In the fall of my sophomore year of college, the pastor of my parish asked me to be a lector and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. At first, I was shocked because everyone else who was doing it was much older than I was. Yet, I found myself responding “yes.”
While I didn’t know all that was involved other than reading the Scriptures and intercessions and distributing Holy Communion, I soon realized there was more to it. With that “yes” was an understanding that I was being called to more fully participate in the sacramental life of the Church by being actively involved in the liturgy.
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, promulgated on Dec. 4, 1963, was the first document of the Second Vatican Council. In that document, we find the often-quoted statement,
“The Church earnestly desires that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations called for by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people’ is their right and duty by reason of baptism” (§14).
Although I didn’t know about Vatican II’s call to “full, conscious and active participation,” I sensed that there was something different about the liturgy since Vatican II. The Mass was in English so people could understand the words; there were missalettes in the pews so people could follow the Order of the Mass and know when and what to say; there were hymns to sing. There were new ministries of lector and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. All of these were ways for people to more fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist.
How do we prepare ourselves to be fully conscious and active participants?
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Read the Sunday readings in advance.
One way we can engage is by reading the Sunday Scriptures before coming to Mass. Reading and praying with the Sunday Scriptures opens our hearts to better receive God’s word when we gather with others for Mass.
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Participate in ongoing formation.
Whether on your own, as a couple or family, as part of a Bible study, book club or other group, learn more about the Mass and how all the parts of the Mass bring us to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. We need to hear and understand the words of the Eucharistic Prayer and place our lives with Christ’s upon the altar.
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Actively take part during the Mass.
Mass isn’t a passive activity where we just show up. We need to perform all the prescribed gestures: standing, sitting, kneeling (if possible), making the Sign of the Cross at the beginning and end of Mass, blessing ourselves during the Sprinkling Rite, doing the triple signing just before the proclamation of the Gospel, and bowing during the Creed. We need to say the words that are specific to us in the assembly. We need to sing the songs and parts of the Mass that are sung. This is critical in unifying ourselves as a community of believers.
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Give the gift of service.
Answering the call to be a liturgical minister is one way to imitate Jesus’ example of service. Liturgical ministry includes sacristans, servers, ushers and greeters, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, musicians and preparing the environment. All of these ministries are needed for good liturgy. “Good liturgy can foster and nourish faith. Poor celebrations of liturgy may weaken it” (Sing to the Lord, #5).
By virtue of our baptism,we are all called to full, conscious and active participation in liturgical celebrations. It is our duty and right as disciples of Christ. But we must remember that, to fully, actively and consciously participate in the liturgy means that the liturgy doesn’t end when we leave the church. We must embody the liturgy in our daily lives. Full, conscious and active participation leads us to transformation, leads us to go forth from the liturgy and bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to others.
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Dominican Sister Jeanne Wiest is the director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of St. Cloud.
Pictured above: Asale Garcia, a member of Assumption Parish in Morris, helps his daughter Juliet, 9, as they bring up the gifts for the Mass during the Festival of Families event at St. Francis Xavier Church Feb. 2. (Photo by Dianne Towalski/ The central Minnesota Catholic)