Mass Today

Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. Compilation & layout © 2011 Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. www.missal.org.uk

Today’s readings from Universalis.com

The Introductory Rites

The Introductory Rites help the faithful, come together as one, establish communion and prepare themselves to listen to the Word of God and to celebrate the Eucharist worthily.

All stand. The Priest approaches the altar with the ministers and venerates it while the Entrance Song is sung.

SIGN OF THE CROSS

All make the Sign of the Cross as the Priest says:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

GREETING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Or: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Or: The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

PENITENTIAL ACT

The Priest invites the faithful to the Penitential Act.
Then one of the Penitential Acts follows:

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
And, striking their breast, they say:
through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Have mercy on us, O Lord.

For we have sinned against you.
Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
And grant us your salvation.

You were sent to heal the contrite of heart:

Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
You came to call sinners:
Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.
Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:
Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
The absolution by the Priest follows:
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.

Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.

Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.
Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.

Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.

THE GLORIA

When indicated this hymn is either sung or said:

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

THE COLLECT

When this hymn is concluded, the Priest, says:

Let us pray.
And all pray in silence with the Priest for a while.
Then the Priest says the Collect prayer, at the end of which the people acclaim:
Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

All Sit

By hearing the word proclaimed in worship, the faithful again enter into the unending dialogue between God and the covenant people, a dialogue sealed in the sharing of the Eucharistic food and drink.

Today’s Readings
THE HOMILY

All Sit

THE CREED

All Stand

THE APOSTLE'S CREED.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
At the words that follow, up to and including the Virgin Mary, all bow.
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen.

THE NICENE CREED

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
At the words that follow, up to and including ‘and became man’, all bow.
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

After each intention there is a pause while the faithful pray.

Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.

The Priest concludes the Prayer with a collect.

All Sit

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

All Sit

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. It is the vital centre of all that the Church is and does, because at its heart is the real presence of the crucified, risen and glorified Lord, continuing and making available his saving work among us.

THE OFFERTORY

During the Offertory Song the gifts of bread and wine are brought in procession. The Priest offers the prayers of blessing quietly at the altar. If the priest says the prayers aloud the assembly’s acclamation each time is

Blessed be God for ever.

The Priest completes additional personal preparatory rites, and the people rise as he says:

Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Then the Priest says the Prayer over the Offerings, at the end of which the people acclaim:

Amen.

THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.

The Priest concludes the Preface with the people, singing

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The Priest continues with the Eucharistic Prayer.

The congregation kneels for the remainder of the Eucharistic Prayer and Consecration.

After the words of Consecration the priest says:

The mystery of faith.

Either:
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

Or:
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.

Or:
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.

At the conclusion of the prayer the Priest takes the chalice and the paten with the host and, raising both, he says:

Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

All stand
At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord…
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Lord Jesus Christ…
Who live and reign for ever and ever.
Amen.
The peace of the Lord
be with you always.
And with your spirit.
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
All offer one another the customary sign of peace.

BREAKING OF THE BREAD

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION

All kneel
After his private prayers of preparation the Priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice says aloud:

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

COMMUNION

The communicants come forward in reverent procession, and make a preparatory act of reverence by bowing their head in honour of Christ’s presence in the Sacrament.

The Body (Blood) of Christ.
Amen.

After the distribution of Communion, if appropriate, a sacred silence may be observed for a while, or a psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may be sung.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

All stand

Let us pray.

All pray in silence. Then the Priest says the Prayer after Communion, at the end of which the people acclaim:

Amen.

The Concluding Rites

The Concluding Rites send people forth to put into effect in their lives what they have received.

BLESSING

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

DISMISSAL

Either:

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

Or:
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord. Or:
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord
by your life

Or:
Go in peace.

Thanks be to God.