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).