Much of this prayer is the same in theology and style as the Collect, which we have previously examined (here), so we shall not repeat ourselves. Nevertheless, there is a difference in the ending, and the overall idea and purpose of this prayer differs from the Collect. For the purpose of our meditation we will focus on these aspects, then, using three different Prayer over the Offerings - the one for Easter Sunday, the one for the Feast of St. Francis de Sales, and the one for the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time.
Let us begin with the Prayer over the Offerings for Easter Sunday. It is:
“Exultant with paschal gladness, O Lord,
we offer the sacrifice
by which your Church
is wondrously reborn and nourished.
Through Christ our Lord.”
We may quickly see the resemblance it bears to the style of
the Collect, as well as its differences. It is not so general as the Collect, but is directed towards the actions about to take place, namely the making present of Calvary's Sacrifice and the reception of Holy Communion. Like the Collect, though, this prayer is brief and focused and attempts to tie in
the specific mystery being celebrated, the Resurrection of Christ in this
example.
We may see the same tie in on saints feast days. For
example, the Prayer over the Offerings for the Memorial of St. Francis de Sales
is:
“Through this saving sacrifice which we offer you, O Lord,
kindle in our hearts that divine fire of the Holy Spirit
with which you wonderfully inflamed
the most gentle soul of Saint Francis de Sales.
Through Christ our Lord.”
The prayer here gives us an accolade to St. Francis, while also focusing our thoughts on the Sacrifice to be offered and begging for a specific grace to be gained from it. We must not, however, entertain the idea that these prayers are directed to the saint, or are to be an explanation of the mysteries. On the contrary, the mysteries give us understanding of these prayers, and consequently must be contemplated separately. In addition, while the saints pray with us, not for the same graces for they have already attained them, they are praying that what is prayed for in the Prayer over the Offerings may be accomplished in us. Thus, we may say they pray in union with us, but this prayer is always directed to God directly, which we shall consider shortly.
Let us look now at our last example, the Collect for the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, in which no saint or specific mystery of the life of Christ or Mary is commemorated. It is:
“May this sacred offering, O Lord,
confer on us always the blessing of salvation,
that what it celebrates in mystery
it may accomplish in power.
Through Christ our Lord.”
Here we may see the same style and precision of thought that is present within the other examples, but without reference to any commemoration. Instead, the prayer speaks only of the Sacrifice about to be offered and the Sacrament to be received. There is little more to be said regarding the content; the prayer always asks that the offering be acceptable to God and that it be efficacious in granting the necessary graces to our souls.
There are, however three style components which it would behoove us to consider. The first is the use of the plural first person. Although this prayer is prayed singularly by the priest, while the other prayers of the Offertory have been prayed in the singular by the priest, this prayer is a prayer of the whole community, a prayer of the Universal Church. Therefore, it is only proper it should be prayed in the plural by the priest, who speaks on behalf of all the Faithful. For this reason, perhaps, the reforms following the Second Vatican Council decreed this prayer should be prayed aloud by the priest, for until then it was prayed silently.
All of the other Offertory prayers, with the exception of the Orate Fratres, may be, or must be, prayed silently, for as noted they are personal prayers of the priest, but this prayer, as a universal prayer to which the Faithful are especially to unite themselves, is appropriately prayed aloud. Thus, the Faithful may hear these powerful words and direct their intentions towards the actions to follow, just as at the Collect.
The second attribute of the Prayer over the Offerings we must consider is that it is always directed to God the Father, just as the Collect is. At first glance it would appear to be directed to the one God, and not to a specific Person of the Trinity, for, like the Collect, it addresses the Father as either, "God" or "Lord." Nevertheless, we can see God the Father as the one being addressed for two reasons. The first is that all of the prayers of the Offertory are directed to God the Father, since the Sacrifice to be offered is that of the Son to the Father. The Church, in union with this Sacrifice, then, directs all Her prayers to the Father.
The next reason is the prayer often speaks of Jesus as either, "your Only Begotten Son," "your Son, our Savior," etc. This use of the second person in conjunction with "Son," could only be done if the Father was the One being addressed.
Finally, the last stylistic component of the Prayer over the Offerings to be examined is its conclusion, which is always more simple than the Collect. While the Collect ends with, "Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever," or, "Who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever," the Prayer over the Offerings is simply, "Through Christ our Lord," or, "Who lives and reigns for ever and ever." Although apparently different, these conclusions are really quite the same thing, simply abbreviated.
With the Collect we saw the prayer was offered to the Father through Jesus Christ, as all prayer is, since Jesus is our Mediator with the Father (Hebrews 9:15). The same goes here, for we attach our prayers to the Cross, "to the sprinkled blood [of Christ] that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24)." All our prayers are offered through Christ, our Advocate with the Father, Who lives and reigns with Him and graciously provides for all our needs to attain our salvation!
As we enter into the next part of the Mass, the most ancient and integral part, the Eucharistic Prayer, let us perfectly unite ourselves in intention with Jesus Christ our Head, and the Church His Body. May we receive salvation through His Sacrifice for our Redemption and be filled with every grace through the Sacrament about to be made present!
Here we may see the same style and precision of thought that is present within the other examples, but without reference to any commemoration. Instead, the prayer speaks only of the Sacrifice about to be offered and the Sacrament to be received. There is little more to be said regarding the content; the prayer always asks that the offering be acceptable to God and that it be efficacious in granting the necessary graces to our souls.
There are, however three style components which it would behoove us to consider. The first is the use of the plural first person. Although this prayer is prayed singularly by the priest, while the other prayers of the Offertory have been prayed in the singular by the priest, this prayer is a prayer of the whole community, a prayer of the Universal Church. Therefore, it is only proper it should be prayed in the plural by the priest, who speaks on behalf of all the Faithful. For this reason, perhaps, the reforms following the Second Vatican Council decreed this prayer should be prayed aloud by the priest, for until then it was prayed silently.
All of the other Offertory prayers, with the exception of the Orate Fratres, may be, or must be, prayed silently, for as noted they are personal prayers of the priest, but this prayer, as a universal prayer to which the Faithful are especially to unite themselves, is appropriately prayed aloud. Thus, the Faithful may hear these powerful words and direct their intentions towards the actions to follow, just as at the Collect.
The second attribute of the Prayer over the Offerings we must consider is that it is always directed to God the Father, just as the Collect is. At first glance it would appear to be directed to the one God, and not to a specific Person of the Trinity, for, like the Collect, it addresses the Father as either, "God" or "Lord." Nevertheless, we can see God the Father as the one being addressed for two reasons. The first is that all of the prayers of the Offertory are directed to God the Father, since the Sacrifice to be offered is that of the Son to the Father. The Church, in union with this Sacrifice, then, directs all Her prayers to the Father.
The next reason is the prayer often speaks of Jesus as either, "your Only Begotten Son," "your Son, our Savior," etc. This use of the second person in conjunction with "Son," could only be done if the Father was the One being addressed.
Finally, the last stylistic component of the Prayer over the Offerings to be examined is its conclusion, which is always more simple than the Collect. While the Collect ends with, "Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever," or, "Who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever," the Prayer over the Offerings is simply, "Through Christ our Lord," or, "Who lives and reigns for ever and ever." Although apparently different, these conclusions are really quite the same thing, simply abbreviated.
With the Collect we saw the prayer was offered to the Father through Jesus Christ, as all prayer is, since Jesus is our Mediator with the Father (Hebrews 9:15). The same goes here, for we attach our prayers to the Cross, "to the sprinkled blood [of Christ] that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24)." All our prayers are offered through Christ, our Advocate with the Father, Who lives and reigns with Him and graciously provides for all our needs to attain our salvation!
As we enter into the next part of the Mass, the most ancient and integral part, the Eucharistic Prayer, let us perfectly unite ourselves in intention with Jesus Christ our Head, and the Church His Body. May we receive salvation through His Sacrifice for our Redemption and be filled with every grace through the Sacrament about to be made present!
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