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The Revised Roman Missal Notes Discussing Language Differences in the Mass Taking Effect in Advent 2011 Bread for the Journey No. 1
Bread for the Journey No. 6 Bread for the Journey No. 7
Bread for the Journey No. 8
Bread for the Journey No. 10
Bread for the Journey No. 12 Understanding The Creed In the first part of the Creed, we profess God the Father as creator. He is “maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” God is the maker of what is visible, such as the earth and the stars and you and me. He is maker not only of “unseen things” (as the former translation has it) but also of “invisible” things, such as angels. He is also maker of what is invisible, such as our immortal souls. In the second part of the Creed, we affirm our faith that Jesus Christ is both divine and human. The same man who became flesh, “incarnate of the Virgin Mary” (in other words, who received our human nature from her) also suffered death on the cross. This man is God from God and Light from Light. John’s first letter tells us that God is light (1 John 1:5 –7), and we believe that Jesus is divine light.
Bread for the Journey No. 13
The Nicene Creed
With the revised
translation of The Roman Missal, it might be helpful to take a look at some
changes in the translation of the Creed. First, why do we even say the Creed
during Mass? There are two main reasons. The Creed serves as the key for
understanding the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments — like a condensed version
of the Bible. This is why it comes at the end of the Liturgy of the Word. Any
understanding of scripture — including that made during homilies — must be in
agreement with the Creed. Secondly, it serves as a marker or guide for the
Communion that will soon follow. The Creed is our communion in the faith that
enables us to share in Communion in the Eucharist. It serves as a summary of
the Word and a bridge to Communion. We will note that at the start of the Nicene Creed, instead of stating, “We believe,” members of the assembly will say, “I believe.” Historically, the first liturgical use of the Creed was at Baptisms and still today, whenever we celebrate a Baptism, we profess the Creed. As a re-presentation of our faith, the Creed is most appropriate to Baptism, which brings others into our faith. The words of the Creed give us the opportunity for individual ownership of this faith. It’s similar at Mass. Each of us professes individual ownership of the common faith that is prepares us for sharing Holy Communion as a Church: “I believe.”
Bread for the Journey
No. 14
The Creed: “Consubstantial
with the Father” In the present Creed text, we say that Jesus is “one in being with the Father.” the revised Creed will contain the phrase that Jesus is “consubstantial with the Father.” Consubstantial refers to the core substance of who Jesus is, that is, the same core substance of who God the Father is. The word “consubstantial” professes specifically that the divinity of Jesus and the divinity of the Father are one and the same, without saying that Jesus is the Father or vice versa (kind of like how ice and steam are both water without being the same thing. Consubstantial is an important word. Theologians, cardinals, and bishops debated the term for centuries struggling to find the best word to clarify this great truth about Jesus. It deserves our respect and attention. Bread for the Journey No. 15 The Creed Reflects the Scriptures The Creed professes faith in the Holy Spirit and the Church. The current translation states, “We acknowledge one baptism,” whereas, the revised text will state, “I confess one baptism.” Our job is not simply to acknowledge Baptism, but to confess our faith in its saving power. The current text also states that we “look for the resurrection of the dead” as though it were lost. However, the revised text will state that we “look forward” to the resurrection, a belief that fills us with hope and expectation. The Creed opens up for us the correct understanding of the Bible and calls us to communion in faith so that we can approach the altar to receive Holy Communion, the body and blood of our Lord, human and divine, consubstantial with the Father in his divinity, and consubstantial with you and me in his humanity. Bread for the Journey No. 16 Prayer of the Faithful After the Creed, the presider invites the assembly to the intercession of the Prayers of the Faithful which flow from the homily and the Word of God. They juxtapose the needs of the Church, the world, the oppressed, and the local community with God’s word proclaimed in the liturgy. These prayers are meant to be general or universal, meaning they are not particular for any one person or for any one thing. For example, instead of praying only for Aunt Joan who is struggling with illness, we pray for all the sick and ill. The presider concludes the Prayers of the Faithful with a prayer, which marks the end of the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy of the Eucharist is next. Though we cannot see words, their power, especially if they are Christ’s words proclaimed in liturgy, touch us with comfort or challenge us to live Christ’s mission given to the Church. Above taken from Revised Roman Missal: And with Your Spirit © 2010 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800. You may read more also at the U.S. Catholic Bishops' web site. Bread for the Journey No. 18 Presentation of the Gifts As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us, “In the bread and wine that we bring to the altar, all creation is taken up by Christ the Redeemer to be transformed and presented to the Father” (Sacramentum caritatis, #47). The bread and wine—and our gifts for the ministry of the Church and care of the poor—symbolize who we are, all we have done in the previous week (our “work”), and all of creation. Even the “pain and suffering of the world” is taken up in order to be transformed. In other words, everything has value in the eyes of God. There is a powerful dynamic at work here. God has given us the gift of creation and of human work. We offer back to God the “fruit of the earth and work of human hands,” which are transformed, for our sake and for the sake of the world, into the very Presence of Christ. Praying the Eucharistic Prayer, and receiving such a gift in Holy Communion, we are transformed—and make to God the return-gift of a life lived in accord with the gospel. Catholic Messenger Series—Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 19 Preparation of the Gifts In Introduction to the Order of Mass, #105, the US Bishops noted: "The procession with the gifts is a powerful expression of the participation of all present in the Eucharist and in the social mission of the Church. It is an expression of the humble and contrite heart, the dispossession of self that is necessary for making the true offering, which the Lord Jesus gave his people to make with him. The procession with the gifts expresses also our eagerness to enter into the “holy exchange” with God…. "But such a “divine exchange of gifts” is impossible to see if we routinely use only part of the wine that is presented or commune members of the assembly from the tabernacle. The symbols of bread and wine offered and transformed and returned, are powerful if we let them speak. This is one of the key differences between Eucharist and communion services. After the priest invites us to prayer, we stand and then reply: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands....” He then offers the Prayer over the Gifts, which asks not only for the transformation of our gifts but for our transformation as well. Perhaps the next time that we are at Mass we can listen for the petition—the change that the prayer is calling us to—and make it our own."
Catholic Messenger Series—Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 20 A Note on Eucharistic Prayers While the words of the institution narrative are the same in each one, we have 10 different Eucharistic Prayers in the new Missal. Eucharistic Prayer I (the Roman Canon) has its earliest roots in the 4th Century (as testified to by St. Ambrose), and is a slight revision of the only Eucharistic Prayer that we used for the roughly 400 years preceding the Second Vatican Council. Because it developed over roughly 1000 years, it has a form all its own. Eucharistic Prayer II is adapted from the Apostolic Tradition, an early third century text traditionally attributed to Hippolytus of Rome. The pattern of prayer found here was used to craft the remaining Eucharistic Prayers. This prayer has its own optional preface. Eucharistic Prayer III, composed after Vatican II, picks up the themes of the first Eucharistic Prayer and renders them in the format of the second. Eucharistic Prayer IV is adapted from Eastern Christian prayers dating back to the fourth century and is marked by having its own required preface. The two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation were composed for the Holy Year 1975, and may be used in Masses in which the mystery of reconciliation is conveyed to the faithful in a special way (such as during Lent). Of Swiss origin and composed in 1995, the Eucharistic Prayer for Masses for Various Needs and Occasions is really four prayers in one; there is a fixed section and a section (including the proper preface) that varies—giving us four unique prayers. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharistic Prayer (Part 2) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 21 Eucharistic Prayer Dialogues
In this first section—the Preface and Holy, Holy—we recall the past (God’s gift of self) with gratitude as we focus on the historical and glorified Body of Christ. The Preface begins with a dialogue between the priest and people. Dialogues are an important element of the Roman liturgy. They are sacramental: they both express and help to bring about the communion between priest and people. Dialogues require the participation of both parties; one can’t go on without the consent of the other. This particular exchange ends with the priest calling us to give thanks to God, to which we respond: “It is right and just.” The priest then begins the Preface with those very words: “It is truly right and just….” In a sense, we hand the priest the words that he is going to use to give voice to our prayer. While it doesn’t seem like a big deal, this is a small example of the way that the liturgy reminds us that the Eucharist is the prayer of the entire community. While we might have different ministries at Mass, we are all one Body.
Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharistic Prayer (Part I) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 22 Preface While the Preface differs according to the season, the feast, or the rite being celebrated, its purpose remains the same: to highlight the particular reasons for our gratitude. So one way that we can enter more intentionally into the prayer (instead of zoning out) is to offer a silent “thank you” after each of the sentences or phrases in the Preface that mention a cause for thanksgiving. Let’s take a look at the Preface that goes with Eucharistic Prayer II:
Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharistic Prayer (Part I) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting.
Bread for the Journey
No. 23 The preface begins with the greeting between the priest and the people; but in response to, “The Lord be with you,” we will now say, “And with your spirit.” Most language groups, like Spanish, already use this response, which might help build a deeper sense of unity in multicultural parishes. This dialogue is used whenever an ordained minister is about to do something significant in the Mass—begin the liturgy, proclaim the gospel, pray the Eucharistic Prayer, bless and dismiss the assembly. The priest prays that God’s spirit be with us to do what we are called to do: celebrate the liturgy. In response, we acknowledge that this person has been ordained to lead us in sacramental worship, praying that the particular spiritual gift given to him at ordination would enable him to fulfill his vocation in the church. In response to “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” we will now respond, “It is right and just.” This reminds us that it is not only good to give thanks to God, but that it is our baptismal duty as well. In addition to being more inclusive, this phrase will lead directly into the next part of the preface, which will now begin, “It is truly right and just….” In a sense, the people will hand the priest the words with which to open the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer he will pray out loud on their behalf, and to which the people (not the priest) at its conclusion will respond, “Amen!” The only change in the Sanctus (Holy, Holy) is in the opening line, which will now more accurately reflect the ancient prayer of the church, based on Isaiah 6:3, by referring to “Lord God of hosts” (as in “Silent Night” and the angelic beings which surround God, not Communion hosts). Reprinted with permission from Today's Parish. For more information call 800-321-0411 or visit www.todaysparish.com. Bread for the Journey No. 24 Sanctus The word Sanctus is Latin for “holy.” Hence, the name of this acclamation comes from the first three words of the text. Here is the revised text of the Sanctus: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The text of the Sanctus in The Roman Missal has only one change. The change is in the first line. We once sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of power and might.” Now, as we see above, the translation is rendered, “God of hosts.” While the word hosts is a literal translation of the official Latin edition of The Roman Missal, it also opens up the interpretation beyond God being only for those who are mighty and powerful to a God who is of the hosts: God of heaven and earth. God’s dominion, reign, or kingdom stretches beyond our worldly understandings of power and might to a God who is God of all. Indeed, God is holy. Revised Roman Missal © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved Bread for the Journey No. 25 Institution Narrative In the middle section of the Eucharistic Prayer, we focus on the present—on what Christ is doing here and now, his perpetual sacrifice of self to the Father, and on our joining of ourselves to his great act of love. In other words, our focus becomes the Eucharistic Body of Christ. We then pray the Institution Narrative: At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT: FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU. In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying: TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT: FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME The point of the Institution Narrative is not play-acting; it is not about mimicking what Jesus did 2000 years ago. That’s why the priest does not break the bread at this time; and why he is directed to bow and look at the host and chalice while speaking the words of institution, not at the people as if he were pretending to be Christ at the Last Supper. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharist Prayer (Part II) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 26 Anamnesis By obeying Christ’s command to “do this” in his memory, we experience in its fullness here and now what he did at the Last Supper and on the Cross. It is about remembering, a special kind of remembering—or making memorial—that we call anamnesis. The Catechism (No. 1363) puts it this way: “In the sense of Sacred Scripture, the memorial is not merely the recollection of past events but the proclamation of the mighty works wrought by God for [humanity]. In the liturgical celebration of these events, they become in a certain way present and real.” The next section, known as the anamnesis, names what it is that we are doing in the Eucharistic Prayer as a whole. Anamnesis is an interesting Greek word. If you look closely, you may see a familiar English word: amnesia, or “not remembering.” An-amnesis, therefore, is “not-not-remembering.” It is more than just recalling what has happened before; it is, in the words of Dom Gregory Dix: “the past made present by its effects.” Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you. This section returns us to the reason we’ve raised our voices in prayer in the first place: giving thanks. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharist Prayer (Part II) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 27 Mystery of Faith One significant change in the new Roman Missal is that the familiar acclamation “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again” will no longer be used as an acclamation to the Mystery of Faith. The reason for this is that the three options given for the acclamation are all addressed to the Lord (e.g., “We proclaim your Death, O Lord…”). They all note our relationship to Christ’s Paschal Mystery (“When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord…”). The acclamation “Christ has died…” does not follow this form; thus it was not included in the options. Likewise, instead of directing us to give the acclamation (“Let us proclaim…”), the priest will simply announce, “The Mystery of Faith,” acknowledging the reality that our acclamation is something that wells up, unsolicited. Taken from The Roman Missal Changes: Article 8 Give It To me Straight (Part 3) by Joe Paprocki & D. Todd Williamson, http://www.loyolapress.com/the-roman-missal-changes-give-it-to-me-straight-part-three.htm Bread for the Journey No. 28 Eucharistic Prayer—Eschatological tension Finally, we turn to the future. Our liturgy reflects what we can call an “eschatological tension.” The Greek word, eschaton, refers to the end, to our final goal, to the destination of our journey, which is eternal life with God. In the meantime, we live in tension, we live with the reality that the Reign of God is and is-not-yet. We are straining towards a future of God’s making but have not yet arrived. This part if the Eucharistic Prayer shifts attention to the ecclesial Body of Christ—to us, the Church, we who live in this betwixt-and-between time. This section begins with a second invocation of the Spirit, or epiclesis. We pray that the Spirit—the same Spirit which transformed the gifts—will now transform (or, better, continue to transform) us:
Humbly we pray that,
partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, While it is true that, through baptism, we are already the Body of Christ, we are also a sinful people. We turn our backs on our identity as Christ’s Body, the Church. Rather than the unity of the Body, we put ourselves, and our agendas, first. So, here, we plead for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit to deepen our oneness in Christ. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharist Prayer (Part III) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 29 Eucharistic Prayer—An offering Sister Joyce Ann Zimmerman, a noted liturgist, points out the Eucharistic prayer has a double epiclesis and double offering. As Christ offers himself to the Father, we, too, offer ourselves. Having been brought together by the Holy Spirit, and baptized into Christ’s priesthood, we are joined to Christ’s own self offering to the Father. As Christ prays for the whole Church, we, too, intercede for the living and for the dead: Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with N. our Pope and N. our Bishop and all the clergy. Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ. Note that the prayer ends on an eschatological note; we still await the fullness of that Reign of which the Eucharist is only a foretaste. More importantly, the offering of ourselves in the liturgy does not occur in isolation. The sacrifice of praise celebrated in the liturgy must reflect lives of sacrifice—of loving service to God and neighbor—outside the liturgy (remember, intercessions are also about reminding ourselves of what our faith calls us to do). The two go hand in hand. We proclaim the story; we celebrate the memorial of Christ; and, changed, we are sent to live Eucharistic lives. As Father Louis Marie Chauvet has noted, the Christian life must include the three dimensions of scripture, sacrament ,and ethics. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharist Prayer (Part III) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 30 Concluding Doxology The priest then raises the paten and chalice (if a deacon is present, he raises the chalice) and says:
Through him, and with
him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, Just as at the beginning of the prayer, with the preface dialogue, the Eucharistic Prayer ends with a communal exchange: we (not the priest) respond: Amen! Having knelt after the Holy, Holy, we now stand. And how can we not shout AMEN at the end of this great recital—this great story, this awesome remembering—of all God’s mighty deeds accomplished for our salvation, of the transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, at the transformation of ourselves into being more unified and holy members of the Body of Christ. Yes, definitely, AMEN! So be it! Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: Eucharist Prayer (Part III) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 31 The Lord’s Prayer The Preparation for Communion can be divided into three parts: the Lord’s Prayer, the Sign of Peace, and the Fraction (accompanied by the Lamb of God). This part of the rite begins with the priest inviting us to pray the Lord’s Prayer with these provocative words: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say... And, together, we all pray: Our Father…. “Dare to say….” That certainly fits if we really take to heart what Jesus is asking of us in this prayer: that God be above all else in our lives, that God’s will and not our own be done, that we be forgiven only to the degree that we forgive others. Easy words to say; much harder to live! After we pray the familiar part of the Lord’s Prayer, the priest adds what is called the embolism: ‘Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” We (and not the priest) then finish the prayer with the doxology: “For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.” Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 1) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 32 The Sign of Peace/Fraction Rite The Sign of Peace is then shared with those around us. Far more than simply a social nicety, the Sign of Peace is a reminder: what we do in here ought to be reflected in what we do out there. In other words, do we share Christ’s peace with all those we encounter beyond the four walls of the church? Finally, the Eucharistic Bread is broken. This is the high point of the preparation for communion. The priest waits to begin the action of breaking the bread until the Lamb of God begins, and the people have turned their attention from the Sign of Peace back to the altar. As we pray to Christ (the Lamb of God), rather than to the Father (the Person of the Trinity that we usually address in the liturgy), we are reminded that Christ was broken for us. And we are reminded that, as those who claim to be Christ’s disciples, we must be broken, too, in order to feed the world with our very selves. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 1) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 33 A Word on Holding Hands The preparation for communion is put together in such a way that it leads us from ourselves to deeper communion not only with those around us but with God and with all of creation, through Jesus Christ. Each element (Lord’s Prayer, Sign of Peace, and Communion) builds on the one before it and leads to the next one. If we make the Lord’s Prayer the high point of expressing our unity by holding hands, and then make the Sign of Peace only about greeting those next to us (and not extending that same peace to the world), and then reduce communion to just something between me and Jesus, then we have gotten things backwards. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 1) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 34 Posture As Catholics, we pray with our bodies—and what we do with our bodies affects how we pray. So there are times during Mass when we sit, a posture of relaxed attention. There are times when we stand, a posture of heightened attention and respect. There are times when we kneel, which can be a posture of penitence or a posture of adoration. In the United States, it has become the familiar practice to kneel after the Lamb of God (for the invitation to communion) and remain kneeling through the rest of the Communion Rite except when making one’s way to and receiving communion. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 2) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 35 Invitation The priest invites us to communion with these words: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” And we respond: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” This exchange is filled with references to the scriptures: the Lamb of God (John 1:29), the supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), the words of the centurion (Matthew 8:8, Luke 7:6). More importantly, this exchange reminds us that we are blessed (not just happy) to be called to the Lamb’s Supper—of which the Eucharist is a foretaste. We come because we are invited, not because we are worthy; the Eucharist is not earned or merited, but is pure gift. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 2) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 36 Entering the Mystery To enter this sacred mystery and out of respect for the Body and Blood of Christ, we must prepare ourselves by asking some important questions:
Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 3) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 37 Communion Procession (Part i) Because the priest is part of the community, the procession and the music to accompany it begin as the priest communes. We go to communion together, and so the music accompanies the entire action and concludes only once all (including musicians) have communed. The music that we use at this point in the Mass should foster the unity (the communion) of those present—so that common action (procession, singing) and posture (standing) work together to express and bring about our unity as the Body of Christ. As a Body, we journey to the Table together (which is why standing as the common posture is preferred, as mentioned in our previous article. Liturgical processions remind us that, as Christians, we are a pilgrim people, journeying to God. Just as we travel up the aisle towards the altar, we spend our whole lives journeying to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. The words and actions of the priest, deacon, or lay minister of communion foster an encounter with Christ for the communicant. They wait for the communicant to bow and step forward, before speaking. They make eye contact, take their time, and do not treat the communion procession like a conveyor belt. When we approach the minister for communion, we make a simple bow of the head, and then he or she says: “The Body/Blood of Christ.” Not, “this is….” The Body/Blood of Christ is so much more than the Eucharistic Bread and Wine held before us. So, then, what does our “Amen” mean? Yes, it means that we believe that Christ is truly, substantially present under the forms of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist. But it also means that we are willing to become what we receive; we are giving our consent to being transformed. In a sense, when we look at the host and the chalice, we are looking in a mirror. Yes, I am part of the Body of Christ. Yes, I want to be changed more and more into the Body of Christ. In the words of St. Augustine (Sermon 272): “If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. To that which you are you respond “Amen” (“yes, it is true!”) and by responding to it you assent to it. For you hear the words, “the Body of Christ” and respond, “Amen.” Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true.” Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 3) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 38 Communion Procession (Part ii) If you are the body and members of Christ, then it is your sacrament that is placed on the table of the Lord; it is your sacrament that you receive. To that which you are you respond “Amen” (“yes, it is true!”), and by responding to it you assent to it. For you hear the words, “the Body of Christ” and respond, “Amen.” Be then a member of the Body of Christ that your Amen may be true. If we have a hymn of thanksgiving after communion, it should be sung by the entire assembly while standing (rather than as a “meditation” by the choir or cantor alone)—as directed by the liturgical books. The communion procession has a purpose: to bring those who are to receive communion to the Table. While it has become common for those not receiving communion to join in the procession and receive a “blessing” instead, perhaps this is a good time to rethink this practice. While some argue that including everyone in the procession is an act of hospitality, it also ‘says’ something that is not true: that everyone can and may receive the Eucharist. It also changes the meaning of the rite, making the reception of communion and the reception of a blessing somehow equivalent. Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 3) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 39 Prayer After Communion The Communion Rite ends with the Prayer after Communion. We close this part of the Mass by asking that the Sacrament which we have just received would have an effect in our lives here and now, as well as help bring us to the fullness of life with God at the end of time. Next time that we are at Mass, we may want to listen carefully to the words: In what way are we asking to be renewed? In what ways do I need the Eucharist’s effects? Catholic Messenger Series-- Liturgy of the Eucharist: The Communion Rite (Part 3) by Deacon Frank Agnoli, Davenport, IA.. Permission granted for reprinting. Bread for the Journey No. 40 Concluding Rites (Part i) The Communion Rite ends with the Prayer after Communion. We close this of all the major sections or parts of the Mass (that is, the Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist), the Concluding Rites are the shortest. The Liturgy of the Eucharist ends with the Prayer after Communion, and the Concluding Rites begin with — though not required — announcements. Typically, these announcements are brief and impact the liturgical assembly. They may point to the activities of the parish. Some examples may include announcements for help with the parish’s soup kitchen, the date for the World Youth Day fund-raiser, or a coming adult formation session. Since these announcements are not part of the Communion Rite, they are best not announced before the Prayer after Communion. Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org Bread for the Journey No. 41 Concluding Rites (Part ii) The priest celebrant then greets the people with, “The Lord be with you.” He proclaims a blessing over the people. On major feasts and solemnities, there is a solemn blessing. This solemn blessing contains three parts. After each part, the liturgical assembly responds, “Amen.” The deacon or priest then dismisses the people from liturgy. The original Latin for the dismissal is Ite missa est. The word missa is the root for Mass and thus gives the Mass its name. It has become quite common to hear people talk about the connection between missa and mission. As we know, the Mass should bear fruit in our lives. It means that the Triune God sanctifies us in liturgy. Put another way, through the liturgy the Holy Spirit comes to us to make us grow in holiness. Of course, we have to be open, receptive, and embracing of God’s coming to us through Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. If we are being called and sanctified by the Triune God, then we bear that mission in our families, workplaces and in our neighborhoods. Of course, we are imperfect human persons, and so each Sunday God continues to call us to grow in holiness by participating in the Sunday Eucharistic liturgy. Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org Bread for the Journey No. 42 Concluding Rites (Part iii) This understanding of the missionary dimension of the Mass has been articulated by Pope Benedict XVI in his recent exhortation, Sacramentum caritatis. The Pope eloquently states, “The mystery of the Eucharist inspires and impels us to work courageously within our world to bring about that renewal of relationships which has its inexhaustible source in God’s gift . . . . In a particular way, the Christian laity, formed at the school of the Eucharist, are called to assume their specific political and social responsibilities” (91). For the Pope, the Eucharist “schools” us and sends us out for our responsibilities as social and political persons. Therefore, the social dimensions of the Mass extend beyond the walls of the Church to live the mission Christ gives to the Church. What is this social mission that Christ gives to us? The Pope offers two ways we embody the social mission of Christ. The first is through “the sanctification of the world” (92). To sanctify is to grow in holiness. God sends us forth to work for holiness in the political and the social spheres of life. Pope Benedict XVI also alerts us to our mission of being good stewards of God’s creation. “The world is not something indifferent, raw material to be utilized simply as we see fit. Rather, it is part of God’s good plan . . . . (92). Therefore, as the Pope mentions, our second responsibility of the social mission of Christ is to work “responsibly for the protection of creation” (92). All of creation belongs to God alone. God entrusted to us this precious gift in order to take good care of it and all creatures. Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org Bread for the Journey No. 43 Concluding Rites (Part iv) In this same exhortation, the Pope acknowledges a need for new dismissal options. In the revised edition of The Roman Missal, the priest or deacon may say, “Go forth, the Mass is ended,” “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life,” or “Go in peace.” “Announce the Gospel” and “glorifying the Lord by your life” both convey the meaning of the Concluding Rites. Namely, we are called to take inside ourselves God’s Word, Body and Blood and allow God to change us in holiness and to live this change in everything we do. After the proclamation of the actual dismissal, the priest venerates the altar-table with a kiss and then a bow. The Mass has ended. Although not required, a concluding song or hymn is common for the departure of the liturgical ministers from the liturgy. In some parishes, the organist will play a postlude during the recessional. Preparing Your Parish for the Revised Roman Missal: Homilies and Reproducibles for Faith Formation © 2011 Archdiocese of Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 3949 South Racine Avenue, Chicago IL 60609; 1-800-933-1800; www.LTP.org
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