10. The Eucharistic Prayer . . . “The Heart of the Mass.”

For the next few weeks we are going to learn about the part of the Mass that is called the Eucharistic Prayer.  The Eucharistic Prayer is truly the “Heart of the Mass”.

The Eucharistic prayer encompasses the moment when the consecration of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus occurs.

I.   The most obvious part of the Eucharistic prayer we recognize is the narration of that part of the Last Supper when, we believe, Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Holy Communion).

Ø  Because we are repeating the words and actions of Jesus, you might be fooled into thinking that what is happening at Mass is just a re-enactment, (like when somebody plays the role of Abraham Lincoln in reciting the Gettysburg Address)

II.     Though it has the superficial appearance of a re-enactment, the Eucharistic prayer is actually a powerful form of Church-memory:

a.      In remembrance of Jesus and his command at the Last Supper, the Church calls upon the Holy Spirit to descend upon the ordinary Bread and Wine, and transform it’s “being” into the “body and blood” of Jesus.

i.      So. . . the Eucharistic Prayer is not a re-enactment, but a moment of making-present.

III.    Let’s break the Eucharistic Prayer down in order:

First . . . there is a Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer:

There are a variety of these and the one which is used depends on the season of the Church year, or the readings of the Mass.

Ø   The Preface is meant to prepare us for what is about to happen, and it’s words are very familiar:  The priest says, “The Lord be with you;” and we respond “and also with you.” And he encourages us to “lift up our hearts,” and we respond, “we have lifted them up to the Lord.” And, finally, we agree that “it is right to give Him thanks and praise.”

o   The familiarity of the words which begin this preface tempt us to tune out and day-dream, but the intention is that we ready ourselves for the high-point of the Mass:  We are centering our minds and hearts on this special moment when Jesus will break through the barrier between Heaven and Earth and become present to us as our spiritual food.

Ø  The preface goes on to express praise of God for His mighty works through Jesus and the Holy Spirit . . . in the Creation of the World and the Redemption of the Human Family.

o   It expresses many of the reasons why “it is right for us to give Him thanks and praise.”

Ø  The preface ends by reminding us that our celebration of Mass corresponds to a celebration going on in Heaven among the Saints and Angels.

o   We are celebrating Mass with Saints and Angels.  They are in the direct presence of Jesus, the Lamb of God.  We are about to be in his sacramental presence through Holy Communion.

o   We sing the song of angels that is reported to us in the Bible by the Prophet Isaiah and St. John in the Book of Revelation. . . Holy, Holy, Holy.

Now we are ready to call upon the Holy Spirit to transform the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus.