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By Erika Anderson
Staff Writer
ATLANTA--The congregation kneels as the priest recites the words of Jesus
spoken at the Last Supper, 'Do this in memory of me.'
Bells ring as the priest holds up the body and blood of Jesus, the eyes of a
servant focusing on the real presence of the Lord.
The Catholic faith teaches that, as the celebrant of a Mass, a priest acts
in the person of Christ, and so it is Christ himself who, through the power of
the Holy Spirit, transforms the bread and wine into his body and blood as the
gift of himself to his people. In order to prepare his heart for that
responsibility, a priest may choose to pray or take a few moments in silence to
focus his thoughts on Christ.
Father Paul Berny, pastor of St. Joseph's Church in Marietta, often prays
the Liturgy of the Hours or a rosary before he celebrates daily Mass,
but prepares in a different way for the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist
because of the "normal hustle of preparing for the large assembly that is
gathering."
"I try to be sure that I am not rushed in setting up for the Liturgy
and then vest as early as possible so to be present in our gathering area where
the assembly is arriving," he said. "I make a conscious effort to
remember that this act of gathering is an action of grace in itself, God
calling us to be faithful to Christ's command and our response to that call by
taking the time to come to the Eucharist. The church tells us that Christ is
already present in this act of gathering and I try to be present to it and give
thanks to God while I am greeting the assembly upon its arrival."
The preparation for Mass oftentimes continues during the Mass. Father Craig
David said that during the Mass, he focuses on his own humility in acting as
the person of Christ.
"When I celebrate Mass, I pray the Mass with the people," he said.
"I try to remove myself and put my entire self into the place of Jesus
Christ. I ask myself, 'Is this the way Christ would do it? Is this the way he
would pronounce the words?'"
As the moment that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, the
consecration is the most sacred part of the Mass. For Father Tim Hepburn,
pastor of St. Gabriel's Church in Fayetteville, the consecration is "no
less powerful than the creation of the world."
"Just as the breath of God moved over chaos and the word was spoken and
all things came into being, during the words of consecration, the world is
being recreated," he said.
As he prays the words of consecration, acting in persona Christi, the
thoughts of each priest may vary. Father Scott Reilly, LC, said that, as he
holds up the Eucharist, he is remembering the sacrifice of Christ and trying to
place himself in that moment that occurred almost 2,000 years ago.
"I am thinking that I am elevating the Son of God and I am
participating in the very moment of Calvary reenacted," he said. "I
try to make Christ's sentiments, his feelings, my own. I don't say, 'This is
his body,' I say, 'This is my body.'"
A priest may celebrate Mass hundreds of thousands of times during his
lifetime. In order to prevent the Mass, particularly the consecration, from
becoming routine, many priests rely on their personal spiritual life to help
them stay focused. Father Kevin Peek, parochial vicar at Holy Trinity Church in
Peachtree City, said that he stays focused by trying constantly to live the
Mass.
"We can't just let Mass be 30 minutes a day. It has to be lived 24
hours a day," he said. "If we're not living it, it will dry up. There
are some days that I haven't been living it and I am overwhelmed in shame at
just not being Christ. Those are the days that I spend the whole Mass just
begging for him to recreate me. Mass does become boring if we don't live it. If
you're trying to live it, then you know how badly you need the help of God and
you are running for the church."
Many priests say that they have developed a deeper love and understanding of
the Eucharist since their ordinations. Father Peek said that re-presenting the
sacrifice of Christ each day has made him more aware of his own need to put
others ahead of himself.
"I'm not really good about scheduling and so I have no private
time," he said. "If I'm walking down the hall trying to get something
done and a parishioner stops me, when I turn around I am thinking, 'This is my
body given up for you.' They're looking for Christ. They're looking for their
dad, and I have to be that for them. That aspect of self-sacrifice is what has
really grown for me."
Though a priest ministers in many ways each day, it is written in the
"Catechism of the Catholic Church" that through the Mass "their
whole priestly ministry draws its strength."
"The human psyche needs to be touched and we need to reach out to
others," Father David said. "The Eucharist gives you the greatest
opportunity to touch Jesus with your hands, taste him in your mouth and feel
him inside your whole body. I become the instrument so that people realize that
they are truly receiving Jesus Christ."
Father Peek said that celebrating the Eucharist is an "awesome
privilege" and the most important thing he does each day.
"We can talk all day long, but if we ourselves are not drawn to Christ,
all we will draw (the people) to is ourselves, and then we will be overwhelmed
because they won't be going to Christ, but coming to us," he said.
"The best thing you can do is celebrate a holy Mass and a prayerful Mass
and really be drawn to Christ himself."
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