At the beginning of every Mass, the priest walks in while the people stand and sing. This might seem like a simple way to “get things started,” but in reality it connects us with a deep biblical pattern of worship.   In the book of Exodus, we read that whenever Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to encounter the Lord, “all the people would rise and stand, each at the entrance of their tent, and look after Moses until he had gone into the tent” (Ex 33:8). Moses entered God’s presence on behalf of the people, and they stood in reverence, watching and praying as he went. They remained outside of the Tent while Moses encountered the Lord, but they were attentive to the reality before them.   When David was king and the place of worship had moved into Jerusalem, he instituted the practice of chanting with music during the worship. Later, in the Temple of Jerusalem, the priests would enter the holy place to minister before God while the people and Levites outside joined in song and psalms of praise. The movement of God’s minister into the sacred space was never silent or casual — it was surrounded with prayer and music.   This pattern continues in the Mass, but now in its fullness. Jesus is the new Moses who enters the true dwelling of God — heaven itself — to intercede for us. The priest walks to the sanctuary in persona Christi, in the very person of Christ, and so it is most fitting for the people to stand as he enters. At the same time, the priest walks forward also as a representative of the baptized, who share in Christ’s priesthood by their baptismal identity. The people are not left outside, as Israel once was, but are invited to participate in Christ’s own offering.   That is why the entrance is not usually silent or passive. The whole assembly joins in song — whether a chant or a suitable hymn. The Church intends this entrance chant to echo the psalms of old, or at the very least to lift our hearts and minds to the worship of God. By standing and singing as the priest enters, we show that we are a pilgrim people, led by Christ into the presence of God, and united in the worship about to unfold.