The Mass: Liturgy of the Eucharist - Part I

Let’s now begin a very important set of columns as we take a look at the pinnacle of the Mass: The Liturgy of the Eucharist. This part of the Mass is so important we are planning to present this in seventeen (yes, that’s not a typo!) parts.

After the Prayer of the Faithful is prayed (which concludes the Liturgy of the Word), we all sit down, and we enter into the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The collection is taken up (generally only on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation) and the Offertory Procession occurs. The collection, an offering and a sacrifice itself, much like what will take place in a few moments on the altar, is vital to the running of a parish, and any funds sacrificed by those present are greatly appreciated.

The Offertory consists of the bread and the wine. Bread and wine don’t just appear in nature on their own. They are “the work of human hands.” These two food items were offered up at the Last Supper, the first Mass, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist. So they are placed onto the Offertory table, and some members of the assembly, who represent all of us, carry these two items (appropriately called “the gifts”) up and hand them to the priest. Note that the Church teaches it is improper to offer anything else at the Offertory (like the water, or empty chalices) because the focus is on the bread and wine, which will become Jesus’ Body and Blood, his Real Presence. The only exception to this is the collection. Those who walk up in the Offertory Procession do not need items in their hands in order to be part of the representation of the assembled community.

“… The presentation of the gifts (...) is not to be viewed simply as a kind of 'interval' between the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist. (…) This humble and simple gesture is actually very significant: 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, Pope Benedict XVI, 2005.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact me at eucharist@stmli.org.