Liturgical Calendar, Lavabo, Preparation of the Chalice, Epiclesis, Doxology
Liturgical Calendar: The Church has its own rhythm and pattern that revolves around the incarnation of God in Jesus. The Liturgical Calendar has its own year which is different from the regular year and follows the events of Jesus’ life while he was on earth; His birth, life, death, resurrection and Pentecost. The Liturgical year / calendar is the celebration of these mysteries. We explain that the colours the priest wears at Mass (Purple, Green, Red, White) indicates what part of the Liturgical Year (Calendar) we are in.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist starts when the intercessory prayers are concluded and the collection taken. From this point until the Great Amen (the one we sing) the priest is saying a prayer on our behalf as the bread and wine are consecrated to become the Body and Blood of Jesus. Each gesture made is accompanied with a prayer.
October 19: Liturgical Calendar, Lavabo, Preparation of the Chalice, Epiclesis, Doxology.
The parts / gestures that will be highlighted to the children are as follows
Lavabo – The priest washes his hands
Doctoral Content
Jesus comes to us in an intimate way through His Body and Blood at the Consecration of the Mass. The Priest performs the lavabo gesture in response to our mutual desire to be clean of heart
God makes us clean to come before him (clean hands, clean heart)
Direct Aim
To make visible this gesture as a sign of our desire to be ready for His coming to us in the Eucharist.
To isolate the gesture of the ‘Washing of the Hands’ and to reflect on the deeper meaning of the gesture.
To nurture a greater understanding of the holiness of the Eucharist and the value of the life Jesus has given us.
Indirect Aim
To remind the children of the cleansing waters of Baptism.
To help prepare the children for the sacrament of reconciliation.
To know and experience the language of sign
Preparation of the Chalice – The priest adds a drop of water to the wine
Doctoral Content
-the Mystery of our union with Christ. “The water mixed with the wine is the people who join themselves to Christ”
Direct Aim
Gesture of Epiclesis Gesture of Doxology (offering)
The Liturgy of the Eucharist starts when the intercessory prayers are concluded and the collection taken. From this point until the Great Amen (the one we sing) the priest is saying a prayer on our behalf as the bread and wine are consecrated to become the Body and Blood of Jesus. Each gesture made is accompanied with a prayer.
October 19: Liturgical Calendar, Lavabo, Preparation of the Chalice, Epiclesis, Doxology.
The parts / gestures that will be highlighted to the children are as follows
Lavabo – The priest washes his hands
Doctoral Content
Jesus comes to us in an intimate way through His Body and Blood at the Consecration of the Mass. The Priest performs the lavabo gesture in response to our mutual desire to be clean of heart
God makes us clean to come before him (clean hands, clean heart)
Direct Aim
To make visible this gesture as a sign of our desire to be ready for His coming to us in the Eucharist.
To isolate the gesture of the ‘Washing of the Hands’ and to reflect on the deeper meaning of the gesture.
To nurture a greater understanding of the holiness of the Eucharist and the value of the life Jesus has given us.
Indirect Aim
To remind the children of the cleansing waters of Baptism.
To help prepare the children for the sacrament of reconciliation.
To know and experience the language of sign
Preparation of the Chalice – The priest adds a drop of water to the wine
Doctoral Content
- The mingling of the water and wine is a sign of:
-the Mystery of our union with Christ. “The water mixed with the wine is the people who join themselves to Christ”
Direct Aim
- To familiarize the child with articles of the Mass
- To set ablaze the gesture of the preparation of the chalice and begin to ponder the mystery of its meaning:
- To ponder the proportion of wine to water
- To ponder the inseparability of wine and water
Gesture of Epiclesis Gesture of Doxology (offering)
Doctoral Content
Direct Aim
Indirect Aim
Catholic trivia
Why do Catholics make the Sign of the Cross? The practice of making the Sign of the Cross started around the second century. At that time it was common to honour a ruler with a gesture of respect such as bowing on one knee or touching one’s forehead. These gestures were a way of showing humility before a person of great power. The Sign of the Cross became one such devotion to the Holy Trinity. It also acted as a sign of recognition between early Christians who were sometimes forced to worship in secret. Now a prayer in itself, each time we make the Sign of the Cross we express respect for God and call down his blessings on ourselves.
- Mass is the celebration of the Covenant (The Sacrament of the Gift)
- God is the Giver of the Gift. We respond by giving back to God the Gifts of Jesus and ourselves. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine becomes Jesus the Gift.
- The priest ‘invokes’ the Holy Spirit on our behalf while we are doing so in our hearts.
- The gestures and prayers make the gift and response visible/concrete/perceivable.
Direct Aim
- To make visible and meditate on the meaning of the gestures of the priest at Mass, the Gift we receive and how we should respond.
Indirect Aim
- To help the child to understand the gestures of the priest at Mass
Catholic trivia
Why do Catholics make the Sign of the Cross? The practice of making the Sign of the Cross started around the second century. At that time it was common to honour a ruler with a gesture of respect such as bowing on one knee or touching one’s forehead. These gestures were a way of showing humility before a person of great power. The Sign of the Cross became one such devotion to the Holy Trinity. It also acted as a sign of recognition between early Christians who were sometimes forced to worship in secret. Now a prayer in itself, each time we make the Sign of the Cross we express respect for God and call down his blessings on ourselves.