Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 10)

by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu  |  01/26/2025  |  Live the Liturgy

Do you know why the Priest or Deacon says: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”? The dismissal reminds us that Mass equips us to serve the Lord through peace and love. Our response, “Thanks be to God,” reflects gratitude for the transformative power of the Eucharist—not a desire to leave quickly, but recognition of the strength we receive to live as disciples.

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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 9)

by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu  |  01/19/2025  |  Live the Liturgy

The breaking of the bread at Mass signifies our unity as one body in Christ, even though we are many. When the priest breaks the Body of Christ during the Lamb of God, it recalls how Jesus’ body was broken on the cross to “take away the sins of the world.” This act nourishes us spiritually, empowering us to rise above sin and grow in goodness.

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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 8)

by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu  |  01/12/2025  |  Live the Liturgy

Do You Know the Origin of the Kiss of Peace at Mass?

The Lord’s Prayer, which begins the Communion Rite, reminds us of our shared dependence on God as His children. It leads us into the Kiss of Peace, a tradition deeply rooted in early Christianity.

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Unpacking Our Faith: Why Do We Celebrate Mass? Discovering Its Power and Purpose (Week 7)

by Rev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu  |  01/05/2025  |  Live the Liturgy

Do You Know What Happens during Consecration? After the Sanctus, the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to transform the gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. This sacred moment begins the narrative of the Last Supper, where Jesus took bread, blessed it, and said, “This is my body.”

The Eucharistic presence of Jesus is not static—it is active. Through the words of consecration, “This is the cup of my blood… it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven,” Jesus offers Himself to the Father as a sacrifice to reconcile and heal the relationship between God and humanity.

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