Introibo ad Altare Dei: The Prayers at the Foot of the Altar

As I indicated previously, I'd like to take a deeper look at the often-overlooked beginning of the Holy Mass - the prayers at the foot of the altar.

The beginning of the Mass sets the tone for the rest of the liturgy. Indeed, the Mass itself, as the source and summit of the Christian life (CCC #1324, cf. Lumen Gentium 11), sets the tone for the entire interior life of the individual Christian. It begins invoking and testifying to the Triune nature of God,

"In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."

"In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." 

along with the motion of the fingers in the sign of the cross: linking already, at the beginning of the Eucharistic liturgy, the sacrifice of the Mass with the sacrifice of the cross at Calvary. This link (or re-presentation, or renewal) of the sacrifice of the cross of Christ, the once-and-for-all oblation to the Father, poured out for the many for the remission of sins, is really and truly renewed and re-presented to the Most Holy Trinity by the action of the priest who does so in persona Christi by the working of the Holy Spirit - that is, in the person of Christ Himself. Thus we see the involvement of all three Divine persons in this august sacrifice which is foreshadowed in the first words of the sacred action.

The priest then begins the recitation of Psalm 42 (in Vulgate numbering, Masoretic numbering being 43) with the ministers (i.e. servers), who represent and respond for the entire body of the faithful. This begins with the antiphon

"Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meum."

"I will go unto the altar of God, unto God who giveth joy to my youth."

This antiphon calls to mind the intent and purpose of the liturgy - to perpetuate the sacrifice of Christ on the altar of God; the God who brings joy, salvation and eternal life to those who believe in His name and become partakers of that same sacrifice. The dialog continues through the psalm itself, as priest and ministers exchange verses:

"Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from a godless nation: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man."

"For Thou art God, my strength: why hast Thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?"

"Send forth Thy light and Thy truth: they have conducted me and brought me unto Thy holy hill, and into Thy tabernacles."

We see the focus of those in the sanctuary honing on the coming sacrifice and recognizing their need for grace to truly at the foot of the cross at Calvary - they beg for God's light to illumine their minds, preparing a way in their hearts for the Lord who, moments from now, will become present on the altar under the species of bread and wine: body and blood, soul and divinity (CCC #1374, cf. Council of Trent, Session XIII, Canon 1). They continue:

"And I will go unto the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth."

"To Thee, O God, my God, I will give praise upon the harp; why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?"

"Hope in God, for I will still give praise to Him: the salvation of my countenance and my God."

The desire of the participants for the altar of the Lord, to give praise to Him according to His institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, is woven into these lines. We observe the deep longing of the soul for his God, expressed in the sorrow of not yet partaking of the sacred mysteries, comforting himself by the psalmist's exhortation to place his hope in God, by Whose power the sacrifice is effected and by Whose grace and love our salvation is made possible.

Finishing the psalm, the priest and servers recite the doxology, immediately followed by the verse and response

"V. Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. R. Qui fecit caelum et terram."

"V. Our help is in the Name of the Lord. R. Who made heaven and earth." 

The participants call to mind that God Himself is the only way they can be made worthy to partake of the sacred mysteries: only by His power, the same which created the entire universe, can they die to themselves, putting on the new man created in Christ (Ephesians 4:24). Their unworthiness fresh in mind, the priest and the ministers recite, in turn, the Confiteor, confessing their sins to God and to the blessed angels and saints, begging their intercession with the Most High to make them pure and holy, as God is holy (Leviticus 20:26):

"Confiteor Deo ominpotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, et omnibus sanctis, et vos, fratres: quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginum, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes sanctos, et vos fratres, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum."

"I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever-Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints and to thee, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and in deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints, and thee, brethren, to pray to the Lord our God for me."

Each striking their breast three times after the mea culpa, a small token of their contrition for having offended so good a God. Both priest and ministers having done this, the other party responds:

"May almighty God have mercy on thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee to everlasting life. Amen." 

Finally, the priest calls on God to purify them to enter into the holy sacrifice, saying

"May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution and remission of our sins. Amen." 

Having prayed for the grace to be purified by the power of God from the stain of sin, the priest recalls the great mercies of God and His ability to alone give life, he pleads with God to fulfill his promise to His chosen people:

"Deus, tu conversus vivificabis nos."

"O God, Thou wilt turn again and bring us to life."

To which the ministers, stirred with piety and the promise which has been made in Christ, readily respond

"Et plebs tua laetabitur in te." 

"And Thy people shall rejoice in Thee." 

The priest, again recognizing his own personal unworthiness to perform the sacred action in which he finds himself, begs God for compassion:

"Ostende nobis Domine, misericordiam tuam."

"Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy."

The ministers, moved by the priest's pleading for clemency, petition God for the natural consequence of His gracious mercy:

"Et salutare tuum da nobis."

"And grant us Thy salvation."

Now the priest diverts his attention to the task at hand - offering the holy sacrifice in union with the sacrifice of the cross for his intentions and the intentions of the entire body of Christ:

"Domine, exaudi orationem meam."

"O Lord, hear my prayers."

Which gathers a response from the ministers, who yearn for God to deign, in His great love, to allow their petitions to be brought before His throne of grace:

"Et clamor meus ad te veniat."

"And let my cry come unto Thee."

The priest, recognizing that he will leave the presence of the ministers to ascend into the cloud and disappear into God's presence, being replaced in his actions by those of Christ, bids farewell to those below as he climbs the mountain, like Moses, to speak with God:

"Dominus vobiscum."

"The Lord be with thee."

 The ministers, wishing him well on his journey to the dwelling place of God, respond:

"Et cum spiritu tuo."

"And with thy spirit."

Thus the priest, prepared with the comfort of Scripture and prayer, ascends the steps of the altar to offer to God the holy sacrifice of the Mass, to rightly adore and honor Him, to thank Him for his manifold graces and temporal gifts, to offer reparation for his own sins and the sins of the people through the blood of the cross of Christ, the High Priest, and to present himself, the people and their petitions as living sacrifices to the true God (Romans 12:1).

I hope and pray that this humble discourse on the beginning of the sacred liturgy may be meaningful and helpful to those who otherwise strain to see the meaning in this oftentimes overlooked portion of the Mass - one that is nonetheless important in preparing to partake of the mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist.

Of course, if any portion of this conflicts with the Magisterium of the Catholic and Roman Church in any way, I humbly submit myself and my thoughts to their judgment according to the will of Christ Jesus, my Lord.