IV. The Liturgical
Celebration of the Eucharist
The Mass of
all ages
1345
As early as the second century we have the witness of St. Justin Martyr for the
basic lines of the order of the Eucharistic celebration. They have stayed the
same until our own day for all the great liturgical families. St. Justin wrote
to the pagan emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) around the year 155, explaining
what Christians did:
On the day we call the day of
the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place.
The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much
as time permits.
When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes
and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things.
Then we all rise together and offer prayers* for ourselves . . .and for all
others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and
actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation.
When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss.
Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who
presides over the brethren.
He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe,
through the name of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: eucharistian)
that we have been judged worthy of these gifts.
When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all present give voice to
an acclamation by saying: 'Amen.'
When he who presides has given thanks and the people have responded, those whom
we call deacons give to those present the "eucharisted" bread, wine
and water and take them to those who are absent.169
1346
The liturgy of the Eucharist unfolds according to a fundamental structure which
has been preserved throughout the centuries down to our own day. It displays
two great parts that form a fundamental unity:
- the gathering, the liturgy of the Word, with readings, homily and general
intercessions;
- the liturgy of the Eucharist, with the presentation of the bread and wine,
the consecratory thanksgiving, and communion.
The liturgy of the Word and liturgy of the Eucharist together form "one
single act of worship";170 The Eucharistic table set for us is the
table both of the Word of God and of the Body of the Lord.171
1347
Is this not the same movement as the Paschal meal of the risen Jesus with his
disciples? Walking with them he explained the Scriptures to them; sitting with
them at table "he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to
them."172
The
movement of the celebration
1348
All gather together. Christians come together in one place for the Eucharistic
assembly. At its head is Christ himself, the principal agent of the Eucharist.
He is high priest of the New Covenant; it is he himself who presides invisibly
over every Eucharistic celebration. It is in representing him that the bishop
or priest acting in the person of Christ the head (in persona Christi capitis)
presides over the assembly, speaks after the readings, receives the offerings,
and says the Eucharistic Prayer. All have their own active parts to play in the
celebration, each in his own way: readers, those who bring up the offerings,
those who give communion, and the whole people whose "Amen" manifests
their participation.
1349
The Liturgy of the Word includes "the writings of the prophets," that
is, the Old Testament, and "the memoirs of the apostles" (their
letters and the Gospels). After the homily, which is an exhortation to accept
this Word as what it truly is, the Word of God,173 and to put it into
practice, come the intercessions for all men, according to the Apostle's words:
"I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be
made for all men, for kings, and all who are in high
positions."174
1350
The presentation of the offerings (the Offertory). Then, sometimes in
procession, the bread and wine are brought to the altar; they will be offered
by the priest in the name of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice in which they
will become his body and blood. It is the very action of Christ at the Last
Supper - "taking the bread and a cup." "The Church alone offers
this pure oblation to the Creator, when she offers what comes forth from his
creation with thanksgiving."175 The presentation of the offerings
at the altar takes up the gesture of Melchizedek and commits the Creator's
gifts into the hands of Christ who, in his sacrifice, brings to perfection all
human attempts to offer sacrifices.
1351
From the very beginning Christians have brought, along with the bread and wine
for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need. This custom of the
collection, ever appropriate, is inspired by the example of Christ who became poor
to make us rich:176
Those who are well off, and who are also willing, give as each chooses.
What is gathered is given to him who presides to assist orphans and widows,
those whom illness or any other cause has deprived of resources, prisoners, immigrants
and, in a word, all who are in need.177
1352
The anaphora: with the Eucharistic Prayer - the prayer of thanksgiving and
consecration - we come to the heart and summit of the celebration:
In the preface, the Church gives thanks to the Father, through Christ,
in the Holy Spirit, for all his works: creation, redemption, and
sanctification. the whole community thus joins in the unending praise that the
Church in heaven, the angels and all the saints, sing to the thrice-holy God.
1353
In the
epiclesis, the Church asks the Father to send his Holy Spirit (or the power of
his blessing178) on the bread and wine, so that by his power they may
become the body and blood of Jesus Christ and so that those who take part in
the Eucharist may be one body and one spirit (some liturgical traditions put
the epiclesis after the anamnesis).
In the institution narrative, the power of the words and the action of Christ,
and the power of the Holy Spirit, make sacramentally present under the species
of bread and wine Christ's body and blood, his sacrifice offered on the cross
once for all.
1354
In the
anamnesis that follows, the Church calls to mind the Passion, resurrection, and
glorious return of Christ Jesus; she presents to the Father the offering of his
Son which reconciles us with him.
In the intercessions, the Church indicates that the Eucharist is celebrated in
communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth, the living and the
dead, and in communion with the pastors of the Church, the Pope, the diocesan
bishop, his presbyterium and his deacons, and all the bishops of the whole
world together with their Churches.
1355
In the communion, preceded by the Lord's prayer and the breaking of the bread,
the faithful receive "the bread of heaven" and "the cup of
salvation," the body and blood of Christ who offered himself "for the
life of the world":179
Because this bread and wine
have been made Eucharist ("eucharisted," according to an ancient
expression), "we call this food Eucharist, and no one may take part in it
unless he believes that what we teach is true, has received baptism for the
forgiveness of sins and new birth, and lives in keeping with what Christ
taught."180
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