About the Mass Series: The Mass and its Jewish roots.

ABOUT THE MASS SERIES.

THE MASS

OVERVIEW PART 3

More than any other sacrament, the Eucharist reveals the Jewish roots.  How is this shown?

Well, first the Jewish synagogue service traditionally centred around listening to the word of God read from the scriptures.  Prayers, singing, chanting and homily supported that central action. Those at the service experience the presence of the Lord in the written word.

The early Christians, who were also mostly Jews, attended the synagogue services until they were regarded by other Jews as unfaithful to tradition and were stopped from attending.  This led the Christian Jews to adopt and adapt the Synagogue service to suit their own needs and they used it as an introduction to their own Eucharistic meal.

The Eucharist was instituted at the Last Supper.  Meals such as the Last Supper played a very important part in the life of Jews at the time of Christ.  The meal, especially the family meal, was very important form of worship and could be steeped in ritual.  Often bread and wine played a central part in these meals.  And ‘giving thanks’ was generally the theme surrounding the meal.  

At the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated a typical community meal with his friends.  Thus, when he told his friends to share bread and wine, he was not asking them to something strange or uncommon.  Asking them to do it in his memory was the unique part.

These two elements of service and meal were brought together by early Christians and became the central parts of the Mass.  We know them as the liturgy of the Word and liturgy of the Eucharist.

On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place.  The memoirs of the apostle and the writing of the prophets are read, as much as time permits.

When the reader has finished, he who preside over those gathered admonished and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.

Then we all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves… and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.  When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss.

Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who preside over the brethren.  He takes them and offer praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: ‘eucharistein’) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts.  When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings all present gives voice to an acclamation by saying: Amen’.

When he who presides has given thanks and people have responded, those whom we called deacons give to those present the “eucharisted” bread, wine and water and take them to those who are absent.

This completes the posts on the overview of the Mass.  Next week, I will commence Section 2- Preparation for Mass.