The Mass is the greatest prayer of the Church. In it, Jesus offers Himself to the Father, and He feeds us with His Word and His Body and Blood.
The Mass has two main parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with a beginning and an ending:
- Introductory Rites: we sing, make the Sign of the Cross, ask for God's mercy (“Lord, have mercy”) and, on most Sundays, sing the Gloria.
- Liturgy of the Word: we listen to readings from the Bible and sing a psalm. We stand for the Gospel. The priest or deacon explains it in the homily, and we pray the Creed and the Prayers of the Faithful.
- Liturgy of the Eucharist: bread and wine are brought to the altar. In the Eucharistic Prayer, they become Jesus' Body and Blood. We pray the Our Father, share a sign of peace, pray the Lamb of God and receive Communion.
- Concluding Rites: the priest blesses us and sends us out: “Go in peace.” Now we bring Jesus to others!
Catholics go to Mass every Sunday, the Lord's Day, because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday. Every Sunday is like a little Easter.