Question from a possible convert

[Audun]

(I have asked this on the “Ask a Question” page, but decided it would probably fit better in here)
I have a question about the mass. I have considered myself an atheist for most of my life, but recently, I have felt something I can’t quite explain, and I think I want to return to Christianity. My family is technically Christian, and member of the Church of Norway (Lutheran), but my parents are not very religious and I wouldn’t say I have had a Christian upbringing(my great grandmother, who passed away a few years back, was very devout, however, so I have had some contact with religion). As I look into Christianity, I have somehow been dragged towards Catholicism, and I will probably speak with a priest soon. But, on to the question. I have watched some masses online, and I have noticed one thing; a Catholic mass seem to consist mostly of reading from the bible, praying and Eucharist and a Protestant service, while praying and quoting from the bible, also touches some more earthly matters, such as human rights. Is this a misconception?

And something completely unrelated; is a Lutheran baptism valid in the Catholic Church?

 

[Tedster]

I have watched some masses online, and I have noticed one thing; a Catholic mass seem to consist mostly of reading from the bible, praying and Eucharist and a Protestant service, while praying and quoting from the bible, also touches some more earthly matters, such as human rights. Is this a misconception?

Yes, technically.

The readings of the Mass are to be explained by the Priest in his sermon (homily), applying it to today’s world. In some Masses this is not necessarily done though it should be.

From the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal):

The Homily

1. The homily is part of the Liturgy and is strongly recommended, for it is necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners.

And something completely unrelated; is a Lutheran baptism valid in the Catholic Church?

Yes. Any valid Christian baptism is recognized by the catholic Church.

 

[Eagelswings]

I am a Catholic convert myself. I spent most of my years as a “at home” protestant. I never really got involved in faith until I converted to Catholicism, but I can say you belong to the Catholic Church. I can’t imagine any other church that could satisfy me other than the Roman Catholic Church. I’ve been a baptized and confirmed Catholic for almost two years now.

It was with the help of Mother Angelica and EWTN that I found my home here. God bless her for the great things she has done. I suggest you watch EWTN for more on the Catholic faith.

We welcome you with open arms.

 

[Catholic1954]

(I have asked this on the “Ask a Question” page, but decided it would probably fit better in here)
I have a question about the mass. I have considered myself an atheist for most of my life, but recently, I have felt something I can’t quite explain, and I think I want to return to Christianity. My family is technically Christian, and member of the Church of Norway (Lutheran), but my parents are not very religious and I wouldn’t say I have had a Christian upbringing(my great grandmother, who passed away a few years back, was very devout, however, so I have had some contact with religion). As I look into Christianity, I have somehow been dragged towards Catholicism, and I will probably speak with a priest soon. But, on to the question. I have watched some masses online, and I have noticed one thing; a Catholic mass seem to consist mostly of reading from the bible, praying and Eucharist and a Protestant service, while praying and quoting from the bible, also touches some more earthly matters, such as human rights. Is this a misconception?

And something completely unrelated; is a Lutheran baptism valid in the Catholic Church?

Welcome Home! The Holy Spirit is calling you into the Catholic Church. You are quite observant and have noticed that the Mass is divided into two parts. We call them the Liturgy of the Word (the entrance, prayers Bible readings and the homily) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (consecration, communion and dismissal) Most of the prayers are from the Bible also. I hope you will be seeing the priest soon, he will be able to answer your questions and address your concerns, and I hope you will also attend a Mass in person, it will be an awesome expirence! Have a great journey inot the faith, and let us know how you are doing!

 

[Trishie]

Regarding the Mass: as I suspect you realise, it is much more that you describe.
**
“The Eucharistic Sacrifice is the source and summit of the whole of the Church’s worship and of Christian life. The faithful participate more fully in the sacrament of thanksgiving, propitiation, petition and praise not only when they wholeheartedly offer the sacred Victim, and in it themselves to the Father with the priest, but also when they receive this same Victim sacramentally.” [Vatican 2 Documents :9]

“The other sacraments, as indeed every ministry of the church and every work of the apostolate, are linked with the Eucharist and are directed towards it. For the Eucharist contains the entire spiritual good of the Church, namely, Christ Himself, our Passover and living bread, offering through His flesh, living and life-giving in the Spirit, life to all who are thus invited and led on to offer themselves, their labours, and all created things together with Him.” [Vatican 2 Documents.9:6]

“The faithful are gathered by the preaching of Christ’s Gospel and the mystery of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated, ‘so that through the Body and Blood of the Lord the whole brotherhood is united…Christ is present, by whose power the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church is united. For the partaking has no less an effect than to change us into what we have received.’” [Vatican 2.9:7. Constitution of the Church, n.26]

“But union with Christ…is not to be limited to the duration of the celebration of the Eucharist; it is to be prolonged into the entire Christian life…(as) a continual thanksgiving under the Holy Spirit and may produce fruits of greater charity.” [Vatican 2.9. iii. 38]

 

[Trishie]

“The One that offers Sacrifice is the same One who, after having sacrificed himself on the Cross…to obtain for us eternal redemption…offers Himself now by the ministry of the priest; there is no difference except in the manner of offering.” [Council of Trent, S. 22, c.2] “For in it Christ perpetuates in an unbloody manner the sacrifice offered on the Cross, offering Himself to the Father for the world’s salvation through the ministry of priests.” [Vatican 2 Documents.9:3]

“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a part to sing the praises of God who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” [1Peter 2:9]For “Christ has come, as the great high priest of all blessings…and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to God through the eternal Spirit [purifying] our inner self from dead actions so that we do our service to the living God. He brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: His death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.” [Hebrews 9:11, 14-15] “They killed Him…only to have God raise Him up on the third day and grant that He be seen…by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.” Acts 10:40-41]“

He is the image of the unseen God, and the first-born of all creation, for in Him were created all things in heaven and on earth…Before anything was created, He existed, and He holds all things in unity. Now the Church is His body, He is its head. As He is the Beginning, He was the first to be born from the dead, so that He should be first in every way; because God wanted all perfection to be found in Him and all things to be reconciled through Him and for Him, everything in heaven and everything on earth, when He made peace by His death on the cross.” Colossians 1:15-16, 17-20]

 

[Trishie]

“Holy things must be treated in a holy way and this Sacrifice is the most holy of all things.” (Council of Trent)
The Eucharistic presence is also gift of Christ’s love and is “reserved to extend the grace of the Sacrifice.” (Vatican 11.9.3g) “*Behold I am with you even to the end of the world” *(Matthew 28:20) “I am the light of the world.” [John. 7:12]

“It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true bread; for the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst.” [John 6:32-33, 35]** “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I in him…anyone who eats this bread will live forever.”** [John 6:56, 58]For** “Jesus took some bread, and when He had said the blessing He broke it and gave it to His disciples. ‘Take it and eat,’ He said ‘this is My body.’ Then He took a cup, and when He had returned thanks, He gave it to them. ‘Drink all of you from this,’ He said, for this is My blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”** [Matthew 26:26-28]

“The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body.” [1Corinthians 10:15-18] **“Now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so very far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. For He is the peace between us.” **[Ephesians 2:13-14]

 

[surritter]

The Mass is for us to worship the Lord, and for Him to feed us as His people. We are fed by the Word (Bible readings) and by the Word Made Flesh (Jesus in the Eucharist). So you have grasped those essential ideas.

Protestant services obviously vary widely, but I suppose many of them focus on human rights issues. That’s not wrong to do. But at Mass we focus on the One who grants those human rights, and it’s understood that we are to go out and work for those rights after feeding on the Word and the Eucharist.

As Tedster said, the priest is to use the homily to help us apply the Bible readings to our lives, and it should touch on human rights as needed.