About the Mass Series: Introductory Rite- Penitential Rite 1-3

About the Mass Series: 

The Mass: about the Mass series icon.

IPENITENTIAL RITE PART 1’.

The Penitential Rite consists of three elements:  
                  

(1) The invitation to acknowledge our sins,

(2) To ask for the mercy of God, and

(3) To accept His pardon and cleansing healing.

The priest invites us acknowledge our sins in one of the three texts used:

1. ‘.My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins’.

2. ‘As we prepare to celebrate the mystery of Christ’s love, let us acknowledge our failures and ask the Lord for pardon and strength’.
 

3. ‘.Coming together as God’s family, with confidence let us ask the Father’s forgiveness, for He is full of gentleness and compassion’.

So how can we accept this invitation more fruitfully?  Our preparation that we have made during the week for our Sunday Mass will help us.  Perhaps, we might prayerfully recall one or two areas in our lives in which we struggle and wish to change. This invitation is a wonderful time to bring it to the Lord.  Then we ask for mercy as we use one of the 3 forms of confession.

FIRST FORM: ‘I confess to almighty God and to you, here present that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary every virgin all the angels and saints, and you, here present to pray for me to the Lord our God’.

When the first form is used, the Kyrie is said/sung after the ‘I confess’ (Confiteor), as follows:
 

Priest: ‘Lord have mercy’.  All: ‘Lord have mercy’.

Priest: ‘Christ have mercy’. All: ‘Christ have mercy’.

Priest: ‘Lord have mercy’. All: ‘Lord have mercy’.

Think about these words of the ‘I confess’ (Confiteor) - if we cannot recall our sinfulness, then perhaps the words-thoughts, words, actions and omission might be a prompt. But remember, we are not alone as we repent- we have Mary and the saints (Church triumphant), those in Purgatory (Church in waiting) to intercede for us, and our fellow parishioners- those in the same seat, those standing ahead and behind us and those across the aisle (the Pilgrim Church).  We are all asking for the mercy of God.

Note too, our body language- we are standing; standing before God as we are. But as one of the invitation texts reminds us: ‘we can be confident to ask for God’s forgiveness, for He is full of gentleness and compassion’. 

What does the Penitential Rite mean to YOU?

‘PENITENTIAL RITE: PART 2’.

In both Rites 2 and 3, we ask for the mercy of God, but the ‘Lord have mercy’ (Kyrie) or part thereof, is incorporated into the Rites.

Rite 2:

The Priest says: ‘Lord, we have sinned against You, Lord have mercy’.

All: 'Lord have mercy’.

Priest: ‘Lord, show us Your mercy and love’.

All: ‘And grant us Your salvation’.

Rite 3: In this rite, the Priest has a number of options to choose from, but the Rite is in dialogue form and includes the complete Lord have mercy (Kyrie).  

When a commentator is present, he/she may read the Penitential Rite, which has been prepared by a Liturgy Preparation team. The dialogue form and Kyrie is still included. 

If Rite 2 or 3 is used, the Kyrie (as shown previously) is omitted.

Then a precious and vital moment can escape us if our minds and hearts have wandered.  The priest, in the name of Christ prays:

‘May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life’.

This does not replace the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation, but it is a wonderful opportunity not only to accept His pardon, but to recommit our lives to God, and to endeavour to live by the Gospel standard during the coming week.  

The Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water (Asperges) may replace the Penitential Rite and Kyrie.   The Priest uses a Holy Water Vessel and Aspergillum (holy water sprinkler) to carry the holy water which is sprinkled over the congregation. The sprinkling of the water reminds us of how we accepted the Lord at Baptism, turning away from sin. 

As part of your preparation for Mass, why not reflect on the words used in these three Rites? 

Each encapsulates some aspect of God’s mercy to YOU.