Saturday, February 2, 2013
MASS GUIDE FOR CHILDREN - 3
Next in Mass comes the Introit. It means "entrance."
In the old days, this was the psalm sung when the bishop or priest entered the sanctuary, the holy place where Mass is celebrated at the altar.
We can also think of it as the time Christ enters among us gathered at Mass.
The Introit is the real beginning of Mass, since, at times, the prayers that come before this can be skipped on certain occasions. The Introit is never skipped. A different Introit is used for different Masses. It is never the same Introit used day after day.
After the Introit is the Kyrie.
This word, and what follows, are in Greek, not Latin. In olden times, the Church in Rome prayed in Greek, which was the language most known all over the Roman Empire.
Before, petitions were made to God, with the response being "Lord, have mercy," in Greek. In time, only the responses "Lord, have mercy" and "Christ, have mercy" were kept in the Mass.
We ask God's mercy three times speaking to God the Father (Kyrie), three times to God the Son (Christe) and three times to God the Holy Ghost (Kyrie).
We must begin Mass knowing that we are sinners and ask God for His mercy, knowing that He loves us when we humble ourselves and ask for mercy.