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The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with you all (2 Cor 13:13).

 

* * *

On reaching the altar, the priest and ministers make the proper reverence --that is, a low bow or a genuflection, if there is a tabernacle containing the Blessed Sacrament.[1] As a sign of veneration, the priest and deacon kiss the altar. When the occasion warrants, the priest may also incense the altar.[2]

The altar symbolizes the heart of the church. It is the Lord's table and the center of the Eucharistic action. It has always been considered a symbol of Christ. That is why we cover the altar with a cloth, out of reverence for the celebration of the memorial of the Lord's sacrifice. We use candles at every liturgical service as a sign of veneration and festiveness. There also has to be a cross, clearly visible to the congregation, either on the altar or near it.[3]

It is then understandable that we want to make ours this kiss of the celebrant. It evokes in our memory the many kisses of that sinful woman in the Pharisee's house. She could not cease to kiss Christ's feet, washing them with her tears. Great sins were forgiven her because she also loved greatly, the Gospel tells us (Lk 7:38). And we have so many faults to ask pardon for!

Now, by this kiss, the priest also signifies the union of the Spouse (Christ) with his Bride (the Church). And, indeed, what the priest is beginning to accomplish here is nothing other than to forge the union of the Church with her Master, of the soul with its Redeemer.

We have been instructed that the Mass may be celebrated either in Latin or in another language, provided that liturgical texts are used that have been duly approved.[4]

During the first centuries, the altar-table was often a stone slab placed over the tomb of a martyr. Could the memorial of the death of the Savior be anywhere more fittingly celebrated than on the tombs of the faithful who had died for Christ? The saints, members of Christ, have been buried in Christ by charity. This is the origin of the custom of setting in the altar-stone a cavity (called the sepulchre) in which relics of martyrs are enclosed. St John, in the Apocalypse, says, 'I saw beneath the altar the souls of all who had been slain for love of God's word' (6:90). Some people think that this statement refers to the habit of saying Mass over a martyr's tomb on certain occasions early in the life of the Church: It is as old as that.

Nowadays the Church sees it fitting to maintain this practice. However, the relics may be of any saint, even of non-martyrs, and these may also be placed beneath the altar. Care is taken to have solid evidence of the authenticity of such relics.[5]

St John Chrysostom says that, 'By its nature, the altar is a unique stone, for it is sanctified by the fact of the presence of Jesus Christ.'[6] That is why at solemn Mass, the priest, after having kissed the altar, pays honor to it by incensing it.

Incense is a resinous substance which, when placed upon glowing charcoal, gives off a balsamic odor as it burns. It had a place in Israelite worship; in fact, the psalmist compares our prayers to the smoke of incense, rising up to heaven. In the Apocalypse, it is seen as a symbol of the prayers of the saints.[7]

Incense was also used in pagan rites and for non-religious purposes. It was used, for instance, to mask the stench which was not uncommon where crowds were gathered, honoring thus the consuls and magistrates. It was through this use that incense found its way into the liturgy.

When paganism declined, the Church withdrew her earlier reservation about the use of incense. Gradually, towards the ninth century, she resorted in her liturgy to the use of this mark of honor as an expression of her veneration: of Christ himself; then of the bread and wine which were about to undergo transubstantiation, of the altar of sacrifice, of the cross, of the words of life contained in the Book of the Gospels, of the celebrant who acted in the person of Christ and of all the faithful, the Mystical Body of Christ.

'We offer frankincense that rises up to the Lord: our desire to live a noble life, which gives off the 'aroma of Christ.' To impregnate our words and actions with his aroma is to sow understanding and friendship.'[8]

After the entrance song, and after having kissed the altar, the priest goes to the chair and with the whole assembly makes the sign of the cross, saying,

We all answer,

We have been born through baptism to the life of grace under the sign of the cross and in the name of the Three Divine Persons; we have been strengthened in that life through the sacrament of confirmation and under the same name of the Triune Godhead. It seems logical that we now approach the very source of spiritual life in the name of the most Blessed Trinity.

Throughout the Mass, we pay especial reverence to the name of Jesus.[9] St Peter and St John were arrested for proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. When interrogated by the Sanhedrin, 'By what power and by whose name have you men done this?' Peter answered, 'By the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene.' And added, 'For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved' (Acts 4:12).

Through his greeting, the priest declares to us that the Lord is present. He accompanies his words with a gesture that may be seen as a delicately initiated embrace.

Sometimes the priest will greet us with a more elaborate formula, desiring that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. At other times, he will use a shorter greeting,

It reminds us of the angel's salutation to Mary (Lk 1:28), or St Paul's to the Thessalonians (2 Thess 2:16), or even of Booz's to the harvesters (Ruth 2:4).

This greeting and the congregation's response express the mystery of the gathered Church. The entire Church is present, even though we may be just a few persons in the room. The Second Vatican Council tells us,

In these Eucharistic communities, though frequently small and poor, or living in exile, Christ is present, and in virtue of his presence there is brought together the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.[10]

And St. Josemaria Escriva writes,

When I celebrate Mass with just one person to help me, the people are present also. I feel that there with me are all Catholics, all believers and also those who do not believe. All God's creatures are there --the earth and the sea and the sky, and the animals and plants-- the whole of creation giving glory to the Lord.[11]

In this greeting, the priest pours out all the love of his undivided heart, all the energies of a life devoted entirely to his brethren. 'These ministers in the society of the faithful are able, by the sacred power of Orders, to offer sacrifice [the Holy Mass] and to forgive sins [sacrament of penance], and they perform their priestly office publicly for men in the name of Christ.'[12] The priest's special relationship with the Holy Spirit is acknowledged in the original (Latin) answer of the faithful, Et cum spiritu tuo, (loosely translated as, 'And with your spirit'). It is now a wonderful opportunity to say our answer,

putting in it all our gratefulness.

We think of one moving reality: So many persons who have renounced clean and legitimate human love to place their lives at Christ's service and our service. It is time now to pay our debt to them, which we too often forget about.

Listen to this voice,

I ask all Christians to pray earnestly for us priests that we learn to perform the holy sacrifice in a holy way. I ask you to show a deep love for the Holy Mass. In this way you will encourage us priests to celebrate it respectfully, with divine and human dignity: to keep clean the vestments and other things used for worship, to act devoutly, to avoid rushing.[13]

We should include in our answer a vehement petition to our Lord for the sanctity of priests. Because as St John Chrysostom points out,

When the priests are holy, the entire Church is resplendent with virtues; when they are not holy, faith weakens. When you see a tree with withered leaves, you judge that there should be some vice in the roots; likewise when you see an unruly people you should understand that their priests are not holy.[14]

After the greeting the priest, or other suitable minister may prepare the faithful for the Holy Mass with some brief, simple and well-selected words when special reason warrants it  -- for example, on a Solemnity or Feast of certain significance, or in a celebration for a special motive.[15]

1. GIRM, no. 84. If there is a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament in the sanctuary, a genuflection is made whenever anyone passes in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

2. GIRM, no. 27.

3. GIRM, no. 270.

4. Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, 25 March 2004, no. 112. It adds, 'Except in the case of celebrations of the Mass that are scheduled by the ecclesiastical authorities to take place in the language of the people, Priests are always and everywhere permitted to celebrate Mass in Latin.'

5. Cf. GIRM, no. 266.

6. St John Chrysostom, On 2 Corin., Hom. 20,3.

7. Rev 8:3‑4; see also Ps 110:2.

8. St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, Christ Is Passing By (Manila: Sinag‑Tala, 1977)(New York: Scepter, 1974, no. 36; cf. 2 Cor 2:15.

9. GIRM, nos. 233 & 234. As a sign of reverence, a bow of the head is made by the priest when the Three Divine Persons are named together and at the name of Jesus, Mary, and the saint in whose honor Mass is celebrated.

10. LG, no. 26.

11. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, A Priest forever, p. 15.

12. Second Vatican Council, Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis [=PO], no. 2; cf. Council of Trent, sess. 27, ch. 1, c. 1 (Denz. 1764 & 1771).

13. J. Escriva de Balaguer, Christ Is Passing By, p. 15.

14. St John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea.

15. GIRM, no. 86.

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