Wisdom 1:13–15, 2:23–24
God takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living.
Psalm 29(30):2, 4–6, 11–13
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13–15
The Lord Jesus became poor for your sake, to make you rich.
2 Timothy 1:10
Our Saviour Jesus Christ has done away with death and brought us life through his Gospel.
Mark 5:21–43
Little girl, I tell you to get up.
For the celebration of the Eucharist, the People of God are normally gathered together in a church or, if there is no church or if it is too small, then in another respectable place that is nonetheless worthy of so great a mystery. Therefore, churches or other places should be suitable for carrying out the sacred action and for ensuring the active participation of the faithful. Moreover, sacred buildings and requisites for divine worship should be truly worthy and beautiful and be signs and symbols of heavenly realities.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §288
The space for our Eucharistic gathering is designed with a special purpose in mind: the space must be suitable for the sacred action and allow the active participation of the assembly. It is not an auditorium or a sports arena. It must also employ the talents of our artists so that we can proclaim the glory of heaven.
‘All peoples, clap your hands. Cry to God with shouts of joy!’
—entrance antiphon
Job 38:1, 8–11
From the heart of the tempest the Lord gives Job his answer.
Psalm 106(107):23–26, 28–32
R. Give thanks to the Lord, his love is everlasting.
2 Corinthians 5:14–17
We do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh.
Luke 7:16
A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.
Mark 4:35–41
‘Even the wind and the sea obey him.’
Holy Communion has a fuller form as a sign when it takes place under both kinds. For in this form the sign of the Eucharistic banquet is more clearly evident and clearer expression is given to the divine will by which the new and eternal Covenant is ratified in the Blood of the Lord.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §281
With the liturgical reform of Vatican II, we have become very familiar with the sharing of Communion with both the consecrated bread and the consecrated wine. Sharing Communion under both kinds allows us to actively participate in both the sacrifice of the Mass and the New Covenant. Particularly by sharing in the consecrated wine, we affirm our willingness to drink of the cup that Jesus drank; by this ritual of eating and drinking, we proclaim the death of our Lord as the model for our living. Strengthened by the New Covenant, we continue daily to offer our sacrifice of loving others as we have been loved by our God.
‘The Lord is the strength of his people, a saving refuge for the one he has anointed. Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage, and govern them for ever’
—entrance antiphon
Ezekiel 17:22–24
I will plant a shoot on the high mountain of Israel.
Psalm 91(92):2–3, 13–16
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
2 Corinthians 5:6–10
We want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord.
John 15:15
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.
Mark 4:26–34
The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all.
When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §29
Week after week, the holy people of God are fed by the word of God. God speaks when the Scriptures are proclaimed at Mass, and the people of God, attentive to their God, bring life to that word during the week as they engage in daily life, having been formed to see life from God’s point of view. The homily unlocks for the people a deeper understanding of that word and connects it to their life. The homilist provides a living commentary so that God’s word may be alive and active.
‘O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Saviour!’
—entrance antiphon
Exodus 24:3–8
This is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you.
Psalm 115(116):12–13, 15–18
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Hebrews 9:11–15
The blood of Christ can purify our inner self.
John 6:51–52
I am the living bread from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread will live for ever.
Mark 14:12–16, 22–26
This is my body; this is my blood.
While the Priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion Chant is begun, its purpose being to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the ‘communitarian’ character of the procession to receive the Eucharist. The singing is prolonged for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §86
In selecting appropriate music for the Communion Chant, our musicians have to cover many bases: the words of the singing must express the spiritual union of the communicants, rather than our devotional words, which are more appropriate for benediction; they also have to invite all participants to join with a united voice so that the truth of the moment—that we are one Body—is expressed; finally, the music has to engage the community for as long as it takes for all to receive Communion.
‘He fed them with the finest wheat and satisfied them with honey from the rock’
—entrance antiphon
Deuteronomy 4:32–34, 39–40
The Lord is God indeed: he and no other.
Psalm 32(33):4–6, 9, 18–20, 22
R. Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Romans 8:14–17
The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God.
cf. Revelation 1:8
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
Matthew 28:16–20
Go and make disciples of all nations.
In texts that are to be pronounced in a loud and clear voice, whether by the Priest or the Deacon, or by a reader, or by everyone, the voice should correspond to the genre of the text itself, that is, depending upon whether it is a reading, a prayer, an explanatory comment, an acclamation, or a sung text; it should also be suited to the form of celebration and to the solemnity of the gathering. Consideration should also be given to the characteristics of different languages and of the culture of different peoples.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §38
To be able to maintain this standard, it is important that every reader prepare their text well in advance. By their careful and prayerful preparation, they offer great service to their community.
‘Blest be God the Father, and the Only Begotten Son of God, and also the Holy Spirit, for he has shown us his merciful love’
—entrance antiphon
Acts 2:1–11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.
Psalm 103(104):1, 24, 29–31, 34
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
1 Corinthians 12:3–7, 12–13
In the one Spirit we were all baptised.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
John 20:19–23
As the Father sent me, so am I sending you: receive the Holy Spirit.
If such priests are not present and there is a truly large number of communicants, the priest may call upon extraordinary ministers to assist him, i.e., duly instituted acolytes or even other faithful who have been deputed for this purpose. In case of necessity, the priest may depute suitable faithful for this single occasion.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §162
Our ordained ministers are the ordinary ministers for distributing Communion. When they are not available, the local bishop may provide for extraordinary ministers to be taken from the faithful to help with distribution of Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ. This permission ensures that the celebration is not unnecessarily lengthened or if the priest suffers from some grave weakness. It is important to note that the role of Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is not a right or privilege of the lay faithful’s baptismal priesthood, but only to be called upon when truly necessary. Redemptionis sacramentum makes this clear. Paragraph §158 delineates the conditions under which they may be used and should be used with discernment and with good faith towards the church’s provisions in law. Paragraph §152 makes it clearer: ‘Only out of true necessity is there to be recourse to the assistance of extraordinary ministers in the celebration of the Liturgy. Such recourse is not intended for the sake of a fuller participation of the laity but rather, by its very nature, is supplementary and provisional.’
‘The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world and that which contains all things understands what is said, alleluia’ —entrance antiphon
Acts 1:1–11
Jesus was lifted up while they looked on.
Psalm 46(47):2–3, 6–9
R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.
Ephesians 4:1–13
We are all to come to unity, fully mature in the knowledge of the Son of God.
Matthew 28:19, 20
Go and teach all people my Gospel. I am with you always, until the end of the world.
Mark 16:15–20
Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.
In the dioceses of Australia standing is the most common posture for receiving Holy Communion, though individual members of the faithful may choose to receive Communion while kneeling. When approaching to receive Holy Communion, the faithful bow in reverence of the Sacrament that they are to receive.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §160
As we unite in the procession to receive the sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood in Communion, we express our unity by forming one procession to the altar to receive these gifts. Our bodily posture expresses our reverence towards this gift. Our Amen to the acclamations The Body of Christ, The Blood of Christ, made by the Communion minister, is our opportunity to affirm our faith and our commitment to mission. Our Christ entrusts himself to us so that we may be his ambassadors for his mission to reach the ends of the world.
‘Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens? This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go, alleluia’
—entrance antiphon
Acts 10:25–26, 34–35, 44–48
The pagans have received the Holy Spirit just as much as we have.
Psalm 97(98):1–4
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
1 John 4:7–10
Let us love one another, since love comes from God.
John 14:23
All who love me will keep my words, and my Father will love them and we will come to them.
John 15:9–17
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
The rule of prayer (lex orandi) of the Church corresponds to her perennial rule of faith (lex credendi), by which we are truly taught that the sacrifice of his Cross and its sacramental renewal in the Mass, which Christ the Lord instituted at the Last Supper and commanded his Apostles to do in his memory, are one and the same, differing only in the manner of their offering.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §2
We pay great attention to our preparation of each Sunday Mass because the way we celebrate is the profession of our faith. We design our churches so that they will proclaim that we are the priestly people of God who offer the one sacrifice of our Lord and Master. We order our celebration with word, music and gestures so they we can be united as one people. Even the vessels we use point to the heavenly dignity of what we undertake.
‘Proclaim a joyful sound and let it be heard; proclaim to the ends of the earth: The Lord has freed his people, alleluia’ —entrance antiphon
Acts 9:26–31
Barnabas explained how the Lord had appeared to Saul on his journey.
Psalm 21(22):26–28, 30–32
R. I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
1 John 3:18–24
The commandment of faith and love.
John 15:4–5
Live in me and let me live in you, says the Lord; my branches bear much fruit.
John 15:1–8
I am the vine, you are the branches.
The Church is nourished spiritually at the table of God’s word and at the table of the Eucharist: from the one it grows in wisdom and from the other in holiness. In the word of God the divine covenant is announced; in the Eucharist the new and everlasting covenant is renewed. The spoken word of God brings to mind the history of salvation; the Eucharist embodies it in the sacramental signs of the liturgy
—Lectionary of the Mass, Introduction, §10
In the Liturgy of the Word, we gather as God’s chosen people to be formed by his Word. We recall the constant working of our God in our lives. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we bring the works of our past week to be placed upon the altar so that we may be consecrated with the bread and wine. We renew our covenant with our God by our openness to his Word, to be formed as his beloved people for the service of the world.
‘O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders; in the sight of the nations he has shown his deliverance, alleluia’
—entrance antiphon
Acts 4:8–12
The name of Jesus Christ is the only name in which we can be saved.
Psalm 117(118):1, 8–9, 21–23, 26, 28–29
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
1 John 3:1–2
We shall be like God because we shall see him as he really is.
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.
John 10:11–18
The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
On Sundays, especially in Easter Time, the blessing and sprinkling of water as a memorial of Baptism may take place from time to time in all churches and chapels, even in Masses anticipated on Saturday evenings. If this rite is celebrated during Mass, it takes the place of the usual Penitential Act at the beginning of Mass
—Roman Missal, Appendix II, p. 1507
Because of the close connection between the season of Easter and the celebration of Christian initiation, it is helpful to include the blessing of water to replace the penitential act. By this inclusion, we are reminded that through our washing in water and consecration by anointing in confirmation, we are sharers in Christ—Priest, Prophet and King. As the priestly people of God, we gather for Mass to exercise this priesthood in sacrifice and thanksgiving.
‘The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth; by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia’
—entrance antiphon