The History of Mass Traditions:

The Eucharist

Rev. William O'Brien, C.M

Instead of offering the bread and the wine, the priest lifts first the bread and then the cup slightly above the altar and speaks aloud, if there is no music, or inaudibly if there is music, a prayer of blessing or praise, “Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation…” Such prayers of “blessings” were common among faithful Jews. So these prayers come from our Jewish roots.

Before raising the cup. The priest adds a few drop of water into the chalice and /or flagon of wine. As he does so, the priest silently prays, “ By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled Himself to share in our humanity”. It was a common practice in the Jewish culture to add a little water to the wine. Over the centuries this action took on symbolic meanings. One meaning is the union of the divine and the human in Christ. Another is, as the words say, that we might share in the divinity of Christ as we do sacramentally in baptism when “we put on Christ” and in the Eucharist when we consume the Body and Blood of Christ.

At this point, there can be an incensation of the bread and wine, the altar, and the altar cross. Such an action symbolizes our prayers rising in the sight of God. Also, such an action honors the object or person being incensed.

After the slight elevation of the cup (after the incensation if done), the priest bowing, silently prays, “Lord God, we ask that you receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts”. He then washes his hands and prays using the words, “Lord wash away my iniquity; and cleanse me from my sin”.

As the priest returns to the middle of the altar, the people stand. The priest invites them to pray, “Pray that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father”. After the people’s response, the priest prays the Prayer over the Gifts. As the opening payer concludes the Introductory Rite, so the prayer over the Gifts concludes the preparation of the Gifts. As we will see later, the closing prayer will conclude the Communion Rite.

We are now ready to join in the transformation of the bread and wine and ourselves into Christ and in the offering of Jesus to the Father in the Holy Spirit during the Eucharistic Prayer.