The Holy Mass
(by Fr. Ronald Magbanua)
"Mass is supposed to be holy." Mongolians learned from their catechism classes that Mass is holy, that is why we call it the "Holy Mass". It is the highest form of all prayers in the church. Before we join the mass, we cleanse ourselves to be worthy of receiving Christ in the Holy Mass. "In the Holy Mass, everything should be holy. The vestments should be clean. The altar should be well swept, etc."
With these in mind, the water used in the Mass should also be holy. (In other words, holy water should be used in the Mass. ) This idea is always in the mind of the altar woman working in the Good Shepherd Parish, Mongolia . Every time she prepares the things for the mass, she makes it sure that everything is clean and holy. For the water to be holy, she uses the holy water blessed long time ago. This holy water has been there for several months already. So for sure, the taste would have been different already.
Every time Ronald Magbanua says the mass, he always notices that the wine tastes different. So too with other priests when they say mass in the Good Shepherd Parish. They complained to the parish priest, Ronald, saying: "How come your wine in the Good Shepherd Parish tastes strange?"
Ronald wasted no time, immediately he investigated why the wine tastes strange? He tasted the wine and it was okay. With this, he could not figure out what is the real problem. So, he checked also the water. And in the water he saw some pieces of candle drops. How could this be, he asked? He called on the altar woman and asked her why? She humbly answered: "Father, mass is holy, so holy water should be used in it.
* Fr. Ronald Magbanua is a Filipino CICM assigned to the Good Sheperd Parish in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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