The Mass of Saint Gregory

The Mass of Saint Gregory, Spanish Painter,1490-1500. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York, United States of America.

Questions

-What do you notice first about this painting?

-Notice the red aspects of the frame. How does it change and enhance the painting?

-Take time sitting with and investigating the ornate and tiny details in this painting. What message does this level of detail send? What detailing piece is your favorite?

Reflection

The source and summit of our faith. This is a common phrase to talk about the Eucharist and especially the reception of it at mass. But why? Because it is how we encounter the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We have this encounter with Christ in several different secondary and tertiary ways such as through other Christians, the other sacraments, the saints, sacramentals, and our prayer. But the Eucharist? That is fully and completely Him. There is nothing on this Earth that can get us closer to the person of Jesus Christ. It is in the mass that Christ becomes present and His sacrifice is made present again. It is the entire body, blood, soul and divinity that we are able to consume in mass that changes us on a fundamental level. Adoration is the opportunity to share intimate time with Him and it is beautiful, but that moment of consecration and transubstantiation is especially powerful and mysterious.

Imagine an 18-year old Madeline, just starting college as Catholic-curious but not sure what I wanted. I knew that the church I was a part of for most of my life was not what was best for me, but did not know if the Catholic Church was for me either. Luckily enough for me, I was at a Catholic college and had some great Catholic women on my floor. I really do not think it was luck though, it was definitely the Lord intervening for my good. I had been to a mass before and knew the basics of the Catholic beliefs, but I needed to learn and experience more before I was convinced. So me, being investigative and curious, asked if I could come with my floor mates to the opening mass at college. Of course they enthusiastically say yes and we trek across campus to the chapel. At the time it was not air conditioned so it was about 95 degrees. We came 10 minutes before mass but the chapel was so full that we were in the last row and could barely see. But we could hear.

I listened attentively to the mass, doing my best to follow along and just do whatever everyone else around me was doing. It was during the consecration when we were kneeling that I had my eyes closed, head bowed, and being open to receiving whatever I heard. "This is my Body, which will be given up for you." Silence. And then?

"You are home. This is what I want for you."

A voice, clear as day in the midst of the silence and at the moment the priest elevated of the host. There was no doubt in my mind then or now that it was God. He chose to speak the truth of His desire for me in the middle of mass, when Jesus Christ is becoming present to us body, blood, soul and divinity. It was an encounter with the Lord that I will never forget and has only grown in meaning and symbolism as I have grown in my faith. God wants us to feel at home in the Catholic Church because it is our true home, all of our true home. Our Lord is fully and completely present to us in the Church and it is the only place we can encounter Him in this specific way. It is here that He gives Himself fully for us over and over again, just so that we can be led closer to His heart and be more fully united with Him.

Saint Gregory, who created the mass for the whole Church to experience as unified, is experiencing the intimate transformation of the wine and bread into the actual presence of Jesus Christ. His experience which is shown here is what we can partake in each and every mass. Our Lord, sacrificed on the cross, continues to give Himself over hundredfold in the mass for our continued good and conversion. The detailing of the Lord being still wounded and bleeding is particularly powerful to me and is a beautiful reminder of the reality of what we are celebrating. It is a sacrifice. It is bloody and imperfect. It is an important moment that we should take particular care in and pay attention to. We must be reminded of the gravity of the moment and of what we are partaking in. We must humbly accept the great gift of Our Lord and be ready to partake in the same sacrifice that He underwent for us.

Information

This is one of the many great paintings that we do not know the artist. What we do know is where and when it was created, which reveals a great deal about the piece. It was in the late 15th century and created by a Spanish painter. It is a highly detailed liturgical setting which shows that the painter had a high awareness of what would be used and happening in the mass. Resting on a pillow, the missal is open to an image of the crucifixion, indicating that the Eucharistic Prayer is being said, with a large illuminated letter clearly visible. The triple-tiered tiara, indicating Gregory’s identity and rank, rests upon the altar. The tiara which is for the pope to wear, is set aside to represent the humility of the priest in front of the wine and bread which will become Christ. Behind the papal tiara, the implements of the Passion appear on a hanging fabric called a riddel curtain, a common feature of medieval altars. Clearly visible are Veronica’s veil, the spear which pierced Christ’s side on the cross, the hammer used to nail Christ’s hands and feet, a pitcher and cloth used by Pilate to wash his hands of Christ’s death, the Holy Sponge set on a reed used to offer Christ vinegar and gall, and the dice used by the Roman soldiers to cast lots for Christ’s garments. Behind the standing figure of Jesus appear the cross, the nails of the crucifixion, and the pincers used to remove the nails when Christ’s body was taken down from the Cross.

Saint Gregory the Great lived in the mid to late 6th century, but was pope from 590-604. He is well known for his dedication to the liturgy, which Gregorian chant is named after him. He knew the power and importance of the mass and liturgy which is why he took such great care to reform it. Before his time there were different ways to celebrate the mass depending on where you were at in the world. He worked to consolidate and regularize the mass so that it truly would be one mass being celebrated by the universal church. This is what we experience today and even when there are differences, there is still an underlying current of unity and knowledge of taking part in a liturgy that is beyond time and space. His epithet “the Great” reflects his status as a writer as well as a ruler. He is known as the fourth traditional Latin Fathers of the Church along with Augustine, Jerome, and Ambrose. His book, Pastoral Care, on the duties and qualities of a bishop, was read for centuries after his death and continues to be of use today. It can apply to more than just bishops, but any of those who are in charge of bringing souls to Christ. In his own down-to-earth preaching, Gregory was skilled at applying the daily Gospel to the needs of his listeners.

This painting is a depiction of the pious legend of Saint Gregory experiencing Christ actually appearing during mass. There was a woman who came to church to bring that bread that she baked herself to give to the priest for mass. When she came up to receive Communion, Gregory noticed her smiling incredulously, and upon inquiry, the woman told him that she could not believe that bread she had baked herself could become the Body and Blood of Christ simply through the words of consecration. Hearing this, he prayed urgently that her unbelief might be healed, and suddenly a host changed to the appearance of actual flesh and blood approximating a human finger. Seeing this, the woman’s faith in the Real Presence was restored, and she knelt down, weeping in repentance. Different versions have come up over time saying it was a deacon instead of a woman or that it was the entire body of Christ instead of just a host that changed and was seen. No matter what the details are or what actually happened, the truth of the power and presence of Christ in the mass and our reception of Him body, blood, soul and divinity is without a doubt. In the background, a prominent stained-glass window of the Virgin and Child reinforces the fleshly reality of Christ, the Word who took flesh in the womb of Mary, just as the human-baked bread of the Eucharist became flesh in the hands of our priests. The theological reality of our faith will always be beyond the the historical reality.

More Questions

-When was a time you had a personal experience with the Lord during mass? If not, pray that the Lord allows you this connection and experience!

-Think about the universality of the church and liturgy next time when you attend mass, how does this reality of the unification of the mass reflect the theological reality of the unity of the Church?

-How can you make Christ present in your life and work?

Let us pray -

Lord, thank you for the sacrifice that you went through to save the entirety of the human race. The presence of your body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist is beyond my human understanding. Thank you for still allowing me to partake in the reception of the Eucharist and the closeness you desire with all of us. Help our unbelief and lack of understanding, replace it with faith and hope in the truth of your majesty and power. Bless our priests, bishops and pope who bring your being to us in the Eucharist. Allow them to be convicted in their hearts of your presence so we may believe even more strongly.

Saint Gregory the Great, pray for us!

Amen.