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LITURGY
in Westminster Diocese. Thank you to teachers at For consideration of what participation in
St Edwards School, Lisson Grove, and St Josephs
Commission School, Maida Vale for assistance. the Mass really is, see the box to the left.
A teachers worksheet for
The Offertory Procession
Offertory Procession for Bread & Wine
Mass for .............................................................. for Consecration:
on ......................................................................... Prayers & needs
at .......................................................................... to present to God
in .......................................................................... If, as St Augustine suggests, the bread and
Coordinator for Mass is.................................. wine symbolise us: baptised and consecrated
to God in Christ and by the Spirit, it is no bad
Priest is ............................................................... thing for us to make these symbols still more
potent by consciously and deliberately asso-
ciating the detail of our lives with the symbols
Symbols of Christ, of bread and wine.
symbols of us
In the Orthodox tradition the bread and the wine Already these symbols represent our human-
of the Offertory procession have been venerat- ity redeemed by Christ. Let us also deliberate-
ed almost as though they were already the Body ly and consciously associate our troubles and
and Blood of Christ they will soon become. difficulties with the elements being brought to
the altar. Let these concerns and challenges
In our Western tradition we reverence these el- be associated with Christs Paschal Mystery,
ements too. Like all of Creation they find their his Passion, Death and Resurrection. We as-
fulfilment in Christ, as is made explicit in their of- sociate our fears and frailties with his triumph
fering at Mass. But in our tradition the elements over human fears and weaknesses, so that
are mainly seen as symbols of us. Human hands they might be come before the transcendent
that have prepared these offerings of bread and love of the Father, which as it raised Jesus
wine. We have taken the wheat and grape of from the dead, so too it may reach out to us
Gods creation and transformed it into work of for healing and encouragement, hope and the
human hands, which now we offer to God. promise of new and eternal life.
St Augustine wrote beautifully on this: Bread is Again , it is through the owning of and the us-
not made from one grain, but from many. Its ing of the symbols of the Liturgy that these an-
as though you who were many were ground. cient symbols become fruitful for us, and that
When you were baptised its as though you we best participate in them.
were mixed into dough. When you received the
fire of the Holy Spirit, its as though you were
baked. Be what you can see, and receive what Ministers for Offertory Procession
you are. After all, just as many grains are mixed Bread .............................................................
into one loaf in order to produce the visible ap- Wine .............................................................
pearance of bread, as though what holy scrip-
ture says about the faithful were happening: Collection for the poor
They had one soul and one heart in God (Acts or for the Church ......................................
4:32); so too with the wine. Brothers and sisters, (NB whenever the school has a collection for a
just remind yourselves what wine is made from; charity, make the most of the opportunity of Mass
many grapes hang in the bunch, but the juice to dedicate to God the collection and the work
done in making it.)
of the grapes is poured together in one vessel.
Theres a lot in St Augustines teaching to deep-
en our appreciation of the meaning of the sym-
This sheet should be
bols of bread and wine, and a lot to refresh how
passed to...............................
we speak with the children on these things.
for approval before.................................