The Mass is above all and beyond all else a sacrifice, a renewal of the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the High Priest, on Calvary. It is therefore a very serious matter. In the words of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict: “The Eucharist is far more than just a meal; it has cost a death to provide it, and the majesty of death is present in it. Whenever we hold it, we should be filled with reverence and awe in the face of this mystery, with awe in the face of this mysterious death that becomes a present reality in our midst…” (Ratzinger, God is Near Us, p. 44).
The celebration of the Holy Mass was so utterly serious to the early Church martyrs that many risked their lives in order to celebrate it. For example, in the third century, Pope Sixtus II and companions were captured and subsequently martyred while celebrating Mass in the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus.
A Mass server should view his task as one of the most important duties he will ever perform in his life. All clergy, above all the Diocesan Bishop, must consider the celebration of the liturgy as their principal dhuty. The non-ordained faithful do not have a right to service at the altar for Mass or any other Liturgical function; rather they are capable of being admitted to such service by the Sacred Pastors.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
No comments:
Post a Comment