The beauty of passing the faith

One of my favourite images at Holy Mass is when the Missal is moved from the Epistle side to the Gospel side of the Altar to symbolize the passing of Faith from the Jews to the Gentiles. The priest then returns to the middle of the Altar and bows with his hands joined. He then says the Munda Cor Meum.

"Munda cor meum ac lábia mea, omnípotens Deus, qui lábia Isaíæ Prophétæ cálculo mundásti igníto: ita me tua grata miseratióne dignáre mundáre, ut sanctum Evangélium tuum digne váleam nuntiáre. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen."

"Cleanse my heart and my lips, O Almighty God, Who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaias with a burning coal; through Thy gracious mercy so purify me that I may worthily proclaim Thy holy Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

This simple act and the prayer before the Gospel is read is such a profound moment during the Mass of the Catechumens that even those who are not yet in full communion may at least remain to hear the words of Jesus before the Mass of the Faithful.

This passing from the Jew to the Gentile is a warning also. Do not be as the Jew who keeps their blinders on and rejects the Truth…It is now up to us to hearken to what Our Lord commands, it is up to us to be the "Salt of the earth." We who were considered as dogs by the Jewish people have become the Samaritan woman who was given the Living water...

We are then confronted with the words and actions of our loving saviour….Moving away from the Old Covenant into the New.

The hinge is the Munda cor meum where the Priest identifies with the Prophet Isais and asks for the cleansing before proclaiming the Gospel of The Lord….

What a truly beautiful moment during the Holy Sacrifice of The Mass!!!!