Eager to deepen their understanding and love for the Holy Mass, the faithful listened intently as Fr Michael also noted three crucial aspects of the Eucharist. These included:
- Traditions in the Church,
- The authority of the Church and
- The Scriptures.
The Catholic Church is rich in traditions, respects the authority of the pope and looks to the Scriptures as the foundation for her teachings.
Language and culture too, play an important part in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, noted Fr Michael. We identify ourselves through our culture, for example, during our Ponggal or Chinese New Year celebrations when our cultural expressions come alive through the inculturation of our eastern heritage. Similarly, language is an important tool used in the expression of our faith. Posture and gestures, movements of the body are an inherent expression or the inner disposition of our outer experience. Thus, bowing, kneeling and standing reflect respect and honour. Even while we sit and listen to the Word of God, it reflects our posture of listening and meditating in silence to receive God’s message.
Fr Michael reminded all of the dangers of following only the external gestures, without the internal conviction of why we need to perform such acts.
It was enriching to fully engage in Mass with a deepened sensitivity and understanding of all that happens; what we do and how we respond throughout the celebration of Mass. The Eucharist is all about Jesus and it is important to come with a deep love, passion and hunger to experience fully this “source and summit of Christian life”, reminded Fr Michael. The first thing we must have is the Fire of the Eucharist in our hearts, the deep thirst for the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Mass. He quoted St Padre Pio as an example of someone who placed the celebration of Mass above all else. The saint once said “… It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Mass.”
Having broken down the segments of the Mass into meaningful sections, from the Introductory rites to the Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Concluding Rites, Fr Michael took appropriate pauses during the Mass to expound on the significance of what was unfolding.
“I found the formation enlightening and informational, said teenage altar server Gwyneth Tan. I immensely enjoyed it as Fr Michael went in-depth in his explanation on what goes on during Mass and its different sections, along with his personal sharing. It greatly aided me in understanding the gestures during Mass and its symbolism. Overall, it was a phenomenal opportunity to deepen my understanding in the liturgical aspect of my faith.”
Questions fielded during the session ran the gamut from; receiving the Holy Eucharist in two species, what to do if one accidentally drops the Host, to teaching children reverence in church and more. Fr Michael stressed the importance for parents to instil the habits and gestures of reverence before and during Mass.
Edmund Lee, a retiree, commented: “I learnt of the importance of the Holy Eucharist where the body and blood of Christ is given freely for us. I learnt that no other prayers, like the Rosary or even devotion to saints, should take precedence over our focus on Christ during Mass. And that singing the hymns add life and meaning to our souls as the lyrics may open the eyes of our minds and the doors of our hearts.” Jesinta Simon, who heads the writers’ team at the parish, summed it up, “It was insightful and timely during this Lent where we are restoring, renewing and rebuilding.”
Parishioners at the Church of Divine Mercy are also engaged in outreach projects during Lent, coming together as ministries and BECs to find creative ways to do works of mercy to reach the least and the lost during this sacred time in the Catholic calendar.
