FROM FR. JOHN: November 26, 2023

  As we continue journeying through the Mass this week, I wanted to look at 2 gestures that happen during the Liturgy of the Word. One that is done by everyone & the second that is done only by the Priest or Deacon, & both take place during the proclamation of the Gospel. As the Priest or Deacon begins the proclamation of the Gospel, they say, “A reading from the Holy Gospel according to ____.” Our response, “Glory to you, O Lord,” & as we do that, we make the gesture of signing ourselves on the forehead, the lips, & the heart, making the Sign of the Cross with our thumb. While we do that, we might say a prayer to ourselves…”May the Word of the Lord be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.” This prayer echoes what the Priest says as he blesses the Deacon before he proclaims the Gospel. If there is a Deacon at Mass, the Priest blesses him before the Gospel, saying, “May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And the Priest may say to himself, if he is proclaiming the Gospel, “Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.” The best way to hear God’s Word is with a clean heart, clean lips, & a clean mind. May we be open to God’s Word!

  The second gesture happens at the end of the Gospel, after the Priest or Deacon says,” The Gospel of the Lord.” As we say, “Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ ,” the Priest or Deacon kisses the gospel book as a sign of profound devotion to & respect for God’s Word. You might also have noticed that this gesture of kissing happens at the beginning & the end of Mass as well, but at those times it’s the altar that is kissed. When the Priest or Deacon kisses the altar, they are showing profound respect & devotion to the altar which is where the sacrifice of the Eucharist takes place. It is also done as a reminder of the time in the early Church where the Mass was celebrated in the underground Catacombs on the tombs of the martyrs. This was done, partly out of respect for the sacrifice of the martyrs & also for the safety of those celebrating as Christianity was illegal at the time & Mass was celebrated in secret. As Christianity became legal & Mass was celebrated in public, many altars contained relics of the martyrs reminding us of their great & Heroic sacrifice. Even if a particular altar might not contain a relic, the gesture of a kiss still occurs as a way of continuing to honor their sacrifice today.