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Description, Analysis, and Critique of the Daily Mass Ritual
This research paper is based on a Daily Mass happening in the Archdiocese of Chicago. The Celebrant is Bishop John Perry. The religion is Christianity and the denomination is Catholic.
I. Description
a) Outside the Chapel
In a serene environment outside a small chapel, the gong bell gives a sonorous sound every two seconds and the sound reverberates through the quiet neighborhood. The statue of a woman stands facing the entrance to the chapel and at the feet of this woman is a small winged child statue bending and holding its palms in prayer. Inside, the chapel is divided into three parts, though no partitions exist between these parts.
b) Inside the chapel
At the front and high on the wall is a big glass screen that lets in light, while allowing one to catch the bright morning rays and at the same time reminding you what time of the day it is. The crucifix sticks out from this glass window. Directly below this glass, there is a small space from where an all-male choir sings. A white colored prop separates the choir from the altar. A door and two windows through the prop still allow one to get a glimpse of the young men dressed in black cassocks and white ribbons. One can hear the solemn music the choir sings, which is accompanied by minimal instruments. At the back of the hall is where the congregation sits, some quietly humming and others praying, but there is minimal movement.

The mood is somber. The altar is situated between the choir and the pews, but nearer to the front. Here is where much activity takes place. Above it, and centrally located are two horn-shaped golden protrusions between which is a golden box, the tabernacle. A linen-covered table stands at the center of the altar with six golden candle-stands, three on either side of a crucifix centrally placed.
c) Procession of the Clergy
A procession of priests enters the chapel lead by the one carrying the processional cross flanked by candle holding deacons wearing similar robes. Another priest follows the first three a step behind. The more senior looking priests come in with their hands clasped together in a manner that shows respect, and they kneel before the table and kiss it. The well-choreographed choir continues singing. The celebrant of the mass, Most Reverend John N. Perry, is the last to enter and he bows to pay homage at the table. His gown is more magnificent and he wears a red cap in the middle of his head and with this, one can conclude he is the senior ranking father in this assembly. There is a clink as Bishop Perry swings an incense-containing censer around the table. He goes around the altar and with his back turned to the congregation, he swings the censer nine times while touching his necklace after every three swings until smoke surrounds the altar. After doing this, the Bishop hands the censer to an altar boy before going to sit on the left side of the altar, from where he leads the church through confession in preparation for the celebration of the mass. Everyone recites the confession the singing resumes afterward. Reverend Perry, with his hands lifted, reads a prayer from a scroll held for him by another monk after which everyone sits. This is the first time people sit during this mass.
d) Bible Reading and Prayers
A young monk reads from the book of Genesis and ends the reading with a foreign chant, to which the congregants respond collectively in the same foreign language. The slow singing resumes while the congregants are seated, but at some point, they all stand at once without a being told to. One priest, on being directed by Bishop Perry, bows before the altar and goes to read the scripture with two deacons on either side holding candles. Music continues in the background. Unlike the first reading, this priest first spreads incense on the podium before going on to read the Gospel of John. When he sits, Reverend Denis Kolonski moves to the podium and gives a fifteen minutes’ sermon. After the sermon, Bishop Perry leads the church in prayer while reading from a scroll held for him by another father. The young monk who had done the first reading comes back to lead the congregants in a Responsorial Psalm.
e) The Eucharist
The setting of the table begins when two priests assist each other in arranging the chalices of wine, then another pair comes to dilute the wine and arrange the table appropriately. Bishop Perry blesses the wine and spreads incense around the table once again, repeating the nine swings in front of the table exactly as before. Back at the front, he is assisted to wipe his hands before leading the church prayer and the reading of the scroll. A monk removes his small cap from his head during the reading. The sight of the golden ware on the table is beautiful. One by one all the priests kneel before the table as the congregants remain upstanding. Another procession of three monks, two holding candles enters the chapel from behind and lines in front of the table. A bell rings and Bishop Perry blesses the wafer and wine and kneels with respect. He also recites some Latin sentences before breaking the wafer and drinking the wine. All priests drink from the same chalice before going to serve the rest of the church. Two fathers serve the choir while another pair serves the congregation. Apparently, there is no standard way of taking the body of Christ, as some receive the wafer in the hand, others prefer it placed on their tongue, yet there are some who kneel while receiving it. Of note is that church members have no noticeable dress code. When everyone gets receives the Holy Sacrament, two priests clean up the chalices and put them back into the golden box at the front. Bishop Perry says the final prayer, puts on his crown and kisses the table as the rest of the priests kneel along the aisle. Music plays as the procession leaves. The daily mass is this Christian Catholic Church is ended.
II. Analysis
a) Sacredness of the Daily Mass
Although the whole church building is considered a holy and sacred place, the altar is the center of all worship. The altar is the part where the holy sacrament is prepared. In this church, it was the table with six candles on it where everyone pays their respect. The priests bowed before the altar and kiss it to pay homage because this is the place where transubstantiation occurs. This is a process whereby the bread (referred to as the host) and the wine are converted into the body of Christ and His blood respectively. Christ becomes real right on that altar. This is a miracle and a mystery. A white cloth covers the altar to distinguish it from the other parts and emphasize on its sanctity. The extra bread and the wine once consecrated are considered sacred and are kept in the tabernacle. The tabernacle is a box made of polished gold and silver that carries hosts, which is the divine presence. All congregants show respect to the tabernacle by genuflecting with the right knee before getting to their pews, a way of acknowledging the presence of Jesus the Savior. To the left of the altar is the place where the Bible is read from, the ambo. There is always a person designated to read the scripture in any mass. It’s from here where the young monk reads the first reading from the book of Genesis and where Father Kolonski gives his sermon. Each statue on the wall represents a particular meaning and the most notable ones are those of the parents of Jesus, Virgin Mary, and Joseph. The crucifix is a centerpiece and it is a constant reminder of the redemption act of Christ. Nothing happens in mass without reason or a specific purpose, and they all have to do with preparing people for Holy Communion or showing the finished work of Christ. Every object has a name and a specific role in the mass, from the holy water to candles and the processional cross.
b) Concepts of God in the Ritual
The mass is an act of worship; the Eucharist is communion with God. In taking the body and the blood of Christ, believers are reminded of the death of their Savior, and as a forecasting of the heavenly banquet that will happen in heaven. It is the same thing Jesus did on the night of His arrest before the crucifixion. The wine reminds people of how God became a man to dwell among sinners and redeem them. It is a mystery how God becomes joined to man and how once consecrated, the bread is no longer bread but the presence of God. The sacrifice that Christ made for mankind becomes real, reminding the faithful to offer themselves for consecration unto God. The divine presence of God is the ultimate thing portrayed by the partaking of Holy Communion. It is of note that even after the end of the mass the extra host is usually preserved and kept for those who cannot be in the mass like the sick. The presence of Christ never departs from the host once the bread is blessed. God is transcendent and cannot be fathomed by the human mind and therefore the act of taking the bread should only be done out of faith. Faith makes believers see beyond the wafer and wine and look beyond what they can comprehend, because it is an enigma. God is beyond all human understanding and calculation. At the front of the entry procession is the processional cross which represents Christ, and after it follows the Bible and the reason they go ahead is that these two signify Jesus. His invisible presence leads the entourage while at the back is the presiding priest not because of his importance, but because he is nothing compared to Christ.
c) Beliefs and Values
The Eucharist is the ultimate form of prayer, an expression of faith. It stresses upon believers, the virtues of sharing and sacrifice, as well the need for praying for those in authority. In celebrating it, the resurrected Christ is made manifest while at the same time His ultimate sacrifice becomes a reminder to the faithful. There is an emphasis on the healing power of the Holy Sacrament when it is served to the sick. When the faithful gather together and remember their savior they become one with Christ and are bonded together in unity. This is clearly portrayed when they greet each other with the handshake of peace. The sanctity of the ritual does not allow those in sin to take it, as confession is necessary before celebration as well as fasting for at least one hour. It is necessary to note that those guilty of grave sin should not partake of the Holy Sacrament and that not attending mass is considered a grave sin itself. During the mass, a lot happens while people are standing and this is a sign of reverence, prayer as well as showing readiness for the gospel. Many statues in the chapel are not idols or things to worship; they are put in remembrance of the many saints that have played a role in faith. A number of people think that Catholics worship the Mother of Jesus, but in the actual sense, they only honor and thank her for giving birth to the Savior. Similarly, worship is not directed to the crucifix, but to God.
d) Liminality
Liminality in this ritual is quite a difficult concept to define because it applies well when we discuss rites of passage or the rituals that a person passes only once, for example, an initiation rite like circumcision or tattooing. Liminality as a concept refers to the existence of a space whereby one is betwixt two states, it occurs during the process of change. That is not to say that Eucharist, or mass as a ritual does not transform believers. Transubstantiation is the major transformation that occurs during the daily mass, as ordinary bread and wine are changed into the divine presence of the savior. Consecration and dedication of the bread are what brings about this transformation. Since celebrating mass is an act of sacrifice, and believers are told to present themselves as a sacrifice along with the bread and the wine, they are bound to undergo a similar transformation. Indeed, those facing life troubles like sicknesses or emotional stress kneel down with them and leave them on the ground. Between the disease and freedom from them is the liminal moment, even if it is figurative. Apart from that, there is always the continual transformation of the believers every time they appear in the presence of God.
e) Flexibility of the Ritual
The method of ritualizing the daily mass cannot be altered. On keen observation, one can notice that every single activity is carefully choreographed from training, normality, and experience. Nothing happens by chance in the mass, and neither in the taking of Holy Communion. The words that are recited while consecrating the bread are the exact words that Jesus said, and therefore remains no chance of ever changing the method of ritualizing the daily mass. It is almost cast on a stone that the first reading should come from the Old Testament, the second from the epistles, and the last one is from the Gospels. This is a tradition that has been passed through generations of churches for more than 2000 years and applying any changes it would amount to not only heresy but blasphemy too. In matters principle, therefore, the Eucharist is immutable. Changes can be done in the color of the cassocks, the gowns and the rest of the objects that are not central to the practice.
III. Critique
a) Essence of Religion in this Ritual
The essence of the Christian religion is the transformation of a person into the image of Christ. This takes many forms. Although the image of Christ, who is God cannot be completely understood by the mortal man, there are things that humans can do towards becoming the same as Christ. Some include sharing, leaving a selfless life, expressing faith in different ways. Christianity also recognizes the holiness and awesomeness of God contrasted with the sinfulness of man and aspires to keep the man aware of this disparity. Repeated confession while invoking God’s mercy is a perfect way of keeping man reminded of the disparity. The cross is an integral part of the mass as it represents the work of the cross and what the sinfulness of man cost Jesus. A message of salvation and hope resonates throughout the mass, in acknowledging who what the Savior did and is as well as in showing the aspiration believers on His coming back.
b) Is the Religion Undermined by the Ritual?
Although Holy Communion is a mystery and as such beyond human comprehension, it is a bit difficult to fathom how an all-powerful God can be carried in a tabernacle or how He becomes bread just by a simple prayer. This argument cannot hold though because attempting to answer it will be self-defeating since a mystery should be unexplainable. Still, does keeping God in a box called the tabernacle not raise questions regarding His omnipresence or how believers are supposed to be the temples of Christ? This is baffling. The burning of incense signifies the prayers of the saints, and how they rise up to God as a sweet smelling fragrance, and also remind Christians to spread a fragrance of God’s presence in the world. Does this imply that the only effective prayer the one made during the mass? What becomes of personal petitions made individually by those unable to attend a mass? Shall the sick and the dying not make their requests known to God because they could not take part in the celebration of the Eucharist? Moreover, having observed that there are no women participants in the serving of the Holy Sacrament, what is the place of women in this ritual? And in case women are not allowed to administer this ritual, what is the opinion of the church concerning the scripture that says that men and women were created equal?
c) The Genuineness of the Daily Mass
In matters genuineness, the Holy Eucharist remains unquestioned. It is as old as Christianity itself. In fact, Christians could only be called so because they were seen doing the things that Christ did, and celebrating the Holy Communion was one of those things. The ritual has been handed down through generations of apostles in fulfillment of Jesus’ command of doing it as a way of remembering Him. Its rigidity might as well be a huge discouragement to youths or anyone who views that as monotonous. Since it is always the same ritual conducted without alteration and because the divine presence cannot be felt sensually, but has to be received by faith people may be lost in its abstractness. The biblical principles of Christianity cannot be changed, and it is the same case with this sacrament. However, changes can still be made to the objects that are used. For instance, the host can be served in a paten or a ciborium with no questions raised, but the specific order of the mass cannot be adjusted. It is not possible to have the liturgy of the Eucharist before the liturgy of the word, as this goes against the foundations of the mass. Rigid Catholic structures have not been very accommodating of the changing social landscape in America, and the structures remain opposed to everything that is named as sin in the Bible. Some good examples of things that the church vehemently opposes include gay rights, euthanasia, and abortion. For this reason, the some confessed gay priests have been publicly excommunicated as a show of stand regarding the issue. Gender equality also maybe a contentious issue, especially when ladies want more roles in everything, even in the presiding over the Daily Mass.
d) The Efficacy of the Daily Mass Ritual in Transforming Society and Individuals.
Daily mass as a ritual serves the perpetual purpose of changing the lives of believers as they aim to attain the glorified stature of their savior Jesus. In partaking of the body of Christ and His blood they take in the divine presence and therefore believe it transforms them and energizes them to serve their God. It may prove a bit hard to evaluate the extent of this transformation in an individual, though, as the change is intrinsic and therefore subject to bias by the testifier. Sometimes on committing a mortal sin, a believer may be ordered to say prayers and attend mass as punishment and this depicts the ritual not as a trigger for change, but as disciplinary action. It can also be argued that religion is personal and dependent on how an individual makes of it. There are those who will totally believe in the healing power of the Holy Sacrament and receive their wholeness but the faithless will go without it. Believers who faithfully attend mass are likely to end up transformed and able to propagate the wave of change to the rest of the society. It worth noting that the mass is not a matter of eating alone, but it is a whole process of hearing the word of God, confessing personal sins, praying for those in authority, and fellowshipping together as people of the same faith. These are things that trigger societal change.
e) Communitas
There is a lot of communitas in the celebration of the Eucharist. At some point in the mass, all people do the same thing without discrimination, like the action of genuflecting before the tabernacle, or kneeling during the transubstantiation or eating the same bread. There is a sense of comradeship and belonging when everyone confesses their sins in a way that does not make anyone holier than the other. At that moment of communitas, nobody is superior to the other and social titles are not in play. Improving communitas in this ritual may prove a tricky affair given its rigidity, but it would be of help if both genders were allowed to serve the hosts to the congregants.
Conclusion
Credit has to be given to a practice that has transcended generations and millennia unadulterated. Its originality has been kept to the letter, and its importance cannot be overstated. This practice that takes less than two hours, but in that short time, the life of a believer is transformed as they witness, albeit figuratively, the turning of ordinary materials into the divine.

References
Channel 47, C. (2016). Daily Mass EWTN. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/