ABOUT THE MASS VOL 2
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THE MASS: ABOUT THE MASS SERIES ICON. |
JEWISH ROOTS IN THE MASS.
The word ‘Kiddush’ means
sanctification and it is the name of the blessing pronounced by the Jews at the
beginning of each Sabbath and feast day, at the moment when the first stars
appear and the Sabbath lamp had been lit. It separates profane time from
time, which is more specially consecrated to God. The Jewish prayer
comprised a blessing over the wine, a blessing of the day, and a blessing over
the bread.
The father of the family said these
blessings at the table, with his family and guests around him and these
blessing prayers are as follows:
BLESSING FOR THE WINE:
‘Blessed are You, Lord our God, King
of the Universe
You who created the fruit of the
vine’
BLESSING FOR THE FEAST.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King
of the universe.
You have sanctified us by your commandments;
You have given us as an inheritance
the Sabbath of your holiness out of love and good will, as a memorial of the
works of your creation.
This day is the first of your holy
convocations. It is the memorial of the exodus from Egypt.
You have chosen us among all the
peoples. You have sanctified us.
You have given us as an inheritance
the Sabbath of your holiness out of love and good will.
Blessed are you, O Lord who
sanctified the Sabbath.
BLESSING FOR THE BREAD.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King
of the universe,
You who have brought bread forth from
the earth’.
Compare these Jewish Kiddush blessing
prayers with the prayer that accompanies the presentation of the bread
at Mass.
‘Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to offer
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will become for us the bread of life’.
Let us listen carefully to the prayer
over the wine too.
In praying these prayers, the priest
continues the praise of Jesus and as a faith community join him as we pray them
from the heart.
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