All of Nature's Contribution to the Mass: Part I

The Holy Mass is first and foremost a sacrifice to God, and in this ultimate sacrifice of Christ is many smaller sacrifices composing a vast array of the entire natural world. From animals, to plants, to even the earth itself, all of God’s creation comes together in the Holy Mass to offer fitting sacrifice to their creator.

Let us first start with the sacrifice that the animals make to facilitate worship of God. Certain vestments (the ceremonial garments worn by the clergy in the liturgy) may be made from silk, a sacrifice of silkworms to create. The most important books used in the liturgy are bound in leather, a sacrifice of cows to create.

Perhaps the most historic animal contribution and one that is filled with symbolism are the altar candles, formed from the work of bees to create beeswax. The Exsultet, the beautifully written proclamation hailing from the 5th century that is chanted each year at the Easter Vigil, prominently speaks of the this, specially in reference to the Paschal (Easter) Candle: “On this, your night of grace, O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering, the work of bees and of your servants' hands an evening sacrifice of praise, this gift from your most holy Church.”, and "a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light, for it is fed by melting wax, drawn out by mother bees to build a torch so precious.”

This sacrificial work of the bees in the Mass has in itself a further sacrifice for God. The wax melts away to provide illumination, using up the candle in the process until there is no candle remaining. The candle sacrifices itself in order to give glory to God. Candles have been an important aspect in many religions for millennia, and the ancient Israelites in their worship of God understood this importance as well, and from which we have inherited aspects of this. From their days wandering in the desert to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, they had placed before the Tabernacle of God, where His presence dwelt among the people, a menorah with seven lamps. The center seventh lamp represented God Himself and His Sabbath.

The Catholic Church adopted this practice of lamps or candles on the Altar, where God becomes present amongst His people, but with a twist. We now have the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, and so that seventh candle in the menorah which represented God, is changed to a crucifix, displaying Christ, the Light of the World. Catholic altars for centuries have typically been accompanied by six candles with a crucifix in the center, which can remind us of our lineage, and now we have the same at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.