Every Part of the Catholic Mass, Explained (Finally) · AfterMass · Radar

Introductory Rites Explained1:56 – 3:50

1:56

It starts with a sign of the cross and the greeting.

1:59

Now, this isn't just a formality to get things rolling.

2:01

The priest says something like, "The Lord be with you," and you'll respond, "And with your spirit." That back and forth is very old, older than almost anything else you'll say that day, and it's doing something very specific.

2:12

It's acknowledging that the priest isn't standing up there as himself.

2:16

He is standing in the person of Christ acting in persona Christi, and the congregation's response is recognizing that reality out loud before anything else happens.

2:25

So you're not just being polite to a guy at the front of the room at the altar.

2:29

You're acknowledging who is actually present and through whom he's about to act.

2:33

Then comes the penitential act, and this is where most people check out mentally because it feels like a formality.

2:38

It isn't.

2:39

[laughs] So if you think about the order here, before you hear a word of Scripture, before you receive anything, you are asked to admit that you've sinned.

2:46

"I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned." That is you standing in front of God and everyone around you admitting that you're not there because you've got it together.

2:57

You're there because you need something.

2:58

Every single Mass starts this way on purpose because you can't actually receive what's coming next with a posture that says, "Well, you're just fine just as you are." On most Sundays, you'll sing the Gloria next, and this is an ancient hymn of praise that goes back to the song the angels sang over Bethlehem.

3:14

It's skipped during Advent and Lent, and that's on purpose because those seasons are seasons of waiting and repentance, and the church wants you to feel the absence of that joy so that when it returns at Christmas and Easter, it actually feels a little different.

3:30

Then there's the collect, which is the opening prayer that gathers or collects all of the silent prayers of everyone in the room into one spoken prayer.

3:38

The priest says, "Let us pray," then pauses, and in that pause, you're supposed to actually bring your own intentions before God silently, and then the spoken prayer folds yours in with everybody else's.

Introductory Rites Explained1:56 – 3:50

1:56

It starts with a sign of the cross and the greeting.

1:59

Now, this isn't just a formality to get things rolling.

2:01

The priest says something like, "The Lord be with you," and you'll respond, "And with your spirit." That back and forth is very old, older than almost anything else you'll say that day, and it's doing something very specific.

2:12

It's acknowledging that the priest isn't standing up there as himself.

2:16

He is standing in the person of Christ acting in persona Christi, and the congregation's response is recognizing that reality out loud before anything else happens.

2:25

So you're not just being polite to a guy at the front of the room at the altar.

2:29

You're acknowledging who is actually present and through whom he's about to act.

2:33

Then comes the penitential act, and this is where most people check out mentally because it feels like a formality.

2:38

It isn't.

2:39

[laughs] So if you think about the order here, before you hear a word of Scripture, before you receive anything, you are asked to admit that you've sinned.

2:46

"I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned." That is you standing in front of God and everyone around you admitting that you're not there because you've got it together.

2:57

You're there because you need something.

2:58

Every single Mass starts this way on purpose because you can't actually receive what's coming next with a posture that says, "Well, you're just fine just as you are." On most Sundays, you'll sing the Gloria next, and this is an ancient hymn of praise that goes back to the song the angels sang over Bethlehem.

3:14

It's skipped during Advent and Lent, and that's on purpose because those seasons are seasons of waiting and repentance, and the church wants you to feel the absence of that joy so that when it returns at Christmas and Easter, it actually feels a little different.

3:30

Then there's the collect, which is the opening prayer that gathers or collects all of the silent prayers of everyone in the room into one spoken prayer.

3:38

The priest says, "Let us pray," then pauses, and in that pause, you're supposed to actually bring your own intentions before God silently, and then the spoken prayer folds yours in with everybody else's.