Having completed examining the parts of the Introductory Rites to the Mass, I’d like to take a moment this week to look at the Basic Structure of the Mass. We believe every Catholic should center his or her life in the Eucharist; our life should be modeled on the Eucharist. This has many layers of meaning, but even the very structure of the Mass guides us in our life in Christ and his Church.
 |
| Stylized Icon of the Eucharist: Christ is Present and notice the open Bible and the Bread and Wine in the hands of Christ |
The ancient core of the celebration of the Eucharist, found in the New Testament, is the uniting of the Word of God (the Scriptures) with the Sacrament of the Eucharist. We see this pattern of Word and Sacrament in the Resurrection appearance of Jesus to two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. (See Text HERE)
In this Gospel passage the Risen Jesus, at first not recognized by the two disciples on the Road, comes and walks with the two and listens to their disappointments and grief that their Teacher had been crucified. Then he began to teach them about the Messiah from the Scripture. Their hearts began to burn within them. They invite him to spend the Evening with them and he Breaks the Bread at table and suddenly the two recognize him as the risen Christ. The ancient name for the Eucharist was "the Breaking of the Bread." The two disciples travel back to Jerusalem from where they had traveled to announce to the other disciples that they had come to know the Risen Christ in the Breaking of the Bread.
Most Bible scholars are in agreement that Luke is also relating in this story the pattern of the early Church’s worship: they gathered, heard the Scriptures and celebrated the Eucharist. Then they were sent to announce the Good News that Christ is raised from the dead. At the center of this pattern is a two-fold pattern of the Mass called the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, which regulates the worthy celebration of the Mass, states:
"The Mass consists in some sense of two parts, namely the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, these being so closely interconnected that they form but one single act of worship. For in the Mass is spread the table both of God’s Word and of the Body of Christ, and from it the faithful are to be instructed and refreshed. There are also certain rites that open and conclude the celebration." (GIRM#28)
As I mentioned, this Structure of Word and Sacrament is what establishes, guides and nourishes our Catholic life. We are to read the Scriptures, meditate upon them and even study them in prayer. Gone are the days when people said Catholics did not read the Bible.
Also our participation in the Sacraments strengthen our spiritual life based solidly in the Church. Our Baptism and Confirmation are enduring foundations of Christian life; the Eucharist is our ongoing nourishment and participation in Christ’s Death and Resurrection; Confession helps us when our soul is sick with sin and the Anointing of the Sick gives us strength when our bodies are seriously ill or dying; the Sacrament of Marriage is a vocation of sacrificial love in the Church and the Sacrament of Orders (Bishop, Priest & Deacon) exist to build up the Church of Christ and shepherd it.
If we were to diagram the Basic Structure of the Mass according to importance, it would look like this:
Introductory Rites + Liturgy of the Word + Liturgy of the Eucharist + Concluding Rites
Next Week: The Liturgy of the Word
