Deacon Kevin Gingras
April 19th, 2026
Seventh Sunday of Easter
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051726-Sunday
Acts 1:12-14 Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8
I’ve been thinking about something a lot lately, and when I think of something a lot, you folks get to hear about it in a homily. The thought is that I’ve been hearing words related to “up” a lot lately, especially in church. Jesus ascended into Heaven, the apostles went to the upper room, and in today’s Gospel, “Jesus raised his eyes to Heaven”. If the Son of God can raise His eyes to Heaven, then perhaps we should follow that example here at Mass, and not just lift our eyes, but all our senses, our minds, our bodies, our hearts, and our souls as well. When the priest says, “Lift up our hearts,” and we reply, “We lift them up to the Lord,” let's do that! The Catholic church, in all its wisdom, has given us many ways to involve all our senses in the Mass. I want to focus on one of them, our vision, and to do that, let’s look at the sanctuary steps and the sanctuary itself.
I stand here before you now, a few feet higher but I am not on the altar! No, I myself have been corrected for using that term - on the altar. NOBODY should ever get up on the altar for any reason! The area I’m standing in now is called the sanctuary. All of this area up here is the sanctuary. The altar is only that table next to me, where the true sacrifice takes place, and the bread and wine become the true body and blood of Jesus Christ. His body becomes true food, food to nourish our souls on the altar that is in the sanctuary area.
When I was thinking about the sanctuary area, I noticed that a lot of churches, not all, but a lot, have three steps up to the sanctuary. Our church has two immediate steps, but to get behind the altar, yet still in the sanctuary area, we have a third step. You are all seated in what’s called the nave. I did some searching, and apparently, there are a few reasons that churches have three steps in the sanctuary area.
First, the sanctuary steps separate this sacred space from the rest of the church. The sanctuary is the holiest part of the church building because it contains the altar, the tabernacle, and the place where the Mass is celebrated. The steps are a visible boundary between pews and the Holy of Holies, if you will.
Second, the steps symbolize ascending closer to God, even if only a few feet. Going up a step has always symbolized drawing nearer to God in scripture. In ancient times, people often went up to temples or holy places to worship. The sanctuary step continues this tradition, reminding us that approaching the altar is a sacred journey. It is a symbol of spiritual ascent.
Third, the steps help us focus attention on the altar. Raising the sanctuary slightly above the pews makes the altar more visible. This ensures that everyone can see the sacred actions taking place during Mass. It is both symbolic and practical.
Fourth, the step reflects the dignity and importance of the altar. The altar is the center of Catholic worship. Elevating it, even slightly, shows respect for its role in the celebration of the Eucharist. The step highlights the altar as the focal point of the church. It is a sign of honor.
I also read that the steps are numbered as three to represent the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. All of these visual things and what they represent, hopefully, will make it easier to lift up our hearts to the Lord. You might be inclined to ask: “What does it mean to lift our hearts to the Lord”? Well, I’ll tell you! To turn one's heart, mind, and spirit toward God, in how we worship, show gratitude, and place our troubles at the foot of His sanctuary. It symbolizes the transition from daily worries to focusing on God’s presence and represents trust in His power.
Giving Mass Our Full Attention: It is a call to banish worldly distractions—such as work, stress, or financial worries—and focus entirely on God.
Offering Ourselves: By "lifting up" our hearts, we are symbolically placing our whole selves, including our joys and struggles, on the altar as a sacrifice of love and trust.
Heavenly Minded: Our worship is a heavenly experience. We are spiritually "leaving the earth" to stand before the throne of God.
Gratitude and Praise: It serves as a declaration of thanksgiving, recognizing that God alone deserves our ultimate honor and praise.
We should be present at Mass with all of our senses, hearing the bells, smelling the incense, seeing the steps leading up to the body and blood present on the altar. It’s a full experience, and when you are physically and spiritually present, the Mass truly comes alive!
Saint Augustine told us this so many years ago when he said:
But see that your praise comes from your whole being; in other words, see that you praise God not with your lips and voices alone, but with your minds, your lives, and all your actions.
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