21 The Smells and The Bells Maybe you’ve heard before that the Catholic Mass is all about “the smells and the bells.” People who say that are of course referring to incense and the ringing of bells during Mass. Incense is actually resin from certain trees. When burned, it creates a sweet smelling smoke. The use of incense in religious ceremonies goes back thousands of years. If you recall, it was one of the gifts that the Wise Men brought to the baby Jesus. Incense represents the prayers of the Church, and is used as a sign of reverence. We find its use in many places in Scripture. Psalm 141:2 says, “Let my prayer be incense before you.” And in Revelation 5:8, we see the elders in heaven holding “gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.” The vessel used for burning incense is called the censer or thurible. Thus, the smells. As for the bells, you may hear bells rung at Mass immediately after the words of consecration. These are used as a sort of wake-up call. The sound of the bells should snap us to attention and remind us of the magnitude of what is happening right before our eyes. Stay awake! Jesus is here! For further study: Leviticus 2:1-2 • Psalm 141:2 • Revelation 5:8 Notes
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