Mary's Little Lamb: The Agnus Dei

Once the Lord's Prayer is complete, the rest of the Mass can seem to move rather fast. There's a flurry of handshakes, kneeling, standing, walking, kneeling, standing, driving, home. If we're not paying attention, it can seem to go by in a flash. This is one part of the Mass that we can't afford to miss. This is it. This is the climax. This is what everything has been leading up to until this point. 

This is part nine of my series on the Mass, Guided Missal. 

Part 1: Opening the Doors
Part 2: A Rite for Wrongs
Part 3: Word.
Part 4: I've Got Good News
Part 5: Offer It Up
Part 6: Holy, Holy, Holy
Part 7: This is My Body

Part 8: Pater Knows Best

Count how many times the word "peace" is said in the next bit. That number has no relevance to the actual theology of the Mass, I just think it's a funny number of times to say the word "peace". 

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles; peace I leave you, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins but on the faith of your church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will, who live and reign forever and ever. (Amen.) The peace of the Lord be with you always. (And with your spirit.) Let us offer each other a sign of peace. 

Beyond the linguistic saturation, what exactly is happening here? Depending on the Christian tradition, this gesture is called the sign of peace, the kiss of peace, or pax. The message is the same. Before you can properly approach the altar, you must be at peace with your neighbors. 

Does this mean you are only obligated to be at peace with the people sitting around you? If I refuse to shake somebody's hand, do I still have to forgive him? 

The Gospel of Matthew gives us the biblical foundation of the sign of peace: "Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar. Go first and be reconciled with your brother, then come and offer your gift." (Mt. 5:23-24) 

We are called to sever any and all ties to our grudges. We have to let go of whatever holds us back from God - past injuries, disputes, fights, disagreements. The sign of peace is our chance to let go of all of that negativity and focus only on what lies in front of us - Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 

The Agnus Dei

Next we move to a very dramatic point in the Mass - the Lamb of God (or, in Latin, Agnus Dei)

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us. 

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us. 

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world. Grant us peace.

Random side note: I don't like it when churches try to change the Agnus Dei. "Jesus Bread of Life, you take aw-" No. "Jesus Hope for All, you ta-" No. The Agnus Dei is a prayer, not your song. You may sing it, but it's primarily a prayer. A prayer that you can't go around changing however you like. /end rant

The Lamb of God, when taken in its proper context, is probably one of the "cooler" moments of the Mass. It helps to have a little bit of background for this. This whole prayer references the climax of the mysterious Book of Revelation. I'll quote at length, but first a little context. John has been taken up in a vision to see the worship of heaven. He describes the mighty throne, the sparkling pool, and the elders perpetually chanting. Then, he sees a scroll. The problem is, nobody can open the seals on the scroll. Revelation says "No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll" (5:3). One of the elders says not to worry, because the mighty Lion of Judah has triumphed! Oh, sweet. A lion! A fierce lion! This is gonna be good! The camera pulls back to reveal...

"standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, a Lamb standing as if slain." 

...What? That's the only creature able to open the scroll? A lamb. Maybe we're too disconnected from animals in this day and age, but lambs aren't exactly known for their intelligence or strength. I mean they're not big and strong like a lion, or clever like a raven, or...anything. They go where they're prodded, and don't do much else. This is our image of God? Not just a lamb..but a lamb standing "as if slain"!?

But Jesus is the Lamb. The Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. 

Scott Hahn goes very deep with this, and I'd encourage you to do the same. He wrote a whole book comparing the Mass to Revelation, and it's the book that got me "started" with theology: The Lamb's Supper. 

This part of the Mass echoes Revelation. The priest elevates the fractured host...the Lamb standing broken, as if slain. When that broken host is elevated, it is the Lamb of God. We aren't just singing a nice song to fill time, we are singing to Jesus. 

We are shown that Lamb and called to "Behold the Lamb of God...behold him to takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb" 

We realize that we are called to that supper, and we can only think to quote the centurion from the Gospels: "Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof...but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."