“Arise and Eat, Else the Journey Will Be Too Great for You.” (I Kings 19:7)

GRACE AND GOD'S PEACE TO ALL WHO GATHER HERE TODAY

 

Many, especially those who celebrated Mass in the years of the Latin Mass, wonder why we sing so much at Mass these days.  Notice that the songs are a prayer, a prayer that we sing together as a way of making it our prayer; and the words of that prayer-song define what we are about at a particular part of the Mass.  The opening, gathering song brings us together as we join our voices and identify in the words who we are and what we are about to do.  The responsorial psalm, sung between the first and second Scripture readings, gives us an opportunity to reflect on the Word we have heard, because that is the theme of the refrain we sing, as well as of the words the cantor sings.  The alleluia before the Gospel expresses our joy and our anticipation about hearing the lesson from Jesus that the Gospel will hold.  The hymn during the preparation of the altar for the Eucharistic prayer and during the collection and presentation to the presider of the bread and wine, always speaks in some way of what we are doing at that point:  preparing to offer ourselves and our gifts to God with and through Jesus.  The holy, holy, holy, along with the Gospel alleluia, is a powerful expression of our joy and faith that we are in the presence of God and joining the angels and saints in heaven in this wonderful prayer of Mass.  The  acclamation, sung after the consecration of the bread and wine, expresses our faith in what has just happened:  Jesus is once again in our midst under the appearance of bread and wine—his body and blood—and that his redemption death on the cross and resurrection-victory over death, are being remembered and continued for us today.  The sung AMEN is called the "great amen" because it is our most meaningful expression that we believe that we have just given to God a most perfect gift "through him (Jesus), with him and in him," and that with that gift all honor and glory is given to God by us.  St. Ambrose wrote centuries ago that this "amen," sung in his church, shook the walls because it was such a spontaneous and joy-filled response to that Eucharistic prayer.  The Lamb of God prayer is sung as a litany to cover the action of preparing the Eucharistic Body and Blood of Jesus for distribution to the congregation.  And singing together during the communion procession expresses our faith that we are not only in communion with God through Jesus in the Eucharist, but also in communion with each other; our private thanksgiving and adoration prayer will follow the movement of the procession, when all is (sorta) quiet.  And finally, the recessional hymn is a thanksgiving for all we have received in this Mass, and also sends us forth with a joyful and confident spirit that we who have been touched so powerfully by God in this Mass can go forth and touch the world around us with God's spirit.  We Catholics are still becoming more familiar and comfortable with singing in church (as opposed to the shower or on St. Patrick's Day or at birthday parties).  Here at St. John the Evangelist we do exceptionally well with our song leadership and participation.  Maybe with these reflections, we will do even better

                                                                                                                                                            —Father Ralph    

 

Mass Intentions Week of August 27

Sat.        Aug. 26        5:00 pm      †Lou Sullivan

Sun.       Aug. 27      10:00 am      †Deceased Members of the                                                    Tautin Family

             Hispanic      2:30 pm      People of the Community

                               6:00 pm      People of the Parish

Tues.     Aug. 29      5:30 pm        †Art Weisgram

Wed.     Aug. 30      8:00 am        †Theola McDonald

Thurs.    Aug. 31      5:30 pm        †Anna Vach

Friday.   Sept. 1         8:00 am       †Very Abandoned Souls in                                                                       Purgatory & the Reconciliation

                                                                  of a Married Couple

Sat.        Sept. 2         8:00 am      †Scott, Tim, Jean Knoblauch

                                5:00 pm      †Pat LeSage

Sun.       Sept. 3        10:00 am      People of the Parish

             Hispanic      2:30 pm      People of the Community

                               6:00 pm      Maryann Nordaune

Prayer Corner

Jan Blod                    Joseph Mannelly

Elise Christianson      Sr. Agnes Martinka

Mary Cipolla             Ray Martineau

Nancy Dussol            Jerry Mashek

Marian & Bud Ess      John McGowan

Dennis Faulkner         Marge Motzko

Katharine Gamble      Jen Murphy

Debbie Griggs            Deacon Jim Murphy

Elizabeth Hanley        Nelson Family

Mary Hazlett              Agnes Ongeri

Rose Hennen             Gen Sheats

Rose Holland             Mary Jane Tinkham

Donna Johanns           Irene Turmes

Dorene Johnson         Barb & Bob Velner

Rita LaBore               Jim Walker

Marriage Bann

Please pray for Brian Cattin and Colleen Colvin as they prepare for their marriage on September 1, 2006.

If the Church wants a better pastor, it only needs to pray for the one it has.