Second Sunday in Lent

We trace why the Mass opens with the entrance antiphon and how praying Scripture, not preference, forms our hearts for the mystery of the day. We reflect on humility in worship, the symbolism of the procession, and the call to join the Church’s song.

• purpose of the entrance antiphon
• unity of the assembly through chant
• Scripture as the language of worship
• procession as temple and heavenly sign
• patterns across seasons and feasts
• limits of hymns at the entrance
• Marian posture of receiving the liturgy
• practical call to active participation

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this land, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet, now available on Amazon.com
The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store
More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org

Chapters

• 0:03 Opening Prayers For Lent
• 1:10 What The Entrance Chant Is
• 2:39 Why Propers Trump Personal Preference
• 4:21 Personal Examination And Closing Prayers
• 5:09 Resources And How To Join

Transcript

What The Entrance Chant Is

Why Propers Trump Personal Preference

Personal Examination And Closing Prayers

Resources And How To Join

SPEAKER_00 0:03

The second Sunday in Lent. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intention of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. Mass itself is meant to begin with a proper chant antiphon for the day. These chants are usually taken from the Psalms, but can come from various places in Scripture and tradition, and can either be sung or recited as possible. The general instruction of the Roman Missal has this to say about these verses. When the people are gathered, and as the priest enters with the deacon and ministers, the entrance chant begins. Its purpose is to open the celebration, foster the unity of those who have been gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical time or festivity, and accompany the procession of the priest and ministers. While usually a simple verse or two, this antiphon is meant to carry much weight at the opening of a liturgical celebration. Besides providing a simple and clear opening to the Mass, it also is meant to give the people something to unite their prayer as one. We couldn't hope on our own to sing the same thing all at once, nor would we all have the same preference for a hymn or a verse. So the church provides something for us from the Word of God. This also means we don't have to be creative about it every time, as if the liturgy were ours to play with. Instead, we simply have to receive the decisions of Holy Mother Church and carry them out faithfully. Beyond this, the general instruction of the Roman Missal says that the introit or entrance chant introduces the mystery of the day or season, whether it be a weekday in ordinary time, the solemn celebration of Easter, a funeral, or a martyr's feast. The introit signals to us what we are about to celebrate. Having the same one for each class of feast or celebration also helps our minds and hearts to recognize the patterns in the masses throughout the year. Finally, this chant, like the other proper chants of a mass, accompanies a procession. This is meant to symbolize the chanting of choirs as the high priest enters the sanctuary of the temple. This happened in the Old Testament, happens now at Mass, and is even happening in heaven as the angels sing before Jesus, the High Priest. This is all packed into some short verses of Scripture at the beginning of Mass, and is why the Church doesn't actually prefer hymns at Mass. There are options for hymns elsewhere, but this isn't one of them. By using these proper antiphons, the church is teaching us to pray with the very words God gave us to pray. Hymns can be great, but they are ultimately human words, whereas the propers are almost always taken from the Word of God. Fidelity to God in this helps us to remain faithfully obedient and prevents us from taking the liturgy into our own hands. Rather, the proper chants help us to be like Mary, who said, Be it done to me according to your word. Do you prefer your own preferences to those of the church when it comes to the sacred liturgy? Do you join in the chants of the church at Mass, or sit idly by while others praise the Lord? All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this land, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet, now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.