Synthesis of the Mass
This year I did the Synthesis of the Mass differently by using photos of the Mass from online. I've always used the chart on the wall and had the children each read each step in the Liturgy of the Eucharist and then demonstrate with them the gesture. We'd read the words together using our Missals.
I found it so much easier to place everything in order with the photos of the Mass and then replace the photos with the actual materials such as the Cruets, Chalice, Paten and Host, Last Supper statue, ring the bells, etc. I had the children take turns doing the gestures and reading the words of the priest. It went smoothly and I feel the children understood it better.
We began by stating that there are two parts of the Mass - the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We practiced making the Sign on our foreheads, our lips and over our heart which is right before the Gospel. I explained that this means "May God be in our minds, our lips and in our heart." We then began the gestures in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
The Gestures in order in this work are (1) The Preparation of the Chalice (Cruets and Chalice). We take turns reading the words of the Mass with each step.. (2) We have a photo of the Washing of the Hands. (no materials) (3) The Epiclesis. The children all make this sign together. I ask the meaning of this gesture, and someone always knows it is "calling down the Holy Spirit." I also tell the children that this is the first gesture in The Miracle of the Mass! What are the second and third gestures of the Miracle? Someone usually knows it is at the Last Supper. So I bring out the small statue of the Last Supper to place before the words which the children read. They have recognized the photos of raising the host and the chalice which I replace with the Host on the Paten and the Chalice.
Then I tell them the whole Church celebrates this great event by singing "The Mystery of Faith." The priest then sings, "Thru Him, with Him, In Him, etc." we call the Doxology. This is followed by the Our Father and the Sign of Peace.
The Breaking of the Bread is next with the priest saying, "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us." (three times). Then the invitation to Communion. I love this part of the mass: The priest says, "Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb." That is when the people say, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." I've had my children memorize that little prayer before Communion Day.
The Missal
Due to our late start due of Covid we weren't able to create our own missals and had to skip this work, so I made one to pass out to the children to go over the parts of the Mass. We've spent little or no time on the Liturgy of the Word so now we can discuss it. I've gotten some of the gifs from online at "Catholic Icing," as they already had a booklet for New Responses in the Mass online in 2011, but never did a complete Missal to include the Liturgy of the Eucharist. So I finished it. Some of the drawings are mine and some from the CGS site.
