Here we see a cartoon meant to illustrate why it “makes more sense” for the priest to be facing the altar and the crucifix, as he does when celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass:
PIC ad orientam versus populum cartoon
1368The Eucharist is also the sacrifice of the Church. The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the offering of her Head. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all men. In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value. Christ’s sacrifice present on the altar makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his offering.
When the priest and Christ crucified are both facing the same way, it brings out the idea that Christ allows us, with the priest as a mediator between heaven and earth, to share in the sacrifice that He re-presents to the Father. This is particularly obvious during the Elevation, when the priest raises the consecrated Host above his head, and the congregation makes a profound bow.
It’s an error to refer to Ad Orientem as “the priest with his back to the people”; but it’s also an error to refer to Versus Populum as “the priest with his back to God.” Each orientation is a valid way to celebrate Mass, and both expresses something true, mystical, and profound about what is happening.
"Hapa tunaona katuni inayokusudiwa kuonyesha kwa nini ""ina maana zaidi"" kwa kasisi kuwa akimtazama madhabahu na msalaba, kama anavyofanya wakati wa kusherehekea Misa ya jadi ya Kilatini: ""PIC ad orientam versus populum"" katuni 1368." Kanisa, ambalo ni mwili wa Kristo, linashiriki katika kutoa kichwa chake. Akiwa pamoja naye, yeye mwenyewe hutolewa akiwa kamili na kamili. Yeye hujiunga na maombezi yake kwa Baba kwa ajili ya watu wote. Katika Ekaristi, dhabihu ya Kristo inakuwa pia dhabihu ya viungo vya mwili wake. Maisha ya waumini, sifa zao, mateso yao, maombi yao, na kazi zao, yanaungana na maisha ya Kristo na sadaka yake ya jumla, na hivyo hupata thamani mpya. Dhabihu ya Kristo iliyopo kwenye madhabahu inafanya iwezekane kwa vizazi vyote vya Wakristo kuunganishwa na toleo lake. "Kama kuhani na Kristo msalabani wote wawili wanakabiliwa na njia moja, inatoa wazo kwamba Kristo anaturuhusu, pamoja na kuhani kama mpatanishi kati ya mbinguni na dunia, kushiriki katika dhabihu ambayo Yeye humtolea Baba tena.""" Hii ni dhahiri hasa wakati wa Elevation, wakati kuhani huinua Hostia iliyowekwa juu ya kichwa chake, na kusanyiko hufanya bow ya kina. "Ni kosa kurejelea Ad Orientem kama ""kasisi akiwa na mgongo kuelekea watu"" lakini pia ni kosa kurejelea Versus Populum kama ""kasisi akiwa na mgongo kuelekea Mungu"" Kila mwelekeo ni njia halali ya kusherehekea Misa, na zote mbili zinaonyesha kitu cha kweli, cha fumbo, na kina kuhusu kile kinachotokea."