Having prayed for Her leaders, the Church would seem negligent if She did not mention all of the Faithful still on earth, for the laity, especially, are what build up the Church into a glorious edifice to the Lord's praise! Through their many and various states in life, professions, devotions, and personalities a marvel of artwork is designed by the Lord, which we shall only be able to truly appreciate in eternity. Nevertheless, in order for this to be fully realized, each member of the Church must be submissive to the grace of God. Therefore, it is only proper the Faithful be prayed for in this, the greatest of all prayers, which floods the world and souls with grace!
The Priest, still in the orans position, for he is here beseeching the Lord our God, says:
"Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N."
The priest may here say aloud the names of those for whom he intends specifically to pray and/or offer the Mass for, or he may do so silently or mentally, as is more common. Originally, the practice here would be to read the names of those who were specifically providing the offerings used for the Mass, or those who gave contributions above and beyond the normal bread and wine, as well as prominent members of the community. Additionally, this was the spot where the sponsors of the Catechumens would be recited, as they need special prayers for their charges, and this is still done in the celebration of the Scrutinies during Lent. In Masses celebrated for various needs the members of the group for whom the Mass was being celebrated may have also been read.
The likely reason for the suppression in many places actual names being loudly recited here was likely so that the Faithful may not become jealous of not having their own name included. Even in the Extraordinary Form the Master of Ceremonies and the Deacon, who would be standing next to the Priest during this portion of the Mass, step back so that they may not hear the names he recites if he does so even in a whisper. We may say, though, that these thoughts are incredibly foreign to this part of the Mass!
As we saw in the consideration of the previous prayer, the Pope and Bishops are prayed for because they need prayers above all else. A similar current of thought is present in this portion of the Mass. As we recall, the Church is united in three different states, the saints in Heaven, the souls being purified in Purgatory, and us still here on earth. We would have no hesitation in thinking that the saints all together pray for various members of the Church, more or less fervently, considering their relations to them, the entrustment of petitions certain souls have made to them, or the specific missions God has called them to. Why, then, should we on earth act any differently?
There are no members of the Church who do not deserve our prayers, and when we unite in praying for the same intentions as the Priest, they gain a special efficacy before God, for the Priest is the one offering the Sacrifice. Additionally, we should trust in the special providence of God, for in His mysterious ways He has brought these souls in a special way to the altar. There should be no jealousy, therefore, in praying especially for those who have offered the Mass or for whom the Mass is offered. Instead, what is needed is a special trust in the Lord.
The objection may be made, however, of prominent members being more often prayed for, as seems to have been part of the history of the Church. Let us suffice it to remember the words of our Lord, "Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required (Luke 12:48)." They, therefore, as being set in a position of prominence are in need of many graces to fulfill their obligations.
Moving on, though, we should not be under the impression that the names of all the community gathered were read, unless perhaps the local assembly was incredibly small, but instead the next line supplies for all of those for whom practicality's sake made it impossible for their names to be read aloud. The Priest had joined his hands while he mentioned or called to mind the names of the living for whom he especially wished to pray, for those names were not an official part of the prayer, but he now re-extends his hands and prays:
"and all gathered here,
whose faith and devotion are known to you.
For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise
or they offer it for themselves
and all who are dear to them:
for the redemption of their souls,
in hope of health and well-being,
and paying their homage to you,
the eternal God, living and true."
The Church would not be negligent in recommending all Her children who have presented themselves at the altar, and therefore She mentions all who are present at the assembly. Yet, to note the difference in the sacrifices, the Priest's is offered by the grace of his office, while the Faithful's sacrifice depends on the disposition of their souls. Therefore, they are presented with the condition of, "faith and devotion." To offer themselves, they must be united with the Sacrifice; thus, they must be in a state of grace and have faith in the True Presence. They must believe and submit to all the Church teaches.
It is for these reasons that Catholics who are no longer in good standing with the Church, or Christians not fully united with Rome, or those who are not of the Faith, should not be mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer. Holy Mother Church has no hesitation in praying for them throughout the Mass, or even in recommending them to God through the Sacrifice, for It may be offered for them, but as they cannot fully participate in this portion of the Mass, they are, by tradition, excluded from mention by name.
Gueranger, however, presents an important point, for what are we to make of those who cannot present themselves for whatever reason? He assures us that they are not excluded from this prayer, for he says:
"As to those who are absent, they too can participate of the Sacrifice, by uniting themselves spiritually thereunto, and by desiring to assist thereat, with faith and devotion, were it in their power to come. If such be their dispositions, they really do share in the fruits of the great Sacrifice, how far soever distant they may be (The Holy Mass, Section: Memento of the Living)."
The Faithful who spiritually unite themselves to the Holy Sacrifice are not absent from the Mass, but they are there through their union with the Church, which as we have mentioned is fully present at the altar of God.
Let us move on, though, in our consideration of this prayer. We must remember the Sacrifice is especially offered for the spiritual benefit of the Faithful, so they may derive the graces from It, as well as receive the Body and Blood of our Lord in Holy Communion. Consequently, although it is offered first for the benefit of the entire Church, secondarily it is offered especially for the Faithful, either those for whom the Mass is being offered or those who present themselves at the Sacrifice. The first phrase, "For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise," may be said to refer to the first group, the intentions of the Priest in offering the Mass, while the second phrase, "or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them," is referring to the Faithful who have come to the altar of God and offer themselves in union with the Sacrifice for all their various intentions, unknown to the Priest but for which he will not neglect to also pray.
But let us quickly look at this term, "sacrifice of praise." This is a term continually met with in the Old Testament, and especially in the Psalms. Let us look, for example, at Psalm 116:
"What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD . . . .
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD (Psalm 116:12-13, 17)."
Yet this term also appears in the Letter to the Hebrews, as we see, "Through him [Christ] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God . . . (Hebrews 13:15)." From these two passages it is clear the notion of offering sacrifice to the Lord is a way of both thanking Him for all His gracious favors to us, but is also the chief way in which we may praise and adore Him. For this reason, it is said the chief act of the Mass is for the adoration of God, for in doing so we also thank Him. These two acts, then, of adoration and thanksgiving are really one in the same, though they may be different in intention.
However, we must continue on in our considerations. The Priest has acknowledged the offering of themselves the Faithful make, as well as their intentions, but it is also necessary for him to make clear the supreme importance of the Act which they are participating in. The chief recommendations made here are not to be simply worldly ideas, but they are to be geared towards eternity. Therefore, the chief intention for all the souls offered here must be for redemption. This is the Sacrifice of Calvary, offered for our redemption of the soul, and therefore, the souls presented here must be hoping to gain, first and foremost, this benefit.
Nevertheless, the Church would not neglect the worldly benefits of the Faithful, though She acknowledges these are not necessary for eternal redemption. Therefore, the Priest merely says, "in hope of health and well-being (emphasis added)." It is as if he were saying, "These souls wish to have peace, health, and success in this life, but grant it only if it be in accord with their eternal redemption."
Interestingly, this recommendation then concludes with an acknowledgment that the Faithful must also wish to offer this Sacrifice as a "sacrifice of praise." The first time, the Priest was referring to it for himself; he is offering it for the praise of Almighty God. Yet with the words, "and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true," the Priest is saying this must also be in the minds of the Faithful for them to offer a worthy sacrifice. This a requirement of their "faith and devotion." It is not satisfactory they give supplication for their own desires, but they must give back to the Lord what He has given to them, namely His Son, Christ the Lord.
The final phrase is part of this praise of God, for He is called, "eternal God, living and true." What is important here is the address of God as "living and true," for through these names it is being said that God is One Who not only hears His people's prayers, as only a living god could, but He is also faithful to His promises. This is in direct opposition to the gods of other peoples and religions who, "have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat (Psalm 115:5-7)." Our God and Father, however, "has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever (Luke 1:54-55)."
Finally, let us quickly consider what thoughts the Faithful should have in mind during this portion of the Eucharistic Prayer. As this is the memento for the living, we should call to mind, not only our own poor souls, but also any living people we wish to pray for. This should include those for whom we are bound to pray or for whom we have promised to pray for, yet, as we have said, it would behoove us to also include the intentions of the Priest, even if he does not expressly name them. This is also a moment when we should make sure to direct our intention towards the spiritual benefit of souls. While we may be praying specifically for someone because they are in ill health, or in need of a job, or hundreds of other reasons, we must remember that the greatest thing they can receive is redemption and eternal life, so we must submit to God here and pray for that above all, as well as for our own.
It is not at this moment that we should recall the Faithful Departed, for they will receive a prayer and remembrance of their own later in the Eucharistic Prayer, nor is this the moment to pray for those outside of the Church. Although we may offer our Mass intentions for them, this is, once again, the moment for which we pray for the living servants of God, who are united with the Church through "faith and devotion." As those outside of the Church cannot be in union with Christ, they cannot be offered in union with the Sacrifice of Himself.
Let us not, however, think that just because one is not an express member of the Catholic Church that they are not included here. We must remember a soul can belong to the Church of Christ through Baptism of Desire, which fully incorporates them into the Body of Christ, and thus gains for them the benefits of the Holy Mass. We must realize because the Sacrifice occurred in time, but its effects are outside of time, there are souls we will only know after death included in the offering of this portion of the Eucharistic Prayer, for they, through their own good will, and being cut off from the earthly Church through no fault of their own, are part of the glorious company that makes up the Bride of Christ!
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 Memento of the Living, 159-169.
Translated by Rev. Francis A. Brunner, C.SS.R. (Christian Classics:
Notre Dame, Indiana, 1951).
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