Here I Am, Lord. Aaron Ametorwo
God and his people. Thus after every Eucharistic celebration we are sent as missionaries to tell others what we have heard and received from the table of the Lord. After the appropriate veneration, the ministers then recess, departing the altar area in the order by which they entered.
In your ministry as a Mass Server, you play a very important role in the celebration of the Mass.
Therefore, you should be familiar with the Order of the Mass so that you can carry out your duties
confidently.
CHAPTER TWO
THE SERVER AS A PRAYER LEADER
Prayer is the way Christians communicate with God. It is not just a matter of pouring out to Him what
you have in heart. It goes beyond that. Prayer is also an act of listening to God and doing what He
instructs us in His Word. At Mass, we listen to God in many forms — the Scripture readings, the
songs/hymns of music, the Priest’s prayers and the people’s prayers.
Active participation in the Mass is very necessary. As a Mass Server, you are expected to take part in the singing, prayers and responses. All that you do should not be a distraction to others. Remember that you are a full participant and not a spectator at Mass. The Server is a minister of the Eucharistic celebration.
Your active participation in the Mass has the tendency of getting the faithful gathered to be fully involved in the celebration. Therefore it is necessary that you know al prayers and responses, and be as well
involved in the singing. This will get others join you.
Not only at Mass are you to lead others in participation. During Rosary prayers, Eucharistic adoration and other Intercessory prayers, you should be ready to take up the responsibility of leading the faithful.
The example you give outside of the church is also very important. Many people know you but you do not
know most of them. Thus your actions and words wherever you go should lead others closer to God.
Interestingly, many people feel shy to pray when in the presence of others. Others too do not actually
know where to start from, how to proceed, and how to end. Oftentimes they end up confusing others.
Never be a culprit of this!
How often do you lead people in prayer? Do you feel shy to pray in the midst of your colleagues or
congregation? How does your way of living affect others — does it draw them closer to God or far from
Him?
Ponder over these questions and see how best you can improve upon your spirituality in terms of prayer.
Prayers to know
As earlier indicated, prayer is a communication between man and God. The important thing to keep in
mind is that prayers are never mumbled. They are always said clearly and in a conversational tone. You
don’t need to shout so that you would be heard above the people, but you do have to be clear. Here are
some of the prayers that you might wish to look over to be sure you know them accurately and well.
Prayer before Mass:
Priest: I wil go to the altar of God
Servers: To God who gives joy to my youth
Priest: Our help is in the name of the Lord
Servers: Who made heaven and earth
All: Go before us O Lord in this our sacrifice of prayer and praise and grant that what we say and sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts and that what we believe in our hearts we may practise and
show forth in our daily lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers at Holy Mass
For Catholics, the Mass is the highest form of prayer. If this is so, then as a Mass Server, your duty is to know al the responses made during Mass. Let’s go through the prayers and responses you have to
know.
Penitential Rite
This is the point in the Mass when we go deep within ourselves with a heart of penitence, acknowledge
our sins, and ask for forgiveness.
Confiteor:
(Priest, Servers, and People)
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 and in what I have failed to do, (and striking the breast, they say) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; (then they continue) therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, al the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The absolution by the Priest then fol ows, and everyone responds: Amen.
The ‘Gloria’ is sung or said on Solemnities and feasts and on Sundays except during Advent and Lent.
The Servers should sing or say the ‘Gloria’ in a firm voice matching their cadence to that of the cantor or Priest.
Gloria:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good wil . We praise you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins
of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
On Sundays and Solemnities the Creed (Profession of Faith) is recited or sung.
Profession of Faith (Nicene Creed):
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, make of heaven and earth, of al things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before al ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, ( at the words that fol ow up to and
including) and became man, ( all bow) and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He wil come again in glory to
judge the living and the dead and his kingdom wil have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Instead of the Nicene Creed,