…why the priest says the Our Father with open arms at Holy Mass?
In the Holy Scriptures we find many passages in which certain providential men turn to God in prayer with their arms open.
During the Israelites’ battle against Amalek, for example, Moses was on the top of the mountain interceding for the people with his arms raised to Heaven. As long as the prophet “held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Ex 17:11).
Among the kings of the chosen people, we notice the same practice: “Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands. […] Then he knelt upon his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward Heaven; and said, ‘O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like Thee, in Heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to Thy servants who walk before Thee with all their heart’” (2 Chr 6:12-14).
This gesture therefore characterizes the praying soul who looks upwards in an attitude of supplication, exercising the role of intercessor before God, and can also mean an exclamation of anguish or an expression of praise and gratitude. Finally, the Holy Fathers compare the raising of the arms to the position of Our Lord Jesus Christ nailed to the Cross to save humanity.
With this in mind, the Holy Church has preserved this custom during the recitation of the Our Father at Holy Mass. The priest raises his arms to symbolize the intercessory nature of his prayer, and to make the motherhood of the Church shine out in an admirable way: just as Christ interceded for men on Calvary, she intercedes for the faithful with the Redeemer in the Liturgy. ◊
…why sacred vessels are made of metal?
The chalice is the oldest and most important object used for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, having been used by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself when He instituted the Holy Eucharist.
Over the centuries, different materials have been used to make chalices, such as stone, wood, clay, bronze or animal horn. From the 5th century onwards, the use of gold chalices became common in order to give the greatest possible distinction to the vessel that would receive the Precious Blood of Our Lord.
Today, ecclesiastical law determines that the chalice be made of noble metal and always gilded on the inside (cf. Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, n.328; Redemptionis Sacramentum, n.117). This rule also applies to the ciborium, as well as to the pyx, for the same motive.
The use of noble metal is intended to render the honour due to Our Lord and, because of its dignity and perpetuity, to encourage the faithful to believe in the Real Presence of the Saviour in the Eucharistic Species. Gold reminds us of royalty and also signifies the treasures of wisdom hidden in Jesus Christ. Some theologians claim that this metal also symbolizes divine love and, in this sense, the opening of the cup of the chalice represents the open wound in the Heart of Jesus, from which the Divine Blood flowed.
It could be said that the dignity that should characterize sacred vessels serves the faithful as a model of how their souls should be when they receive the King of the Universe within them. ◊
