The Novus Ordo marked a radical interference with both the liturgy and liturgical space. This caused a change of spirit. The horizontal began to be emphasized at the expense of the vertical – the relationship with God. A means of achieving this spiritual change was the turning of both the altar and the priest to “face the people”.

The biblical model of the Jerusalem Temple had three separate sections:

1) the place where the presence of God dwelled – the Holy of Holies

2) the place where the priest offered the daily sacrifice to God

3) the place for the people

ad 1) In analogy with the Catholic temple, here the place where the presence of God dwells is the tabernacle (the Holy of Holies). In the Eastern rite, it is separated by an iconostasis.

ad 2) During the liturgy, the priest and the people should face the tabernacle. There should be a large crucifix, preferably a full-size one, placed between the tabernacle and the altar, or attached to the altar.

So much for rearranging the liturgical space.

Rearrangement of the liturgy

1) The prayer over the gifts inappropriately emphasizes the word “work” twice. Rearrangement: “Blessed are You, Lord God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have received the bread we offer You. You will make it the Body of Christ through Your Spirit.”

C (Choir): “Blessed be God forever.”

P (Priest): “…the wine we offer You. You will make it the Blood of Christ through Your Spirit.”

C: “Blessed be God forever.”

2) The priest should add before the Consecration in the Roman Canon: “…so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit…”

3) Before dropping a piece of the host into the chalice, which expresses the mystery of Christ’s resurrection, the priest shall replace the words, “Let us offer each other the sign of peace,” with the following sentence:

P: “Christ is risen!”

C: “He is risen indeed!” (the choir sings the antiphon: “Resucito (He Is Risen), Alleluia!”)

Rearrangements in the form where the priest prays silently or aloud, and two moments of silence:

While the choir sings the Sanctus, the priest quietly says the first part of the (Roman) Canon. Then he says aloud: “Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of Your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

There follows the first moment of silence (2-4 minutes, kneeling). Then the priest stands up and says aloud: “For on the night He was betrayed…”

The words of Institution, which are at the same time the words of Consecration in the Latin Liturgy, should be pronounced slowly and clearly in the same language as the Lord Jesus Himself pronounced them.

After the wine is changed into the Blood of the Lord, the priest genuflects on both knees, and there follows the second moment of silence. After 2-5 minutes, the priest ends the adoration by saying, “The mystery of faith”. Then he stands up and continues the Mass as usual.

Explanatory notes:

The first moment of silence

The priest and the people kneel for about 2-4 minutes, invoking the Holy Spirit and singing the antiphon “Veni Sancte Spiritus”.

Note for the faithful:

Now move your mind to the Cenacle on Mount Zion, where the Lord Jesus instituted this sacrament with His own words. The next day, He died on the cross for our sins and then rose from the dead. On the fiftieth day, He sent down the Holy Spirit on the Apostles praying in the Cenacle. It was here, too, in the Cenacle on Mount Zion, that the Apostles offered the liturgical sacrifice in the power of the Holy Spirit for the first time. The successors of the Apostles, bishops and priests, have since then offered this sacrifice of Christ to God as for themselves, so also for the sins of the people. Pray now that the fullness of the Holy Spirit will descend on you as on the Apostles. Repeat several times: “Veni Sancte Spiritus.” Then say with faith in your spirit: “I receive the same Holy Spirit as the Apostles in the Cenacle.” At the same time, say the holy name of Jesus (Yehoshu-aa-aa-aa) in your spirit several times.

Then you can also pray that the Holy Spirit will now make present Christ’s sacrifice of the cross on this altar. He will do so by His almighty power through the words of Christ spoken by the priest.

The second moment of silence

The priest and the people kneel for about 2-5 minutes, singing the antiphon “Yehoshua” (sung to the melody of Ti Si Mir Naš / You Are Our Peace, Alleluia)

Note for the faithful:

Realize that Christ’s sacrifice of the cross is made present now. Jesus is here. Stand in spirit by His cross in place of the Apostle John beside the Mother of Jesus. Jesus sees you now, and says to you: “Behold, your Mother.” Say in your spirit: “I receive.” You have thus fulfilled the testament of Jesus from the cross.

Now look at the five wounds of Jesus in your spirit, and make an act of perfect contrition which will be most needed at the moment of your death. Looking at each of the five wounds, say five times in your spirit: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, have mercy on me a sinner.”

Then realize the mystery of baptism: “We were immersed through baptism in Christ’s death.” (Rom 6) Abide in this reality for a while and call on the name of Jesus (Yehoshu-aa-aa-aa). When pronouncing the long “a”, try to perceive that you are immersed in Christ’s death, spiritually united to it. Think of your death and try to experience this moment as if it were the last moment of your life. Together with Jesus, you commit your spirit into the hands of the Heavenly Father.

Latin transcription of the words of Consecration

Note concerning the Penitential Act at the beginning of the Mass:

“Let us acknowledge our sins...” Recall your sins in a moment of silence: “I am an egoist seeking my own will rather than God’s. I am a hedonist seeking pleasure, even sinful pleasure. I am a critic; I condemn others, but I refuse to see or admit my fault.” Then say aloud: “I confess…”, “Kyrie, eleison”.

Note concerning the celebrant:

The Mass is invalid if celebrated by a bishop or priest who has adopted heresies and a spirit denying the very essence of the Church of Christ. Such a one has excluded himself from the Mystical Body of Christ because of heresies (see Gal 1:8-9).

Download: BCP: Rearrangement of the liturgy /Holy Mass/ (14/9/2021)