The Mass is the moment in which God gathers His people to celebrate the memorial of the Lord, that is, the Eucharistic sacrifice which makes present again Christ’s self-offering on the Cross. The priest presides in the person of Christ (in persona Christi): he does not act merely by delegation, but sacramentally represents Christ, the Head of the Church.

Christ is truly present in the celebration:

• In the assembly gathered in His name

• In the person of the ordained minister

• In the proclaimed Word

• And in a substantial and enduring way, under the appearances of the consecrated bread and wine

The Mass is structured in two inseparable parts:

Liturgy of the Word: the proclamation of the Word of God, the homily, the profession of faith, and the Universal Prayer (Prayer of the Faithful).

Liturgy of the Eucharist: the presentation of the gifts, the Eucharistic Prayer, the consecration, and Holy Communion.

The unity of both liturgies: together they form a single act of worship. The Church speaks of the “twofold table”:

• The table of the Word of God

• The table of the Body of Christ

Other rites: The celebration also includes the Introductory Rites (greeting, penitential act, Gloria, and Collect) and the Concluding Rites (final prayer, blessing, and dismissal).

The Mass is not only about “listening” and “receiving,” but about active participation in the prayer and saving action of Christ. The promise of Jesus’ Real Presence is fulfilled on many levels, but most fully in the Eucharist. The Word and the Bread form an inseparable unity: Christ gives Himself to us as nourishment for faith and for life.