The Mass: Introductory Rites

The Sign of the Cross:

We always begin and end the Mass with the sign of the Cross. The cross is a central symbol of our faith. When we sign ourselves with the cross:

We acknowledge that we belong to Christ,

We express our faith in Jesus who died on the cross,

We desire to welcome the riches of the cross into our lives, for it is on the cross that Jesus redeemed us,

Unite our life with Christ,

We gather in the name of the Trinity, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We call on the name of the Lord as we start the celebration because at Mass we are united with Christ,

We call on God to act on our lives, to transform that we may truly live our new lives in Christ,

Being marked with the cross is a sign of divine protection and symbolizes union with God,

With the cross, we remind ourselves, that we have been set apart as God’s people.

Many of us take the sign of the Cross for granted sometimes. Just reflect on the hurried way we often sign ourselves with it. When you sign yourself with the cross, do it properly and remember what it signifies.


The Apostolic Greeting:

There are three forms of greeting, and it is up to the celebrant to choose which one to use:

1) “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Cor 13:14)

2) “The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Eph 6:23)

3) Most common: “The Lord be with you.” (Lk 1:28) Through the greeting, the priest declares to the assembled community that the Lord is present. This greeting and the people’s response express the mystery of the gathered Church. GIRM, 50)

The simple greeting, “The Lord be with you,” is very significant. In the Scriptures, this simple greeting usually precedes a divine calling, a divine sum-mons, and an invitation to a daunting undertaking. Take, for instance, the case of Moses Ex 3:12),of Joshua (Josh 1:5),Gideon( Judg 6:12),and Mary(Mt 28:20).