Holy Qurbana is the supreme act of worship offered to God the Father, in spirit and in truth. The fruit of holy Qurbana is reconciliation between God and humanity, between people and each other, and between humanity and creation.
The essence of Jesus’ preaching is repentance and reconciliation; Jesus came to transform humanity into a community of worship (Matthew 4:17). The message of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus (Matthew 3), and Peter, who proclaimed the risen Christ (Acts 2:38), is also repentance and reconciliation. Reconciliation with God, other human beings and creation is an ongoing process in the Christian life.
The message of reconciliation, which is at the heart of Sacred Scripture, is also at the heart of Holy Qurbana. Holy Qurbana begins with the call “Let us be reconciled” and culminates in communion between God and humanity. Jesus exhorts: “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24). From the very beginning of the celebration, it is this call to reconciliation that the holy Qurbana reminds the worshipping community.
In his Gospel, John declares: “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered him” (John 13:27). To prevent the community of the faithful from falling into such spiritual decay, the Church emphasizes holiness through the proclamation of the priest: “The holy Qurbana is for the holy people”. The holy Qurbana helps the community to rectify broken relationships with God and others, and to receive the sacred mysteries in a state of grace. The Qurbana itself serves as a preparatory process to this end, particularly through the Rite of Fraction(VibajanaShushrusha) and the Rite of Reconciliation(Anuranjana Shushrusha), after the Anaphora.
The Reconciliation Service is structured in two parts. The first part is designed to reconcile the worshipping community with God the Father. This part includes the priestly prayer, penitential psalms, and the offering of incense. Here, the faithful, recognizing the presence of Christ—the source of peace for the heavenly and earthly beings—sing hymns seeking peace, harmony, and the grace to live for the glory of God. The first step in reconciliation is the forgiveness of one’s own sins. The offering of incense in this section symbolizes the remission of sins that results from reconciliation with God. This is a moment of surrender, acknowledging dependence on God’s grace and strength.
The second part of the Reconciliation Service includes the Karozuza (proclamation), the rite of reconciliation and the prayer of absolution. To be reconciled with God, it is essential to be reconciled with each other within the worshipping community. This part focuses on prayers and practical instructions that remind us of the need to reconcile with one another before receiving the Holy Eucharist. True unity with God requires both repentance of sins and reconciliation with other human beings.
In the Holy Qurbana, placing the Rite of Fraction between the two parts of the Reconciliation Service carries a profound message for the community of the faithful. Only those who are willing to be broken and shared for the sake of God and humanity can truly receive the Holy Qurbana without condemnation; for them, the reception of the Holy Qurbana becomes the cause of forgiveness and the remission of sins.
Fr. Kuriakose Moojely MCBS
