THE CHURCH AT PRAYER
First Sunday of Lent in the new translation
The best way to “get more out of Mass,” so to speak, is to better understand the texts that are said by the assembly and by the priest. By praying over all the prayers for a Mass in advance, the soil of our souls can be tilled and prepared to better receive the grace that comes to us when those prayers are proclaimed. Let’s spend time reflecting on the prayers that will be used at Mass on the First Sunday of Lent.
In the Collect (opening prayer) the priest will proclaim, “Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects.” The assembly is asking God to grant two things: first, to grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ, and second, to pursue their effects.
To “grow in understanding” refers to something more than just intellectual understanding, but rather it is a request to deepen an entire way of life. In fact, it is a reference to the “worthy conduct” that is mentioned, whereby followers of Christ lead lives of love and service patterned on the life Christ lived. This, of course, is not possible for us to achieve on our own, but is only possible because of what Christ has done in us, as He has given us His Spirit so that we might dwell in Him. Ultimately, this life in Christ is the life of His paschal mystery, His dying and rising. That is the mystery that is made manifest at every celebration of the Eucharist, and it is the mystery that we are to imitate in our life, as we die to ourselves and our selfishness and sin and give our life away to others.
The phrase “riches hidden in Christ” is a reference to the richness of the sacramental mystery of His death and resurrection. It is by worthy conduct that our lives are transformed to live more deeply in that mystery. By living Christ’s life of love, there is more to our life than just meets the eye; just as in Christ, His flesh was the sacrament of His divinity, and in Him we see the image of the invisible God, so too our “worthy conduct” is not just an expression of our good deeds, but also reveals the Spirit of Christ in us.
In the Prayer over the Offerings we will hear, “Give us the right dispositions, O Lord we pray, to make these offerings, for with them we celebrate the beginning of this venerable and sacred time.” What are the right dispositions that we want? They are the ones referred to in the Collect, namely, the changing of our life so that we are living more fully the dying and rising — the life of self-emptying love — that is a life in accord with Christ’s. As St. Paul wrote in the Letter to the Philippians, our attitude must be Christ’s.
Also, the important word “offerings” is used here. The offerings of bread and wine are symbols of the offering of ourselves, namely, of our inner dispositions. As the offerings of bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, our prayer is that those who receive back those transformed offerings will also be transformed to live the mystery of love ever more deeply.
Insofar as the prayer refers to “the beginning of this venerable and sacred time,” it should remind us that Lent is a journey toward the celebration of Easter and renewing our baptism. The celebration of the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday are times when we renew our baptismal promises, and thus, at the beginning of this holy season, we are deepening our commitment to renounce whatever sin remains in our life and to open ourselves more fully to the life of Christ.
The Prayer after Communion states, “Renewed now with heavenly bread, by which faith is nourished, hope increased, and charity strengthened, we pray, O Lord, that we may learn to hunger for Christ, the true and living Bread, and strive to live by every word which proceeds from your mouth.” Here the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are mentioned, but they are attainable only because we share in the very life of Christ by sharing in Holy Communion. Additionally, the purpose of the spiritual discipline of fasting during Lent is highlighted: our fasting should lead us to hunger for Christ. Thus, the Eucharistic Bread both satisfies us, because it strengthens and renews us, but it also leaves us with deeper desires to be filled by Christ as the One who alone can fulfill us. Here we have come full circle in these prayers, as we recognize that the Lenten journey is a journey of desiring to die and rise with Christ, and to be transformed to be more like Him, as our desire for Him ever increases.
About the Author
Professor of liturgy and director of liturgical formation, Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington, NY
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