Listen to today’s Lenten Lesson:
“Father, read the black, do the red.”
Hi, this is Fr. Rocky, with our Thirteenth Lenten Lesson on the Mass.
Yes, that’s what she said: “Read the black. Do the red.” The red she referred to are the “rubrics” in the Roman Missal, or the reddish color of the ink for the directions on how to celebrate Mass. After the Gloria, here is what the rubrics state:
“When the Gloria is concluded, the priest, with hands joined says: ‘Let us pray.’ And all pray in silence with the priest for a while.”
During that little while you can pray for family, friends, relatives, a child who is seriously ill, a new job, for vocations, the pope, upcoming elections, Relevant Radio … whatever.
After that moment of silence, the priest prays the Opening Prayer, also known as the Collect. And it is usually centered on the theme of the Mass, whether it be a saint, or a season, or a solemnity of the Lord.
P.S. The silent moment before the Collect is a perfect moment to pray for others. Find out more about the power of intercessory prayer in this article from our archives.