May the Lord be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart!
Before he reads the Gospel at Mass, Fr. Pat says a silent
prayer as he crosses himself three times with his thumb, once on his forehead,
once on his lips, and once over his heart.
You may see other people around the church doing the same. Do you know what that’s all about?
Well, along with the triple Sign of the Cross, a prayer is
said: “May the Lord be in my mind, on my
lips, and in my heart, that worthily I might proclaim his Good News.” This prayer is based on Isaiah, chapter 6, when the seraphim touches Isaiah’s lips with an
ember to purify him, so that he might fulfill his mission as prophet. For the priest who is about to read the
Gospel, then, it is the expression of a desire for purification before
proclaiming the Word of God. Although it
is not required for the assembly, the prayer serves as a reminder that our own
mission is to profess Christ crucified with open hearts, minds and mouths. For our part, this is the moment when we
should dispose ourselves to listen well, so we can then go forth and fulfill our mission. Ite,
missa est!
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