The great moment of the Mass has arrived! We have reached the oldest and most basic part of the Mass - the account of Institution - without which there could be no Eucharist. The Priest here acts completely in Persona Christi, there is no mention of himself, but as he speaks the words of Consecration, he will speak them in the first person. We must understand it is our Lord as here speaking and acting through the Priest.
But before this occurs, there will be a steady movement towards this full in Persona Christi action. Until now, within the Eucharistic Prayer, although the Priest has been acting in the Person of Christ, he has been speaking on his own behalf and that of the Faithful. During the Institution Narrative, however, he will begin to act both as a narrator and actor in a drama, which actually makes present what it states. This will culminate in the very words of Consecration, where the Priest will not even be a narrator or actor, but will cease as he takes on the Person of Christ completely, making present the great and saving deeds of our Redemption!
We should note this Narrative, composed from Tradition, the three Synoptic Gospels, and the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, is found in any Mass where the Sacrament of the Eucharist is truly confected, and this has always been the case and shall be, though the form may vary slightly. This has been the case from the time of the Apostles, it was this way in the early Church, and even as all the different rites and missals sprang up, this portion was left for the most part, relatively untouched. This should speak of the importance, for Holy Mother Church's exercises the utmost regard in dealing with the administration of the Sacraments, especially one explained and demonstrated by the Lord Himself.
Following from this, we may conclude that the Narrative, since it springs directly from the Apostles and was celebrated by them since the day of Pentecost, predates the writing of the Gospels, which did not occur until the later half of the first century A.D. This explains why some of the material of the Institution Narratives may not be found in the Gospels, and why only certain Gospels contain parts found here, instead of three matching accounts. This should cause us no alarm, for we must remember the Deposit of Faith comes to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and these words which follow have deep roots in both.
Let us now move on to our consideration of this Account though, for this is the very heart and life of the Mass, the place where the infinite and the finite meet, the spot where time and eternity come together. It begins with the Priest placing the setting with the words:
"On the day before he was to suffer,"
We are now present at that day, at that Last Supper; it is to us Jesus says, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer (Luke 22:15)." Our Lord has long desired our union with Him, which is to be accomplished through this Sacrifice and Sacrament. He has invited us to approach the Sacred Table to receive the food of everlasting life, but this must come about at a cost, for we are separated by sin. Our Lord's longing for us is so deep and so profound, however, the infinite distance is as nothing to Him. He gladly suffers the Passion so that He might win our redemption and reconciliation!
The Priest having placed himself and us in the time of this great Mystery now takes the bread into his hands, and continues the Narrative:
"he took bread in his holy and venerable hands,"
The Priest has told us what Jesus did, but this is a dramatic retelling! Therefore, the Priest does likewise. It is true indeed the hands of Jesus were holy, but this may be applied to the Priest as well. His hands were anointed with the Sacred Chrism at his Ordination; they were set apart for the service of God. It was the custom, and still is in many places, especially Hispanic regions, to greet a Priest by kissing his hands, for they are the hands which daily touch the Body of Jesus Christ; they are the hands which bring salvation! The hands of a Priest are truly, in a unique and marvelous way the hands of Jesus.
Nevertheless, it is not on account of the bread the Priest now holds that his hands have a special dignity, but on account of what he is about to do. Therefore, the prayer continues with him lifting up his eyes towards Heaven as he says:
"and with eyes raised to heaven
to you, O God, his almighty Father,
giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread
and gave it to his disciples, saying:"
It is often noted this mention of our Lord's raising His eyes is not found in the Scriptures. Here is a fine example of the formation of the Institution Account from Tradition as well as Sacred Scripture. This is in no way contradictory to the Scriptures, though, for we often have mention of our Lord raising His eyes in prayer to His Father (John 17:1). It is certainly reasonable to assume our Lord did this at the Last Supper, then, when He was instituting this most adorable Sacrament, especially since we know He was praying in thanks to His Father (Luke 22:19).
And as our Lord made the moment of Institution a prayer of thanks, so the Church has done likewise, as we have mentioned before, especially in our consideration of the Preface (here). It is from this portion that the rest of the Eucharistic Prayer is formed. We see the solemn address given to God the Father, just as we saw it at the beginning of the Preface and the Te Igitur. This constancy in a solemn address to the Father is a sign of the great level of thanksgiving which the Church is pouring forth in this prayer. A simple prayer of thanks would not suffice, but instead the Eucharist is the thanksgiving par excellance, and therefore all solemnity must be used during Its celebration.
But let us now move on to the very act itself! The Priest has already given the blessing of the bread in the Quam Oblationem; thus, he shall not repeat it, but he needs testify to our Lord performing the act. The same idea is applied to the the breaking of the bread and the giving to the disciples, for these will occur later in the Mass, and be symbolized by our receiving of the Host in Holy Communion. These narrations completed, he bows in adoration at the great act Jesus is to perform through his person, and he says:
"TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU."
And thus the bread ceases to exist in substance, giving place to the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ! To this great miracle the Church has given the name of transubstantiation, for in the Eucharist the substances of bread and wine cease to exist, yet their accidents, i.e. their features remain.
Here is the humility of our Divine Lord displayed, for He has bound Himself to obey the words of the Priest. At these words, regardless of the state of the Priest's soul, as long as he has true bread, our Lord must become present at these sacred words. The Priest is the image of Christ, and therefore, when he says "This is my Body," the bread must become his body, but not his body, but the Body of Jesus.
The Sacrifice is now present on our altars, just as it was present on the altar of the Cross on Golgotha. It is one and the same. Our Lord is here offering Himself as Priest and Victim; thus the Priest does likewise on our behalf. He is the Priest who pleads for us and offers the Sacrifice to the Father, but the Sacrifice offered is himself and our very selves, who have united ourselves to the Sacrifice of Christ.
But as it is the Sacrifice of Jesus which offers us all these fruits and benefits, we must needs adore the Sacrament, through which the benefits may be derived. Thus, the Priest at once raises the Host to be adored by the Faithful present. Formerly, the Priest made a genuflection before elevating the Sacred Species, and then another after Its elevation, but Holy Mother Church has deemed it more appropriate that all the Faithful are to immediately join in the adoration, so the unity of the Church's adoration of Christ may be displayed.
It was in the Middle Ages this elevation came about, for increasing devotion to the Holy Eucharist led the Faithful to want to gaze upon the Divine Victim at the moment He became present on the altar. The King has arrived, and though He shall personally visit each soul who approaches Him in a short while, excitement grips the hearts of the Faithful and they must gaze upon Him immediately.
The purpose of the elevation, especially of the Host, is then to give the Faithful a brief period of adoration. The Sacrifice, we may say, is paused for a brief moment and gives way to the Sacramental nature of the Eucharist, for the change undergone is a permanent one and our Lord and God has come among us in His Risen Body, truly present!
It was, and is, natural then that some form of adoration be performed here, and the Church has constantly taken the action and command of our Risen Lord as the basis for this moment. In John's Gospel we read:
"On the evening of that day [the day of the Resurrection], the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were . . . Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. . . . Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them . . . . he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.' Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!' (John 20:19-20, 26-28)"
The command of our Lord was to look and see His Risen Body, and thus the Church has always encouraged the Faithful to here gaze upon the Host. Though we cannot see His Body with our natural eyes, the eyes of faith here give us sight. We see Him, a Babe in the manger, the Priest and Victim on the Cross, Risen from the tomb and reigning at the Right Hand of God. It is natural, then, to assume there would be attempts to further extend this period of adoration with devotional practices, as has often happened with other portions of the Mass. Nevertheless, though the elevation of the Host was able to effectively enter into the Canon, all other practices have died out rather quickly.
There was a time when hymns were sung, such as the Ave Verum or Sacrum Convivium, and there were often acclamations given which the Faithful could recite, but it would seem the Holy Spirit has often guided the Church to allow the Faithful to make this most intimate moment their own. The only acclamation which has gained widespread and enduring usage is that of St. Thomas, and encouraged by Pope St. Pius X, "My Lord and my God."
We may ask then, what should be our own thoughts and actions, then, as the bell is rung to signal the arrival of our Lord upon the altar and He is incensed with three triple swings, the sign of God's presence? While there is little we can say definitively, there is much which may be suggested, for as we have said, this is a most intimate moment. One of the few things we may suggest is to gaze upon the Host, for the reason It is elevated is so that the Faithful may see it. Therefore, it is most sensible to look with the eyes at this point, and if so desired, to bow the head during the genuflection of the Priest.
Beyond that, we may comment upon the recitation of the ejaculation, "My Lord and my God," either silently to oneself or mentally, or some other appropriate acclamation which either emphasizes the Sacrificial or Sacramental nature of the Eucharist. Speaking of the Sacrificial nature, it is most appropriate to once again, especially at this moment when the Sacrifice of the Cross is present, to recommend to the Lord one's intention for the Mass, as well as any people one wishes to pray for.
Other intentions which may be prayed for are an increase in faith, hope, and charity, or an increase in devotion. One may also pray for the forgiveness of sins, or offer acts of thanksgiving and adoration. It is impossible to truly say what sentiment is appropriate for each soul at this august moment of Mass, for every soul shall be touched by the Lord in a different way. There are, of course, feelings and sentiments inappropriate for this time, but it may be safe to say as long as it is accordance with the Liturgy and the theology of the Eucharist, the practice is of God.
This ceremony of adoration of the Sacred Host concludes with the Host being once more placed upon the paten, and the Priest then genuflects in his own adoration of our Lord. For a single moment, his acting in Persona Christi ceases, and he must pay tribute to His God. He is conscious of the great act the Lord has performed through him, unworthy as he is, and thus he must adore his Lord and God, in a manner impossible for those who have not the Sacerdotal power of Consecration to understand.
Following this genuflection, the bells and incense which gave pomp and circumstance to this moment, cease, and the Priest takes the Chalice in his hands, for the Consecration has a twofold nature, and needs now to be completed!
All historical information taken from:
Rev. Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J. The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development. Volume
2. Part IV: The Consecration: The Account of Institution, 194-201; The Consecration: The Accompanying Actions, 202-217.
Translated by Rev. Francis A. Brunner, C.SS.R. (Christian Classics:
Notre Dame, Indiana, 1951).
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
A Look at the Mass: The Eucharistic Prayer: Quam Oblationem
We arrive now at the very heart of the Mass, the Consecration and its accompanying prayers. While the only part of the Mass we know with certitude was intact from the time of the Apostles was the Institution Narrative, which we shall examine in the next post, this prayer is set by the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great, who was pope from 590-604 A.D. and we know it existed before him. These prayers in this part of the Canon are extremely revered and have undergone no further developments since they were standardized in the Patristic era.
But this prayer is hallowed for another reason, for it is the solemn moment of the epiklesis, a form of prayer which predates the Church Herself and is found throughout the religions of the ancient world, though obviously it is only within the true Faith it can have actual value. An eplikesis is a form of prayer which may literally be said to join the human and the Divine in one; it is at the heart of the Sacraments, which as we know confer spiritual grace through physical means.
The idea of epiklesis is defined well by Jungmann:
"The goal of our petition is still the consecration, or more exactly the transformation of our sacrificial gift, even though it is modestly pushed to the background in favor of the preparatory step. The formula thus represents the plea for consecration or-viewing the matter technically-the epiklesis of the Roman Mass. . . .
"At two points in the Mass the sacramental world intrudes into the liturgical activity of the Church: at the consecration and at the Communion. God Himself is operative, giving us invisible grace by means of visible sacramental signs. Man can do nothing here except place the signs and -early reflection had soon deemed this proper - beg for the divine operation. Just how this appeal will be worded depends on the mode of theological though, whether to call upon God in a formal request for this operation, or (more in line with pre-Christian forms of expression) to implore the assistance of divine power. Both of these modes of approach were designated in Christian antiquity as . . . epikleses [n.b. Jungmann here uses Greek which has been translated] . . . because in both cases God's name is invoked and God's power is elicited (190-191)."
We may understand the epiklesis, then, as the moment when the Priest implores the grace of God to work through him and to operate the working of the Sacrament. But we must take a moment to consider this idea further, albeit not in full detail for treatises could be written upon this idea. We will recall the Sacraments work ex opere operato - by the work being worked - and therefore it is not strictly necessary for him to implore the grace of God, for God has so ordained it that at the essential words of any Sacrament, as long as the Priest intends to do what the Church does, the Sacrament will be effected. By intending what the Church does, the Priest implores the grace of God. Nor is the Priest imploring the assistance of Divine power strictly speaking, either, for this power is in him by the grace of his Ordination and, for those Sacraments where it is necessary, through the faculties granted by the Bishop, who himself possesses them through his Consecration.
Why, then, is the epiklesis so important, so important in fact that in Eastern theology, they hold it is essential for the Sacrament to be effected (albeit Western theology would not hold this generally, though the importance is still stressed)? We shall suggest it is for our own benefit. It is true the Priest could simply say the Institution Narrative and the miracle of transubstantiation would come about, nevertheless, the Faithful, nay even the Priest, may be led to believe through this the power of the Sacrament comes then from the Priest. How false and dangerous this would be! For then it would be true that our salvation comes from man and not God!
But no, it is from God alone the powers of the Sacraments come. The Priest does not act as himself, when he speaks those sacred words, it is God Who is speaking and acting. We may interpret the epiklesis then as most especially a reminder and a pointing to Who it is through that the Sacrament is performed. The Priest begs God to perform the function, not because their is risk God would not do so at the words of Consecration, but as a prayer of humility that he may be made worthy to act in the Person of Christ, and so that we may be reminded it is by the power of God alone the Sacraments are effected.
Now before we finally consider the prayer itself, let us consider the posture of the Priest during it, for he does not remain in the orans posture which he has been using throughout the Eucharistic Prayer, but instead he extends his hands over the offerings during it. This is often the posture used by the clergy of the Church when they are bestowing a blessing upon an object or people, and we may certainly see that here, for we shall soon examine the solemn blessing which is bestowed, one final time upon the Offerings.
There is, nonetheless, another meaning which this rite contains and, as Gueranger notes (The Holy Mass, Section: Hanc Igitur), it comes from the Old Testament. When the high priest, on the Day of Atonement, would offer the scapegoat, to make atonement for the sins of the people and send him into the wilderness, he would lay his hands upon it and confess the sins of the people over it (Leviticus 16:20-22). The goat would then symbolically take upon itself the sins of the people and be sent away, as the Lord would consider the sins of the people to be sent away.
We easily see the connection now with the Sacrifice about to be made present upon our altars, for It is the Sacrifice which takes away sins once and for all! It is here, then, we must place all our sins, and nay, even our entire selves upon the altar, one final time. In doing so, atonement will be made by the Divine Victim for our sins and we shall be purified in a way in the Israelites of the Old Law never could be.
But let us now move on to examine the text of this final prayer before the Institution Narrative begins. The prayer is:
"Be pleased, O God, we pray,
to bless, acknowledge,
and approve this offering in every respect;
make it spiritual and acceptable,
so that it may become for us
the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ."
This prayer is one of blessing and it is a most solemn one. Formerly, in the Extraordinary Form, there were five signs of the Cross made here, both as a representation of what was to come and final blessing to emphasize the solemnity of this prayer. We should note, in Masses with Concelebrants, all the Priests present recite this prayer, in addition to the Institution Narrative which will follow. We may say, therefore, it is part of the very essence of the Mass.
The Priest does not simply ask God to bless these gifts, as he has previously done, especially at the Te Igitur, but he also begs that all deficiencies be supplied for. He is aware man cannot worthily word all of his needs, but God knows them and will supply for them. Therefore, he asks the Sacrifice being made by him to be not only acknowledged by God, but to be approved as an appeasement of the wrath of God incurred by sin in every respect. We may say it is for this reason there is no wording of the sins here as there was with the figurative goat of the Old Testament, for we cannot possibly know every way we have offended God. Nevertheless, the Priest here prays that all sins be atoned for by this most Sacred Sacrifice.
But what of this next line, "make it spiritual and acceptable?" Once again, we must first look to the sacrifices of the Old Law, which were purely of a physical nature. It was the flesh of goats, lambs, and bulls which were offered up to the Lord, but the man is a being composed of both body and soul, and it is through both that sin is committed. Therefore, there must be something which atones for the sin of the spirit, and a Sacrifice of this sort must be spiritual. Even more so, the soul is immaterial; it cannot be measured as matter can, and its sin is therefore infinite. For this reason, only an infinite victim could atone for sin.
This line of the prayer must then be joined to the following so that we may fully understand it. The Priest begs God to make the bread and wine spiritual and acceptable, but he knows it is only through becoming the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that this may come about. For as man, Jesus is both spiritual and physical, and as God He is infinite. Thus, if Jesus Christ is the Victim, the Sacrifice can make atonement for sin! Additionally, as our Lord says, "What man of you, if his son asks him for bread will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him (Matthew 7:9-11)!" If earthly fathers cannot refuse the request of their sons, how can God the Father refuse the request of His Most Beloved Son? By becoming the Body and Blood of Christ, the bread and wine will therefore be not only acceptable to the Father, but a most pleasing sacrifice, and our petitions will be granted!
Let us quickly consider the position of the Deacon during this prayer. Up until this moment he has simply been standing at the side of the Priest as he recited the Eucharistic Prayer, but it is at the commencement of this prayer that he kneels (he may uncover the chalice before he does so). We once again see here the beginning of the essential prayers of the Mass. For just as all the Concelebrants must recite this prayer in order to offer the Sacrifice, so the Deacon kneels in adoration at the approaching King and Lord Who is about to come upon our altars!
This is the first time the Eucharistic Prayer makes mention of the fact the bread and wine are to become the Body and Blood of Christ, and this announcement causes a profound change throughout the church. There is a common tradition, still upheld in many places, to ring a bell at this moment. Additionally, in those places where the Faithful do not kneel for the entire Eucharistic Prayer, they kneel, like the Deacon, through the Consecration.
Even a profound change comes among the Priest, for, at the conclusion of this prayer, the Priest joins his hands. His petitions have ended for the moment, and thus he ceases the orans posture. He is now to begin that rite, found always and everywhere in the Sacred Liturgy - the Institution Narrative, in which the bread and wine, our sacred offerings, will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, the Most Beloved Son of the Father!
All historical information taken from:
Rev. Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J. The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development. Volume 2. Part IV: Quam oblationem, 187-194. Translated by Rev. Francis A. Brunner, C.SS.R. (Christian Classics: Notre Dame, Indiana, 1951).
But this prayer is hallowed for another reason, for it is the solemn moment of the epiklesis, a form of prayer which predates the Church Herself and is found throughout the religions of the ancient world, though obviously it is only within the true Faith it can have actual value. An eplikesis is a form of prayer which may literally be said to join the human and the Divine in one; it is at the heart of the Sacraments, which as we know confer spiritual grace through physical means.
The idea of epiklesis is defined well by Jungmann:
"The goal of our petition is still the consecration, or more exactly the transformation of our sacrificial gift, even though it is modestly pushed to the background in favor of the preparatory step. The formula thus represents the plea for consecration or-viewing the matter technically-the epiklesis of the Roman Mass. . . .
"At two points in the Mass the sacramental world intrudes into the liturgical activity of the Church: at the consecration and at the Communion. God Himself is operative, giving us invisible grace by means of visible sacramental signs. Man can do nothing here except place the signs and -early reflection had soon deemed this proper - beg for the divine operation. Just how this appeal will be worded depends on the mode of theological though, whether to call upon God in a formal request for this operation, or (more in line with pre-Christian forms of expression) to implore the assistance of divine power. Both of these modes of approach were designated in Christian antiquity as . . . epikleses [n.b. Jungmann here uses Greek which has been translated] . . . because in both cases God's name is invoked and God's power is elicited (190-191)."
Why, then, is the epiklesis so important, so important in fact that in Eastern theology, they hold it is essential for the Sacrament to be effected (albeit Western theology would not hold this generally, though the importance is still stressed)? We shall suggest it is for our own benefit. It is true the Priest could simply say the Institution Narrative and the miracle of transubstantiation would come about, nevertheless, the Faithful, nay even the Priest, may be led to believe through this the power of the Sacrament comes then from the Priest. How false and dangerous this would be! For then it would be true that our salvation comes from man and not God!
But no, it is from God alone the powers of the Sacraments come. The Priest does not act as himself, when he speaks those sacred words, it is God Who is speaking and acting. We may interpret the epiklesis then as most especially a reminder and a pointing to Who it is through that the Sacrament is performed. The Priest begs God to perform the function, not because their is risk God would not do so at the words of Consecration, but as a prayer of humility that he may be made worthy to act in the Person of Christ, and so that we may be reminded it is by the power of God alone the Sacraments are effected.
Now before we finally consider the prayer itself, let us consider the posture of the Priest during it, for he does not remain in the orans posture which he has been using throughout the Eucharistic Prayer, but instead he extends his hands over the offerings during it. This is often the posture used by the clergy of the Church when they are bestowing a blessing upon an object or people, and we may certainly see that here, for we shall soon examine the solemn blessing which is bestowed, one final time upon the Offerings.
There is, nonetheless, another meaning which this rite contains and, as Gueranger notes (The Holy Mass, Section: Hanc Igitur), it comes from the Old Testament. When the high priest, on the Day of Atonement, would offer the scapegoat, to make atonement for the sins of the people and send him into the wilderness, he would lay his hands upon it and confess the sins of the people over it (Leviticus 16:20-22). The goat would then symbolically take upon itself the sins of the people and be sent away, as the Lord would consider the sins of the people to be sent away.
We easily see the connection now with the Sacrifice about to be made present upon our altars, for It is the Sacrifice which takes away sins once and for all! It is here, then, we must place all our sins, and nay, even our entire selves upon the altar, one final time. In doing so, atonement will be made by the Divine Victim for our sins and we shall be purified in a way in the Israelites of the Old Law never could be.
But let us now move on to examine the text of this final prayer before the Institution Narrative begins. The prayer is:
"Be pleased, O God, we pray,
to bless, acknowledge,
and approve this offering in every respect;
make it spiritual and acceptable,
so that it may become for us
the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ."
This prayer is one of blessing and it is a most solemn one. Formerly, in the Extraordinary Form, there were five signs of the Cross made here, both as a representation of what was to come and final blessing to emphasize the solemnity of this prayer. We should note, in Masses with Concelebrants, all the Priests present recite this prayer, in addition to the Institution Narrative which will follow. We may say, therefore, it is part of the very essence of the Mass.
The Priest does not simply ask God to bless these gifts, as he has previously done, especially at the Te Igitur, but he also begs that all deficiencies be supplied for. He is aware man cannot worthily word all of his needs, but God knows them and will supply for them. Therefore, he asks the Sacrifice being made by him to be not only acknowledged by God, but to be approved as an appeasement of the wrath of God incurred by sin in every respect. We may say it is for this reason there is no wording of the sins here as there was with the figurative goat of the Old Testament, for we cannot possibly know every way we have offended God. Nevertheless, the Priest here prays that all sins be atoned for by this most Sacred Sacrifice.
But what of this next line, "make it spiritual and acceptable?" Once again, we must first look to the sacrifices of the Old Law, which were purely of a physical nature. It was the flesh of goats, lambs, and bulls which were offered up to the Lord, but the man is a being composed of both body and soul, and it is through both that sin is committed. Therefore, there must be something which atones for the sin of the spirit, and a Sacrifice of this sort must be spiritual. Even more so, the soul is immaterial; it cannot be measured as matter can, and its sin is therefore infinite. For this reason, only an infinite victim could atone for sin.
This line of the prayer must then be joined to the following so that we may fully understand it. The Priest begs God to make the bread and wine spiritual and acceptable, but he knows it is only through becoming the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that this may come about. For as man, Jesus is both spiritual and physical, and as God He is infinite. Thus, if Jesus Christ is the Victim, the Sacrifice can make atonement for sin! Additionally, as our Lord says, "What man of you, if his son asks him for bread will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him (Matthew 7:9-11)!" If earthly fathers cannot refuse the request of their sons, how can God the Father refuse the request of His Most Beloved Son? By becoming the Body and Blood of Christ, the bread and wine will therefore be not only acceptable to the Father, but a most pleasing sacrifice, and our petitions will be granted!
Let us quickly consider the position of the Deacon during this prayer. Up until this moment he has simply been standing at the side of the Priest as he recited the Eucharistic Prayer, but it is at the commencement of this prayer that he kneels (he may uncover the chalice before he does so). We once again see here the beginning of the essential prayers of the Mass. For just as all the Concelebrants must recite this prayer in order to offer the Sacrifice, so the Deacon kneels in adoration at the approaching King and Lord Who is about to come upon our altars!
This is the first time the Eucharistic Prayer makes mention of the fact the bread and wine are to become the Body and Blood of Christ, and this announcement causes a profound change throughout the church. There is a common tradition, still upheld in many places, to ring a bell at this moment. Additionally, in those places where the Faithful do not kneel for the entire Eucharistic Prayer, they kneel, like the Deacon, through the Consecration.
Even a profound change comes among the Priest, for, at the conclusion of this prayer, the Priest joins his hands. His petitions have ended for the moment, and thus he ceases the orans posture. He is now to begin that rite, found always and everywhere in the Sacred Liturgy - the Institution Narrative, in which the bread and wine, our sacred offerings, will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, the Most Beloved Son of the Father!
All historical information taken from:
Rev. Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J. The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development. Volume 2. Part IV: Quam oblationem, 187-194. Translated by Rev. Francis A. Brunner, C.SS.R. (Christian Classics: Notre Dame, Indiana, 1951).
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Easter: Meditation on the Entrance Antiphon
"The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth; by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia." - Entrance Antiphon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
The Entrance Antiphon for today may be said to connect two events in the history of the universe, which Holy Mother Church loves to sing in Her Liturgy, especially at Christmastime and Eastertime, these two "lights" of the Liturgical Year. And these two events are the Creation of the world, especially of man, and of the redemption in Christ - the re-creation.
There is an especially famous Collect of the Church of the Patristic Era, attributed to St. Leo the Great, for the Solemnity of Christmas. It is currently used as the Collect for the Mass during the Day on Christmas, and runs:
"O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature
and still more wonderfully restored it,
grant, we pray,
that we may share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."
A similar Prayer is found in the Easter Vigil Mass, after the first Old Testament Reading, On the Creation, and it runs:
"O God, who wonderfully created human nature
and still more wonderfully redeemed it,
grant us, we pray,
to set our minds against the enticements of sin,
that we may merit to attain eternal joys.
Through Christ our Lord."
Both of these prayers show the connection which has constantly been made between creation and redemption, for in both instances mankind emerges with new life, borne from the mercy of the Lord. For, as we can never tire of saying, within God, the words "mercy," and, "love," are completely interchangeable. God's act of creating the world was an act born from His mercy, for He had no need for the visible or invisible world which He created, but purely out of His love and to manifest His Almighty Power He created the visible world. Yet He also created the invisible world, consisting of the angels and man, who is part of both worlds, both of whom may know God.
The mercy of God is even displayed in the Fall of the Angels, for those who, along with Satan, fell and were condemned to an eternity in Hell were still kept in existence, even though sin is an infinite offense against God deserving of annihilation. God's love is so strong, it is even still present to the demons by holding them in existence, though with the denial of the Beatific Vision which they will forever long for.
The same is true in the Fall of this world, brought about through the Fall of the Angels and Man. For through Adam's sin the world is subject to decay and death. The animals and plants which were given for his benefit become a danger and snare to him. Nevertheless, though they can harm man, God did not take away the great benefits which they can bestow. If He did, they would no longer reflect His beauty and order, and thus could not exist!
Nonetheless, it is in the Fall and Redemption of mankind that the mercy and love of God are most perfectly displayed! We remember back to that moment three weeks ago now, when the Easter Proclamation sounded forth in the Easter Vigil and those glorious words, "O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!" While the Fall of Angels and of the world sees only the preservation in their existence, the Fall of Man sees the Son of God, the Eternal Word, Who, in the beginning, "was with God . . . and was God (John 1:1)," take on a human nature, purely out of love and mercy!
St. John tells us, "He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1:2)." It is truly by the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, for Jesus is the Word of the Father! And it is through the Word of the Father the heavens are recreated, for it is through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus this comes about!
Within the innermost life of the Trinity there is nothing lacking, there is no outside force which can affect Their perfect and eternal Happiness, for there is nothing outside save by Their decree. Yet in the mystery of God's love for Himself and for mankind, God the Son deigned to take on a human nature, to become manifest to men, so they might know the love of God. And this love is indeed a mystery, for how can we fully understand it? Nonetheless, St. John tells us:
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us (1 John 1:1-2)."
Because God the Son, Love Itself, became flesh we are able to have a deeper understanding of this mystery of God's love. While it is true all His creation in some way manifests the marvels of his love, for as the Entrance Antiphon says, "The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth," it simply gives us theoretical reasonableness. But it is the Incarnation, followed by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection, which show us and provide an experience so that we may know God's love for us.
St. Paul says:
"God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life (Romans 5:8-10)."
The angels worship Jesus because of the great humility and love which He shows through the Incarnation, while theologians believe the demons rejected God because of the Incarnation, for in their pride they could not submit to a God Who would lower Himself to become man. We might imagine them saying, "If God is take not a created nature, the only acceptable nature would be an angelic one." But God went even lower than that. He took on the lowest nature He could while still being acknowledged as God.
And this far beyond the expectations of mankind! Man often looks for God outside the things of this world, i.e. something beyond, yet God, to be known and found by all, entered into this world! He is so near to us, and yet accepted by so few! He comes not in the power and majesty of old, as He did on Mount Sinai, but He comes in our own human likeness. However, in doing so He bestows a gift of inestimable value upon us, for not only does He raise our nature to a new level through its union with the Divine, but He pours the gift of the Holy Spirit into our hearts (Romans 5:5)!
The merciful love of the Lord indeed fills the earth, for all who are born into the life of the Spirit gain the divinity of Christ! When God first made the world, He bestowed natural life upon it, but in the Redemption a supernatural life has been given to us! Man simply longs for a long natural life, but the supernatural life, so far beyond our understanding, is offered to us instead! And yet, as we have already stated, so few accept it. Why is this?
We may suggest it is because of the coldness of hearts. The merciful love of the Lord is so readily poured out upon the world, but only an open heart may receive it. And a heart may only be open to the love of the Lord if it is has experienced the love of neighbor, save through a supernatural grace of God. So few are open to accept the love of the Lord because so few have experienced true love.
In our age so many through around the word love to mean simply an attraction, or a good feeling. The love of God is so far beyond this however! It is a self-emptying. It does not always feel good in the way of pleasure, but it is so much more satisfying. Indeed, we may even call it divine, for it bears a strong resemblance to the Word of God, on account of its "creative" nature.
"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made," and it is through love of neighbor - albeit only true love - that a heart may be opened, that a whole new world may be "created" for that individual! As the Son gives Himself for our salvation producing life within us, so our self-giving in love, will produce an opening for the Lord to pour forth His Spirit into the heart of another!
Let us then both open our hearts for the Lord to enter, but also for the love of God to be poured out, through us upon others. Thus, the God Who created the world in marvelous fashion, and re-created it with even greater marvels, may show the greatest of all marvels to it, by showing all His Loving Face!
The Entrance Antiphon for today may be said to connect two events in the history of the universe, which Holy Mother Church loves to sing in Her Liturgy, especially at Christmastime and Eastertime, these two "lights" of the Liturgical Year. And these two events are the Creation of the world, especially of man, and of the redemption in Christ - the re-creation.
There is an especially famous Collect of the Church of the Patristic Era, attributed to St. Leo the Great, for the Solemnity of Christmas. It is currently used as the Collect for the Mass during the Day on Christmas, and runs:
"O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature
and still more wonderfully restored it,
grant, we pray,
that we may share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."
A similar Prayer is found in the Easter Vigil Mass, after the first Old Testament Reading, On the Creation, and it runs:
"O God, who wonderfully created human nature
and still more wonderfully redeemed it,
grant us, we pray,
to set our minds against the enticements of sin,
that we may merit to attain eternal joys.
Through Christ our Lord."
Both of these prayers show the connection which has constantly been made between creation and redemption, for in both instances mankind emerges with new life, borne from the mercy of the Lord. For, as we can never tire of saying, within God, the words "mercy," and, "love," are completely interchangeable. God's act of creating the world was an act born from His mercy, for He had no need for the visible or invisible world which He created, but purely out of His love and to manifest His Almighty Power He created the visible world. Yet He also created the invisible world, consisting of the angels and man, who is part of both worlds, both of whom may know God.
The mercy of God is even displayed in the Fall of the Angels, for those who, along with Satan, fell and were condemned to an eternity in Hell were still kept in existence, even though sin is an infinite offense against God deserving of annihilation. God's love is so strong, it is even still present to the demons by holding them in existence, though with the denial of the Beatific Vision which they will forever long for.
The same is true in the Fall of this world, brought about through the Fall of the Angels and Man. For through Adam's sin the world is subject to decay and death. The animals and plants which were given for his benefit become a danger and snare to him. Nevertheless, though they can harm man, God did not take away the great benefits which they can bestow. If He did, they would no longer reflect His beauty and order, and thus could not exist!
Nonetheless, it is in the Fall and Redemption of mankind that the mercy and love of God are most perfectly displayed! We remember back to that moment three weeks ago now, when the Easter Proclamation sounded forth in the Easter Vigil and those glorious words, "O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!" While the Fall of Angels and of the world sees only the preservation in their existence, the Fall of Man sees the Son of God, the Eternal Word, Who, in the beginning, "was with God . . . and was God (John 1:1)," take on a human nature, purely out of love and mercy!
St. John tells us, "He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1:2)." It is truly by the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, for Jesus is the Word of the Father! And it is through the Word of the Father the heavens are recreated, for it is through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus this comes about!
Within the innermost life of the Trinity there is nothing lacking, there is no outside force which can affect Their perfect and eternal Happiness, for there is nothing outside save by Their decree. Yet in the mystery of God's love for Himself and for mankind, God the Son deigned to take on a human nature, to become manifest to men, so they might know the love of God. And this love is indeed a mystery, for how can we fully understand it? Nonetheless, St. John tells us:
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us (1 John 1:1-2)."
Because God the Son, Love Itself, became flesh we are able to have a deeper understanding of this mystery of God's love. While it is true all His creation in some way manifests the marvels of his love, for as the Entrance Antiphon says, "The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth," it simply gives us theoretical reasonableness. But it is the Incarnation, followed by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection, which show us and provide an experience so that we may know God's love for us.
St. Paul says:
"God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life (Romans 5:8-10)."
The angels worship Jesus because of the great humility and love which He shows through the Incarnation, while theologians believe the demons rejected God because of the Incarnation, for in their pride they could not submit to a God Who would lower Himself to become man. We might imagine them saying, "If God is take not a created nature, the only acceptable nature would be an angelic one." But God went even lower than that. He took on the lowest nature He could while still being acknowledged as God.
And this far beyond the expectations of mankind! Man often looks for God outside the things of this world, i.e. something beyond, yet God, to be known and found by all, entered into this world! He is so near to us, and yet accepted by so few! He comes not in the power and majesty of old, as He did on Mount Sinai, but He comes in our own human likeness. However, in doing so He bestows a gift of inestimable value upon us, for not only does He raise our nature to a new level through its union with the Divine, but He pours the gift of the Holy Spirit into our hearts (Romans 5:5)!
The merciful love of the Lord indeed fills the earth, for all who are born into the life of the Spirit gain the divinity of Christ! When God first made the world, He bestowed natural life upon it, but in the Redemption a supernatural life has been given to us! Man simply longs for a long natural life, but the supernatural life, so far beyond our understanding, is offered to us instead! And yet, as we have already stated, so few accept it. Why is this?
We may suggest it is because of the coldness of hearts. The merciful love of the Lord is so readily poured out upon the world, but only an open heart may receive it. And a heart may only be open to the love of the Lord if it is has experienced the love of neighbor, save through a supernatural grace of God. So few are open to accept the love of the Lord because so few have experienced true love.
In our age so many through around the word love to mean simply an attraction, or a good feeling. The love of God is so far beyond this however! It is a self-emptying. It does not always feel good in the way of pleasure, but it is so much more satisfying. Indeed, we may even call it divine, for it bears a strong resemblance to the Word of God, on account of its "creative" nature.
"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made," and it is through love of neighbor - albeit only true love - that a heart may be opened, that a whole new world may be "created" for that individual! As the Son gives Himself for our salvation producing life within us, so our self-giving in love, will produce an opening for the Lord to pour forth His Spirit into the heart of another!
Let us then both open our hearts for the Lord to enter, but also for the love of God to be poured out, through us upon others. Thus, the God Who created the world in marvelous fashion, and re-created it with even greater marvels, may show the greatest of all marvels to it, by showing all His Loving Face!
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