Penitential Rite Part 3: About the Mass Series Vol 2- New Translation

‘PENITENTIAL RITE: PART 3’.

 

About the Mass Vol 2 icon photo

Welcome to my new series called ' About the Mass Series Volume 2-New Translation'

I started this Series back in 2012 and now in 2019, restart the series.

 Why did I start the series in the first place? I had already written a series called About the Mass which explained in detail each element of the Mass.  So why Volume 2?  Let me explain.

In the English-speaking world from First Sunday of Advent 2010, the words said at Mass changed. In some parts, there were significant changes, whilst in others, it may be a word or two. What is important for us to remember is the Mass is the same.  We may wish to reflect on what the Mass is and why we attend Mass.  

I wish to take up this series again not only because it was incomplete but now that time has elapsed and we are used to the New translation for a number of years now, I think it is good to review these changes to make us more aware and more appreciative of the Mass. Understanding some of those changes and why they were made may deepen our knowledge about the Mass but more importantly, deepen our love for the Mass.

Here is the link to the first post of this new series ‘’About the Mass Volume 2- New Translation’’. ‘You may wish to review the 12 posts in this series before following along with its continuation.

PENITENTIAL RITE 2 AND 3

Let’s begin where I left out at Penitential Rite.  Today we examine Rite 2 and 3.

 PENITENTIAL RITE 2 AND 3

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 from which to choose,, but the Rite is in dialogue form and includes the complete Lord have mercy (Kyrie).the dialogue form and Kyrie is still included. 

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

In these rites when there is a choir/ cantor/congregation available, the priest can intone the dialogue and invite the congregation with Kyrie or Lord have mercy. The congregation/choir sing Kyrie/Lord have mercy once in reply.

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.  Often, this wonderful moment in the liturgy can be said so quickly that we miss it or even worse, left out all together.  It is advisable to consider even one failure/sin  before we attend Mass, so that when this part of the Mass occurs, we can quickly recall it and gain the benefit of God's pardon and our re- commitment of our lives to God for the upcoming week. This also applies to when we attend Mass during the week also.  

Remember, the purpose of this part of this part of the Mass is to help us recall our failure/s sins, accept God's pardon, re-commit our lives to God and that we can approach Jesus in Holy Communion at rights with Him. Obviously, if we have mortal sin on our souls, we should not be receiving Holy Communion until we have attended the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation.  Otherwise, to receive Holy Communion whilst knowingly in the state of mortal sin is to commit at sacrilege and add more sins to our souls. that will need to be confessed in the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation. However, should we be in that position, this part of the Mass can be a starting point towards moving our lives back towards God and examining our consciences and our lives.

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.