About the Mass Series: vol 2: Introductory Rite The greeting Part 3.

In today's post, let us explore further the third greeting that the priest can say during the Introductory Rite as a greeting and our response of:

Priest:  The Lord be with you

People:  and with your spirit.

This greeting comes from Scripture in the book of Ruth 2:4.Boaz who is the owner of the field shouts to the reapers " The Lord be with you". It is the only place in scripture where this greeting occurs. However, he also notices Ruth and makes some enquiries about her and by the end of the book of Ruth, they are married.  It is worth having a read of the book of Ruth since Ruth was a good woman to look after her mother in law.

In the original, Boaz actually says ''The Lord with you"' not The Lord be with you.  However, his greeting can be translated as

The Lord be with you or The Lord is with you.

The second translation is a reminder of the greeting that the Angel Gabriel gave to Mary at the Annunciation.  The Original translation of  the words of Angel Gabriel were: ''the Lord with you"'.

So when the priest uses this third greeting, we may be reminded of the greeting of Boaz from the book of Ruth and the echo of the Angel Gabriel to Mary at the Annunciation.

When we reply: ''and with your spirit'', we are reminded of St Paul's letter to the Galatians chapter 5 where he lists both the works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit.  St Paul indicated that the Jewish tradition of circumcision was not binding to the Christian.  His teachings indicate that for the Christian, we are not only made up of the flesh but of the spirit- which is the closest part of us that is nearest to the Holy Spirit of God. When you reflect on the works of the flesh quoted in Scripture, you will notice that some of them occur through the body, but not all of them such as anger and jealousy, which occur inwardly. 

When St Paul compares the works of the flesh and the fruits of the spirit, he is teaching us to reflect upon behaviours/areas  in our lives which are not under the rule of God as compared to those that have been submitted to God's rule. So for St Paul, the spirit of a human being  is that part of us that is open to God and receptive to the gifts of God. You will notice that when St Paul completes his discussion about the works of the flesh and fruits of the spirit with the following:

'' May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen'' ( Gal 6:18)

When we use this response to the third greeting cited above, we are affirming that it relates to that part of us that is open to God and receptive to the gifts of God. It is written with a small s not a capital S which usually refers to the Holy Spirit. This response comes from 2 Tim 4:22.

St John Chrysostom, one of the Greek Fathers of the Church gave us more insight into this third greeting and interestingly enough, it is used in both Eastern and Western liturgies.  St John also pointed out that when the people give this response which is used before the the Eucharistic prayer, it is because they recognise the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the priest given to him at Ordination.  St John Chrysostom said that the people would not have been able to say that unless they, themselves had been filled with the Holy Spirit and gathered by the Holy Spirit to worship God in the Eucharistic Prayer.

So with these points in mind and what I have previously written in Introductory Rite The Greeting Part 1, the next time you are at Mass or are reflecting on this response, I hope that it will be a richer, more prayerful experience for you.