The Mass: Entry and Preparation

PREPARATION for mass begins when we rise out of our bed giving thanks to God for the gift of life and for the new day, and examining our conscience. Individually when we enter the church we bless ourselves with holy water as a reminder of our baptism, we reverence the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle on the altar, and then kneel in our pew for a moment of silent personal prayer.

In the sacristy, the sacred ministers and other members of the altar party prayerfully vest themselves as the rubrics prescribe. Celebrants use a variety of prayers in the sacristy before beginning the entry, but here is an exceptionally beautiful example:

O Master, Lord our God, who hast appointed in heaven orders and hosts of angels and archangels for the service of Thy glory: Grant that with our entrance there may be an entrance of holy angels, serving with us, and with us glorifying Thy goodness. For unto Thee are due all glory, honor and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the age of ages. Amen.

The Entrance

At pontifical masses the entrance of the sacred ministers and their servers is from the doors of the church and up the center aisle. At other masses, the entry is usually directly from the sacristy. Upon entering the sanctuary, the sacred ministers and their servers approach the foot of the altar, genuflect, and go to their respective positions. The sacred ministers remain at the foot of the altar and begin the Asperges.

Asperges

¶ The Asperges, or sprinkling with holy water, which may take place before the chief Mass on Sundays, remind us of our Baptism and of the purity with which we should worship God.

¶ During the Asperges is sung the following:

Asperges Me

Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be clean: Thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Ps. Have mercy upon me, O God, after they great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, word without end. Amen. Thou shalt purge. . . .

V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
R. And grant us thy salvation.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.

Graciously hear us, O Lord Holy, Father Almighty, everlasting God, and vouchsafe to send Thy Holy Angel from Heaven, to guard, cherish, protect, visit, and defend all who are assembled in this Thy Holy Temple, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

¶ In Eastertide in place of the above is sung:

Vidi Aquam

I saw water proceeding out of the temple, from the right side thereof, allelulia: and all men, whithersoever the waters shall come, shall be healed, and shall say, allelulia, allelulia. Ps. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious, because his mercy endureth forever. Glory be to the Father, . . . . I saw water . . . .

V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us, Alleluia.
R. And grant us thy salvation, Alleluia.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.

At this point, as the choir and congregation began the first hymn, the sacred ministers go to the sedilla where the celebrant puts off the cope and puts on the chasuble. All three sacred ministers put on maniples, turn and at the signal of the Master of Ceremonies go to the foot of the altar to begin the Preparation.

The Preparation

V. I will go unto the Altar of God.
R. Even unto the God of my joy and gladness.

V. Our help+ is in the Name of the Lord,
R. Who hath made Heaven and Earth.

Celebrant. I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, bretheren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, my own fault, my own most grievous fault. Therefore I beg blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, bretheren, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers. May Almighty God have mercy upon thee, forgive thee all thy sins, and bring thee to everlasting life.
Celebrant. Amen.

Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers. I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, my own fault, my own most grievous fault. Therefore I beg blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, Father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Celebrant - May Almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive you all your sins and bring you to everlasting life.
Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers. Amen.

Celebrant. May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant unto us + pardon, absolution and remission of all our sins.
Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers - Amen.

Celebrant. Wilt Thou not turn again and quicken us, O Lord?
Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers - That Thy people may rejoice in Thee.

Celebrant. O Lord, show Thy mercy upon us.
Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers - And grant us Thy salvation.

Celebrant. O Lord , hear my prayer.
Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers - And let my cry come unto Thee.

Celebrant. The Lord be with you.
Deacon, Subdeacon, & Servers - And with thy spirit.

Celebrant. Let us pray.

When the hymn is finished, the choir begins to sing the Introit and the Sacred Ministers ascend to the altar . . .

. . . to begin the Mass of the Catechumens >>