Episode Transcript  

One

Sign of the Cross

Over the next few days, we will walk through the Mass step by step. Every Mass begins with the Sign of the Cross. We make it so often, before meals, before we pray, sometimes even on the athletic field, that it can become routine. We do it without thinking, and we rarely stop to ask, “Why do we begin every prayer with this sign?”

When we make the Sign of the Cross, we declare our belief in the Trinity. With this little sign, we are saying, “I believe God is three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that this is the most important reality of our faith.” When we make the sign of the Cross, we profess that Jesus saved us by His death and Resurrection. (CCC 786, 1235) With the sign of the Cross, we proclaim our identity: I am a Christian, I am an adopted son or daughter of God. That is who I am, and no one can take that away. (CCC 1235) And by the sign of the Cross, we dedicate ours and our day to the glory of God and place ourselves under His protection and guidance. (CCC 2157)

It’s the most fitting way to begin Mass. The next time we make the sign of the Cross, will it be more than a gesture? 

Two

And With Your Spirit 

After the Sign of the Cross, the priest greets us with words from St. Paul, such as, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” And we reply, “And with your spirit.” At first, that response may sound odd, like some kind of old English, but it carries a profound meaning.

In the Mass, Christ’s sacrifice is not just recalled. By the power of the Holy Spirit, it becomes present. What happened on Calvary is made real here and now, so that what took place in Him can also take place in us. The Catechism explains, “In the Eucharist the Church is, as it were, at the foot of the Cross with Mary, united with the offering and intercession of Christ.” (CCC 1370).

On the Cross, Jesus was both the High Priest who offered the sacrifice and the Lamb who was slain. In every Mass, He remains both Priest and Victim. The ordained priest is the visible sign of Christ. With our response of, “And with your spirit,” we are not just answering politely. We are acknowledging that Christ Himself is at work through the priest. 

Three

Penitential Rite 

To prepare the Apostles to enter the first Mass, Jesus cleansed their souls by the outward sign of washing their feet. Likewise, we need to be cleansed of our venial sins to be prepared to enter into Calvary made present in the Mass and to receive God Himself in the Eucharist. 

So, the Priest invites us, “Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.” And we pray:

“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, 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.”

Immediately, Christ forgives our venial sin when the Priest prays, “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.” And we accept this forgiveness, saying, “Amen.”

At the beginning of Mass, Jesus forgives our daily, or venial, sins. This doesn’t replace the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which we still need for grave or serious sins. But here, right at the beginning, the Lord gives us a fresh start.

St. Ambrose put it beautifully, “Because I always sin, I should always have a remedy. The remedy is the heavenly and venerable Sacrifice.” That’s why daily Mass can be our daily remedy for sin.

Four

Gloria 

In chapter 17 of the Gospel of Luke, ten lepers stood at a distance, lifted up their voice and cried out, “Jesus, master, have mercy on us.” Our sin is like spiritual leprosy, and so we take up their words saying three times in the Kyrie, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.”

All ten of the lepers were healed, but only one came back to thank Him. Jesus has just forgiven and healed us of our venial sins, so the best thing to do next is to thank him in the Gloria as we say, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of goodwill. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory.”

Do you know where the first line of the Gloria comes from? Christmas. At the first Christmas in Luke 2:13-14, the shepherds were surrounded by a multitude of Angels who were singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.”

In the Mass, Heaven, and Earth are joined together. We are united with the Angels and saints and all our friends and loved ones praising God as we say or sing the Gloria. So, when we lift our voices in the Gloria, it’s not just reciting words on a page. It’s our chance to join the Heavenly Liturgy. The question is: will we be like the one leper who returned to give thanks?

Five

Collect 

After the Gloria comes the “Collect,” the short opening prayer that sums up the meaning of this Mass and asks God to grant us the specific grace of that mystery so it may take effect in our lives.

Let’s take the Collect for the Mass at Christmas, “O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.” Amen.

From the Sign of the Cross to the Collect, the Church is doing something profound. We have declared who God is and who we are in Him. We have confessed our sins and received His mercy. We have joined the Heavenly liturgy praising God’s glory. And in the Collect, all our thoughts and prayers, scattered in a hundred directions when we walked in, are drawn together and offered to God through the priest. 

The Church calls this part of the Mass the Introductory Rites, and they are not a warm-up. They are a spiritual reorientation, gathering us from the distractions and burdens of daily life into the one great act of worship that spans Heaven and Earth. Having been forgiven, united, and focused, we are now ready to hear the living Word of God.

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you. 

• When you go to Mass, truly give Thanksgiving in the Gloria, as the leper did when he was healed by Christ.

• Think of what you are declaring when you give the sign of the Cross, treating it with reverance rather than as an afterthought.

If you enjoyed this meditation, subscribe below.