WHAT NOT TO MISS AT MASS

Glory to God in the Highest!

The Gloria

What Not to Miss

  • This ancient hymn, called the Gloria, is sung at Mass on Sundays, solemnities, and feasts—the most holy and joyful days of the liturgical year.
  • The first words echo the angels proclaiming the birth of Christ. In the Gloria, we join our voices with the heavenly choirs ceaselessly praising God.
  • The Gloria highlights the Son's divinity. Along with the Father and the Spirit, he is one of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity. He can answer our prayers because he has ascended to heaven.
  • This hymn includes several biblical titles for God.
  • The Gloria gives thanks to Jesus for his mercy, which we have just received in the Penitential Rite.

Next Time You Go to Mass...

  • Give thanks to God for his mercy and love.
  • Sing the Gloria with zeal and joy! There are many different arrangements of this hymn, so you may need to consult a hymnal or worship aid.

Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint.

This collect prayer begins the Mass for Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Jesus is calling us to "take up battle against spiritual evils." We'll explore fasting itself in a few weeks; during the week of Ash Wednesday, we're going to dig into an important set of weapons the Lord gives us to fight evil: sacramentals.

What's a sacramental? Well, if you attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, you're probably going to receive one on your forehead.