By Fr. Sean McDermott
Given that churches are encouraging or making their parishioners stay home for the Sunday Mass, here are a couple resources that can help the faithful still worship and contemplate.
First, the BCP has rubric that tells us what to do when we cannot make it to church for unforeseeable reasons. On BCP page 323, the rubric at the bottom of the page gives us direction: “But if a man, either by reason of sickness, or for want of warning in due time to the Minister, or by any other just impediment, do not receive the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood, the Minister shall instruct him, that if he do truly repent him of his sins, and steadfastly believe that Jesus Christ hath suffered death upon the Cross for him, and shed his Blood for his redemption, earnestly remembering the benefits he hath thereby, and giving him hearty thanks therefor, he doth eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Savior Christ profitably to his soul’s health, although he do not receive the Sacrament with his mouth.”
Please know then that when we are faced with an impediment to our gathering together such as we now face, by the grace of God we are not then deprived of the grace of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ our God. Here is a liturgy to help you and your family:
This also is a good time to learn more about the Mass as we have more time. You could read our new book, Guide to the Mass, which has detailed explanations of the entire liturgy.
You could also watch (or re-watch) the instructional Mass that Fr. Wade and Bishop Chad Jones made. This instructed Mass was celebrated at St. Philips in Blacksburg, VA. In the video below, Fr. Wade Miller explains the meaning and significance of the Anglican Mass from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer while Bishop Chad Jones celebrates. Learn more about the following topics:
- What does the word "Eucharist" mean?
- What is the symbolism of the church's furnishings?
- What do the priest's robes symbolize?
- What does the Eucharistic liturgy mean?
Fr. Sean McDermott is Curate at All Saints Anglican Church in Charlottesville, VA and Editor in Chief at Earth & Altar.
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