HOLY QURBANA | KAIROS GLOBAL | JANUARY 2026

Author: Jibson Joy

Intro: Giving a brief explanation of Mass in the Syro-Malabar rite, Jibson Joy writes about some important aspects of this source and summit of Christian life.

‘The Mass is the unbloody renewal of the sacrifice on the cross.’ – St Francis de Sales 

‘At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion, he took bread and, giving thanks,  broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body,  which will be given up for you. In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.’

These lines, said during the consecration of the Eucharist form the crux of the Holy Mass and also the life of a practicing Christian. 

My earliest memories of attending the Holy Mass are those of my mother waking me up early on Sunday mornings, not paying heed to the feeble protests made by me and my sister. Delhi mornings can be quite chilly, especially during winters and we were both annoyed at having to wake up so early on a weekend. I had often wondered why my mom, a gentle and affable soul, would suddenly become so uncompromising and rigid on a Sunday morning. These thoughts, however, did not occupy my mind for long.  

As I grew up, I had to leave Delhi and my family behind. Living in different cities and hostels, I found it extremely difficult to keep up the practice. Attending Mass would be possible only when I came home during my vacations. The same routine followed when I left India and moved to Dubai. Work became the priority and everything else took a backseat. The fact that there were just 2 or 3 churches in Dubai didn’t help. I realised the importance of something that I had taken for granted all those years back. I missed the feeling of community, coming together in fellowship and breaking bread. 

Years passed and I found myself in Canada under more favourable circumstances. Public transport was an issue but there were churches nearby and I found myself going to church again. 

As my practice continued, I began to feel more curious about this ritual that every Christian attends or should attend at least once in a week (on Sunday). We all know the basics – Jesus Christ, the son of God, celebrated the Passover by breaking bread with His disciples before He was arrested and crucified and Christians all around the world remember Him and His sacrifice by celebrating the Holy Mass.

But is there more to this? What happens when the priest breaks bread? Is this just a symbolic offering? How should one prepare for Holy Mass? All these questions would often pop up. 

The first thing that comes to mind about the Eucharist is that it is one of the seven sacraments. The Catechism teaches us that ‘The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.’

The sacrament of the Eucharist is known by various names. The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists 11 names that are used to refer to it: Eucharist, The Lord’s Supper, Breaking of the Bread, Eucharistic Assembly, Memorial of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection, Holy Sacrifice, Holy and Divine Liturgy, Sacred Mysteries, Most Blessed Sacrament, Holy Communion, and Holy Mass. 

How to Prepare Oneself before Holy Mass 

It is important that the laity realise the importance of Holy Mass and prepare themselves spiritually rather than looking at it merely as fulfilling their Sunday obligation. St Teresa of Avila warns us not to receive communion simply out of routine or with a lack of full attention. In an excerpt from her Meditations on the Song of Songs she writes:  

‘I think that if we were to approach the most Blessed Sacrament with great faith and love, once would be enough to make us rich. How much richer from approaching so many times as we do. The trouble is we do so out of routine, and it shows.’

Dressing modestly: The attire that we wear reflects our attitudes and beliefs. Dressing modestly or conservatively signifies our respect for the Lord and His love for us. An inappropriately dressed person not only disrespects the Lord but may also pose a distraction to other members of the congregation. 

Arriving early: It is advisable to reach the church at least a few minutes before the service begins and spend a few minutes in solitude and prayer. Often the previous week’s parish bulletin informs about the next Sunday’s readings. Going through these before coming to the church is a good idea. 

Being Attentive: One of the most important things is to be attentive to what is being said and done at the altar. The duration of the Holy Qurbana in the Syro-Malabar rite is approximately 60-75 minutes and more often than not one finds their thoughts wandering. This is to be avoided as we might miss critical parts of the Qurbana. 

The Holy Mass in the Syro-Malabar rite can be broadly divided into 7 parts:

a) Introductory Rite: The Holy Mass starts with invoking the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The song Anna Pesaha reminds every one of our Lord's command to celebrate this sacrament and to reconcile with one another before partaking in the Holy Qurbana. 

b) Liturgy of the Word: Includes readings from the Bible, psalms, and prayers, followed by a homily.

c) Preparatory Rite: The priest prepares the bread and wine at the altar. He washes his hands as a symbol of the cleansing of the mind and body. The congregation prays for the priest and also invokes the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and all the saints.  

St Francis of Assisi has summarised it beautifully when he said, ‘The Mass is the moment when Heaven and Earth are united.’

d) Anaphora: This is the central part of the Mass where the congregation acknowledges their faults and unworthiness and thanks God for His grace and mercy. The priest prepares for the consecration with utmost reverence and devotion, repeating the words of Jesus, ‘This is my body… This is my blood....

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Transubstantiation is the greatest miracle that happens at every Mass. As the priest prays over the Eucharistic elements (bread and wine) and consecrates it, they are converted into the body and blood of Christ. 

When the Protestants doubted the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist in the 16th century, the Council of Trent made clear the Church’s position. In fact, with the first canon addressing the Real Presence of the Eucharist, the Fathers at Trent declared, ‘If anyone denies that in the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist are contained truly, really, and substantially, the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ, but says that he is in it only as in a sign, or figure or force, let him be anathema.’

e) Rite of Reconciliation: Here the congregation reconciles with God and each other to worthily receive the Eucharist. 

f) Communion Rite: The congregation prays the Our Father before receiving the Eucharist. The priest reminds us, ‘The holy things to the holy’. This is to emphasise that we approach Holy Communion with a clean and contrite heart (Isaiah 6:6).

g) Final Rite: The congregation thanks God for His mercy and the priest gives the final blessing.  The final words of prayer by the priest and the congregation are, ‘we do not know whether we shall come again to offer another sacrifice on this altar.’ This is a constant reminder to the people of their mortality and how each moment is a gift from the Lord. 

The Holy Qurbana in itself is not only worshipping the Lord and taking part in His passion. It is also a form of thanksgiving. Once, St Teresa of Ávila was overwhelmed with God’s goodness and asked Jesus, ‘How can I thank you?’ The Lord replied, ‘Attend one Mass.’ 

Eucharistic Miracles 

Many people have received graces and healings through the Holy Eucharist. 

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a) Levitation of St Teresa of Avila: St Teresa of Avila was a Spanish Carmelite nun who lived in the 1500s. In her autobiography, she states that sometimes when deep in prayer she would start to levitate. This caused her a great deal of embarrassment and she would constantly ask God to stop this miracle that was being performed through her. She tried to remain grounded, clinging to furniture and other objects when the weightlessness set in. 

Domingo Bañez, a prominent Dominican theologian who served as one of Teresa’s spiritual advisors, said he and many other people once saw Teresa levitate immediately after receiving 

Communion and that she clung to a grille in the church, ‘greatly distressed’ and pleading to the Lord to stop her levitation. 

b) St Paschal and the Eucharist: St Paschal Baylon is another saint who is known for his absolute devotion to the Holy Eucharist. While Paschal was still a boy, he was tasked to look after the sheep in the fields. As such, he was unable to attend Mass regularly but so great was his love and ardent desire to attend Mass that when he heard the church bells ringing at the time of consecration, he knelt down in an outcropping from where he could view the church and began praying. It is said that angels brought the Eucharist to him in the fields so that he could worship and adore it. 

Holy Eucharist for the Deceased 

Offering Holy Mass for departed ancestors in our family and for all the souls in Purgatory brings them great relief. Any prayer, but especially Holy Mass, when offered for these souls brings them great comfort and diminishes the duration and intensity of their suffering. 

Padre Pio and the soul from Purgatory: Padre Pio was resting one evening in the monastery when a man in a black cloak appeared in front of him. ‘I am Pietro Di Mauro. I died in a fire on 18 September 1908 in this very room,’ said the man. This was during the period when the monastery was used as a home for the elderly. Padre Pio asked the man what he wanted. 

‘I am coming from purgatory. The Lord has allowed me to come to ask you to offer for me the Holy Mass of tomorrow morning. Thanks to this Mass I will be able to enter Heaven,’ he said. Padre Pio agreed and the man suddenly disappeared. Padre Pio narrated this incident to the monastery’s superior who then went to the registry office in San Giovanni Rotondo. In the records, he found Pietro Di Mauro’s name and the cause of death listed exactly as the soul from Purgatory had said. 

There have been many incidents like this when apparitions of souls have appeared to countless saints and laity pleading for a Mass to be offered for them. 

Benefits of the Holy Mass for the Living 

An interesting fact is that Masses offered for living persons are more beneficial than Masses offered for the deceased. The dead cannot  grow spiritually and their level of holiness can be increased only before death. Hence, while a Mass offered for a deceased person can provide great relief, that offered for a living person can provide spiritual growth and an abundance of grace. Masses offered for the living provide three added benefits that are not available to the dead namely:

a) Increase of Merit (assigned heavenly joy and glory) – CCC 2010 

b) Added sanctifying grace ( a deeper sharing in the life of God – 2 Peter 1:4) 

c) Actual graces (CCC 2000) 

The Holy Mass is an all-encompassing form of worship that includes prayer, confession, adoration and thanksgiving. The Eucharist is also a sacrament that provides us infinite graces to grow in our spiritual journey. Interestingly, this is the only sacrament that can be offered for both the living and the dead. The Holy Eucharist was and will continue to be the most essential part of Catholic life as it includes everything: readings from the scripture, prayers, sacrifice, hymns, symbols, gestures, food for the soul and also directions on how to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. 

The Holy Eucharist is truly the source and summit of Christian life. It allows us to reflect on our mortality and the purpose of our lives, which is to glorify our Creator and live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Jibson Joy was brought up in Delhi, India, spent a few years in UAE, before immigrating to Canada. He currently works with the government of Canada. In his spare time, he likes to read and run.