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Latin Mass, 1523
In 1523 Martin Luther reformed the late medieval liturgy of the Mass. He called it Formula Missae or the Latin Mass. Luther used the purity of the Gospel (the doctrine of justification) as his main criteria for reforming the late medieval Latin Mass. Luther recognized the need for further reform of the church’s liturgy, hinting at this already in the text of his Latin Mass.
In 1526 Luther further reformed the church’s liturgy. He called it Deutsche Messe or the German Mass. Luther composed his German Mass to provide worship in the language of the people, primarily for those who were less educated and less experienced in theological matters.
As nouns the difference between liturgy and mass is that liturgy is a predetermined or prescribed set of rituals that are performed, usually by a religion while mass is march. Order of Mass In the Roman Rite, the Mass is made up of two principal parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It begins with the Introductory Rites and ends with the Concluding Rites.
What is probably the most surprising element of Luther’s reforms of the late medieval liturgy of the Mass, is that he did not select a single form and hold it up as the ideal liturgy to be followed by all Christians. Luther actually wrote against this.
The Mass is composed of two parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The term 'Mass' is generally used only in the Roman Rite, while the Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Churches use the term ' Divine Liturgy ' for the celebration of the Eucharist, and other Eastern Catholic Churches have terms such as Holy Qurbana. Start studying 8 Parts of the Liturgy of the Word. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The Liturgy of the WordThe Readings.Roman Catholic AnswerThe Mass is divided into two parts, the first part of the Mass is called the Liturgy of the Word, the second part is the Liturgy of the.
What Luther in fact did was to evaluate the needs of the Wittenburg community he served, and then provide God’s people there with these two services. He did not hold up either service as more “authentic” than the other. Neither did he look down on those who displayed a need for the traditional forms they had grown accustomed to. Instead Luther ran these two very different services right alongside each other in the service of the Gospel in Christ’s church.
Lutheran services from 1526 to the end of the sixteenth century and into the seventeenth century by and large followed one of these two outlines. This demonstrates a willingness on the part of pastors and lay people during this period to allow for a certain amount of freedom in the execution of the church’s liturgy in different locations. It also demonstrates that they arrived at a formula that promoted harmony among God’s people.
A side-by-side comparison of Luther’s Latin Mass and Luther’s German Mass is one example of the liturgical diversity Luther and his colleagues were willing to allow for in the church. This comparison does not fully illustrate the diversity in the execution of the forms that the sixteenth-century reformers appreciated (Latin chants, German chorales, hymnic settings for liturgical texts like the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, e.g.). But it shows in the simplest way how they appreciated the need for diversity in worship practices even within the same local context.
The Latin Mass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The German Mass
Introit / Psalm …………………………… Spiritual Song (or Psalm in German)
Kyrie eleison[1] …………………………. Kyrie eleison (three times)
Gloria in excelsis[2]
Prayer (or collect) ……………………… Collect
Epistle ………………………………………. Epistle
Gradual (two verses) ………………….. German Hymn (by choir)
Alleluia[3]
Sequence[4]
Gospel ………………………………………. Gospel (read facing the people)
Nicene Creed[5] ………………………… Creed (sung in German)
Sermon[6] ………………………………… Sermon (on the Gospel)
Preparation of bread & wine
[…] …………………………………………… Paraphrase of Lord’s Prayer
Preface
[…] …………………………………………… Exhortation to communicants
Blessing of bread & wine ……………. Consecration of bread
… i.e., Words of institution
[…] …………………………………………… Elevation of Body of Christ
[…] …………………………………………… Distribution of Body of Christ
Sanctus …………………………………….. Sanctus (in German)
[…] …………………………………………… Consecration of wine
[…] …………………………………………… Distribution of Blood of Christ
[…] …………………………………………… Sanctus (in German)
Benedictus
Lord’s Prayer
Peace
Agnus Dei[7]
Post-communion collect …………… Thanksgiving Collect
Salutation
… i.e., “The Lord be with you,” etc.
Benedicamus domino
Benediction[8] …………………………. Aaronic Benediction
[1] Here Luther allowed for “various melodies for different seasons.”
[2] Luther gave the option to the local pastor to “decide to omit [the Gloria in excelsis] as often as he wishes.”
[3] Luther argued for the singing of the Alleluia during Lent, Holy Week, and on Good Friday. “For the Alleluia is the perpetual voice of the church, just as the memorial of His passion and victory is perpetual.”
[4] A sequence refers to a medieval musical arrangement that follows “in sequence” in the liturgical order. The term sequence also referred to the harmonic sequence of the music. Luther made this element of the liturgical order a choice of the local pastor.
[5] The singing of the Creed for Luther was a matter that “should also be left in the hands of the bishop.” Luther referred to the local pastor as “bishop.”
[6] Here Luther argued that the sermon should come before the reception of the Lord’s Supper; “. . . it might be argued that since the Gospel is the voice crying in the wilderness and calling unbelievers to faith, it seems particularly fitting to preach before mass.” Luther referred to the administration of the Sacrament of the Altar as “the mass.”
[7] During the singing of the Angus Dei, according to Luther, the presiding minister was to “communicate, first himself and then the people.”
[8] Luther wrote, “I also wish we had as many songs as possible in the vernacular which the people could sing during mass, immediately after the gradual and also after the Sanctus and Agnus Dei. . . . But poets are wanting among us, or not yet known, who could compose evangelical and spiritual songs, as Paul calls them [Col. 3:16], worthy to be used in the church of God.”
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While the liturgy of the word focused upon the table of the Lord’s word-the lectern, the Eucharistic liturgy centers upon the altar-both a place of sacrifice as well as the table from which as Christians we are fed. The themes of sacrifice, thanksgiving and meal dominate.
A). The Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts – The gifts of bread and wine are placed at the back of the church before the service. The people then join in the giving their monetary offerings in support of their community and it’s various ministries. This collection is a real expression of support for your local community church.
After this in procession, people bring the bread and wine forward with the people’s offerings. The priest receives then in the community’s name. “The rite of carrying up the gifts connects us with the traditions of the early Church where people brought up bread and wine which they worked to make for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Taking is the first of the Eucharistic actions. While the Western Church in the past emphasized the bread and wine which are transformed, originally the Hebrew context stressed the actions themselves. Thus the Eucharist is often referred to in Scripture not in terms of the bread and wine but as actions of taking, blessing, breaking and sharing. The early Church commonly referred to the Eucharist as the “breaking of bread.”
Liturgy Of The Mass Pdf
When he has received the gifts the priest prepares them, reciting prayers patterned on the ancient Jewish Kiddish of the Passover meal: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, Creator of the fruit of the earth. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” The priest then adds a drop of water to the wine – a tradition from the 1st Church who considered it symbolic of the union of Christ’s humanity and divinity, or of Christ with his Church.
The priest then washes his hands as did the Jewish leaders before the ritual meal. This action has also taken on symbolic significance. The priest prays, “Lord wash away my iniquity, cleanse me from my sins.” The presider invites the people to prayer: they respond. The rite concludes with a short prayer over the gifts.
Liturgy Of The Word Vs Mass
B). Eucharistic Prayer: Now at the very heart of the Eucharist, this prayer in some aspect antedates Christianity itself. Its model is derived from the Jewish Berakah or blessing prayer. Berakah prayer generally praises and blesses God for all the wonderful gifts of creation. The celebrant gives thanks to God in imagery appropriate to the day or season and the “Holy, Holy, Holy” is sung or recited by the community.
Now in a longer prayer of thanksgiving, the priest on behalf of all gives thanks to God for Christ. He asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit upon the gifts of bread and wine transforming them into Christ’s body and blood. This invocation is known as the epiclesis.
The institution narrative recalls the Last Supper which in essence, go back to Jesus himself. Even Paul quotes these words as tradition. The institution narrative leads the people to acclaim their faith in one of four different acclamations. The people are not simple observers but active participants in the mystery being celebrated.
Remembrance of the saving acts of Jesus follows. This section is known as the anamnesis. Remembrance is a much stronger action in Jesus’ day then in our culture. To remember something meant to enter into it and bring its power into the present. Thus in remembering, Jesus’ sacrifice becomes present and can be entered into just as the first disciples did. The Church in celebrating the Eucharist is fulfilling Jesus’ command to keep His memorial. It does this by recalling especially his passion, resurrection and ascension.
In this memorial, the Church joins in Christ’s self-offering to the Father in the Holy Spirit. It calls the faithful not only to offer the spotless victim but also to learn to offer themselves. In doing so they are drawn into ever more perfect union, through Christ the Mediator, with the Father and with each other, so that at last God may be all in all. The priest then again invokes the Holy Spirit to bless the Church and to unite all Christians and again to bless the gifts.
The intercessions make it clear that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the entire Church in heaven and on earth. The offering is made for the Church in all its members, living and dead, who are called to share in salvation. We remember the saints as well as our brothers and sisters who have died and our friends in need.
The great prayer concludes with a doxology. The people confirm this entire prayer with a final “Amen.”
C). Communion Rite: Communion expresses unity in the body of Christ. Through communion Christians are united with God in Christ and through Christ with one another in unity.
The Lords Prayer opens this rite in the words and according to the model of Jesus. After the prayer the priest’s short prayer continues its spirit and followed up with another doxology.
The Sign of Peace goes back to the earliest Christians and is a result of God’s reconciliation which begins among Christians and then flows into the world at large.
The Breaking of the Bread is the third great action of the Eucharist. To the early Christians, sharing in one loaf was a symbol of unity, solidarity and family; sliced bread, crackers or individual hosts (special wafers) lose this significance. During this action the people sing a litany acknowledging Jesus as the Lamb of God pointed to by John the Baptist and that the bread we share is indeed that same Christ.
Now the priest holds up the host and cup, inviting the community to come forward and receive. The community responds with the words of the Roman centurion to Jesus (Matthew 8:8). Then the journey toward the altar to receive Communion; this procession reflects the journey we all have towards God. And made with friends in the community it is one more sign of unity flowing from the Eucharist. A Psalm is also generally sung by the choir and community as this journey forward continues.
After receiving Communion all return to their seats and spend the time in prayer. The priest then draws the prayers together in the Prayer after Communion.
D). Concluding Rites: These rites now focus upon the sending forth of the community. No sacrament exists as an end in itself. Christians are transformed and nourished in the sacraments to in turn become sacraments to the world.
Roman Catholic Liturgy Mass
The priest gives a final blessing. As at the beginning all trace the sign of the cross. The dismissal sends us forth to in turn become the bread of the world. The word “Mass” comes from the ancient Latin dismissal, “Ite, missa est.” (Go, it is sent).