The Importance of Prayer

1. Prayer is an essential part of our Christian life.

2. Prayer is our way to create and nurture our relationship with God. In prayer we adore God, we ask for
forgiveness, we thank him and, we ask for help.
3. Prayer helps us to avoid sin. It helps us reflect on our actions.

A Communal Prayer/Community Prayer is a liturgical prayer of the Universal Church. E.g. The Holy Mass,
Liturgy of the Hours, the Sacraments
A Personal Prayer on the other hand is an individual prayer or a prayer that may be done by a group but is not
necessarily a prayer of the Universal Church.
The Book of Psalms is found in the Old Testament. It is a compilation of sacred songs and sacred poems. The
Psalms is meant to be sung. The Psalms is prayed/sung in the Mass (Responsorial Psalm) It is also a part of the
Liturgy of the Hours. It can also be prayed individually.

The Importance of the Sacraments

The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each
sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions."(CCC,1131)
 What is a sacrament? The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace.
 Who instituted the sacraments? Jesus instituted the sacraments and entrusted to the Church.
 What are the effects of the sacrament? The sacraments give us grace.

1. Baptism – We become God’s children.

2. Holy Eucharist – We are nourished spiritually, and we become united with God’s people.
3. Confirmation – We are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to become full members of the Church.
4. Reconciliation – Our sins are forgiven.
5. Anointing of the Sick – The sick is strengthened in times of illness.
6. Matrimony/ Marriage – Couples become united in God’s eyes. 1
7. Holy Orders – One becomes a member of the ordained clergy. (deacon/priest/bishop)

3 Subdivisions of the Sacraments

1. Sacrament of Initiation
a. Baptism
b. Holy Eucharist
c. Confirmation
2. Sacrament of Healing
a. Reconciliation/Confession
b. Anointing of the Sick
3. Sacrament of Service
a. Matrimony/Service
b. Holy Orders

The time of waiting for the coming of Jesus is called ADVENT. Advent as a liturgical season is a 4-week
preparation. It starts on the Sunday after the Feast of Christ the King. This 2022, it starts on November 27.
Advent ends on Christmas Eve. It is a season of hope and expectation.
The Advent Wreath as an Advent symbol helps us to reflect on the importance of the Season. At Advent we
focus on longing for and looking forward to the coming of Jesus. Every week for four weeks, one candle is lit.
The candles symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love. These are virtues that we should practice more not only
during Advent Season but are given more emphasis during this time. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of
Advent.

Christmas is a time of giving. It is remembering that God gives us Jesus because He loves us.
Jesus is the best gift that God has given to us. Jesus is the main reason we celebrate Christmas.
Christmas comes after the Advent Season. After a time of waiting and longing God sent us Jesus to show that
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He loves us. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Lord. Christmas is celebrated not just for a day.
Christmas is whole liturgical season that starts on December 25 and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus.
The feasts celebrated at Christmas time are the following.
1. Christmas Day/ Feast of the Nativity of the Lord (December 25)
2. Feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28)
3. Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday after Christmas, December 26 this 2021)
4. Solemnity of the Motherhood of Mary (January 1)
5. Feast of the Epiphany (Second Sunday after Christmas January 2, this 2022)
6. Feast of the Baptism of Jesus (Third Sunday after Christmas, January 9, this 2022)
***Except for Christmas Day and the Solemnity of the Motherhood of Mary, other dates may change.

Do you know when to stand and when to sit during the Holy Mass? Write SIT or STAND on the line.
1. Gospel Reading __________________
2. First Reading __________________
3. Prayers of the Faithful _______________
4. Homily_____________
5. Communion ________________
6. Offertory _________________
7. Communion __________________

The Holy Mass

1. The Holy Mass is the highest form of prayer. It is the heart and peak of our Church life. It is in the
Eucharist the Jesus brings together all the members of the Church with his sacrifice and thanksgiving
offered for all on the cross to His Father.
2. By His sacrifice on the Cross, Jesus pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the
Church. –We are the Church.
3. We attend the Holy Mass to celebrate Christ resurrection. In the Holy Mass we remember Christ in his 2
work of salvation which is accomplished by his life, death, and resurrection.

Four Main Parts of the Holy Mass

1. The Introductory Rites
2. The Liturgy of the Word
3. The Liturgy of the Eucharist
4. The Concluding Rites

 The Penitential Rite comes after the greeting.

 At the very beginning of the Mass, we recall our sins and put our trust in God's mercy.
 The Penitential Rite includes the Kyrie Eleison, a Greek phrase meaning, "Lord, have mercy." Play the
music, “Kyrie Eleison”
 This litany/petition recalls God's merciful actions throughout history.
 On Sundays, especially in Easter Time, in place of the usual Penitential Rite, from time to time the
blessing and sprinkling of water to recall Baptism may take place.
 Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to
free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins.”

Confetior
I confess to almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my
words, in what I have done, in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most
grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and to you my brothers and
sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.

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Gloria
1. On Sundays, solemnities, and feasts, the Gloria follows the Penitential Act. The Gloria begins by echoing
the proclamation of the angels at the birth of Christ: "Glory to God in the highest!" In this ancient
hymn, the gathered assembly joins the heavenly choirs in offering praise and adoration to the Father and
Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
2. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is the most ancient and venerable hymn by which
the Church, gathered in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb (Jesus). The
text of this hymn may not be replaced by any other.
3. Why is Gloria not sung during Advent and Lent? Advent and Lent are penitential seasons. The Gloria on
the other hand is a song/prayer of Joy. The Gloria is considered to be a great Christmas Carol, so it
must not be sung at Advent or Lent.

The Collect Prayer

As part of the Introductory Rites, the Collect Prayer is prayed after the Gloria and before the Liturgy of the
Word. By tradition, the Prayer is address to God the Father. To start this prayer, the priest says, “Let us pray. “It
is concluded with a Trinitarian ending.

If the prayer is directed to the Father: Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever;
If it is directed to the Father, but the Son is mentioned at the end: Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever;
If it is directed to the Son: Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for
ever and ever.

The Importance of the Collect Prayer

The celebrant invites the gathered assembly to pray and, after a brief silence, proclaims the prayer of the day. The
Collect prayer gathers the prayers of all into one and disposes all to hear the Word of God in the context 3
of the celebration. By saying, “Amen” the prayer becomes our own.

Name the one who reads/recites the following parts. Write Lector, Priest or All on the blank.
1. First Reading _________________________________
2. Responsorial Psalm ___________________________
3. Second Reading ______________________________
4. Gospel_______________________________________
5. Homily ______________________________________
6. Profession of Faith (Creed)______________________
7. Universal Prayer/ Prayer of the Faithful__________

The Liturgy of the Word

 The first MAIN part of the Mass is the Liturgy of the Word. It is the part when the scriptures are read.
When the scriptures are read, God speaks, and Christ proclaims the Gospel. The Scriptures are the word
of God, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In the Scriptures, God speaks to us, leading us
along the path to salvation.

First and Second Readings

 On Sundays and solemnities, there are three Scripture readings. During most of the year, the first reading
is from the Old Testament and the second reading is from one of the New Testament letters.
 During Easter Time, the first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles which tells the story of the
Church in its earliest days. The last reading is always taken from one of the four Gospels.

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  It is therefore evident that the first reading gives emphasis on God’s plan of salvation while the
second reading focuses on the teachings of the Church.

The Responsorial Psalm is usually sung between two readings (First Reading and Second Reading/ reading and
Gospel on regular days) and it fosters meditation on God’s Word. It helps us meditate on the Word of God.
The Responsorial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should usually be taken from the Lectionary.

The Gospel
The highlight of the Liturgy of the Word is the reading of the Gospel. The Gospels tell of the life, ministry, and
preaching of Christ. The gathered assembly stands to hear the Gospel and it is introduced by an acclamation of
praise. It is called the Gospel acclamation.
Apart from Lent, that acclamation is “Alleluia,” derived from a Hebrew phrase meaning “Praise the Lord!” A
deacon or a priest reads the Gospel.
The books of the Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

After the Gospel, the priest preaches the homily. In the homily, the priest focuses on the Gospel or from the first
and second reading or from the Psalm. The priest gives lessons from these readings that may help us to live better
lives, more faithful and grow in holiness as Christ calls us to be.