The Mass: Liturgy of the Eucharist - Part VIII

We have one more thing to look at that is in common with all the Eucharistic Prayers during Mass before we take an in-depth look at each. In every Eucharistic Prayer, after the Consecration takes place, we are offered the opportunity to express the Mystery of Faith.

There are three forms of the Mystery of Faith. What’s very interesting is that the Eucharistic Prayer is prayed to the Father, but the Mystery of Faith is directed to the Son. Each of the three forms expresses our belief in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection in slightly different ways.

The first two forms (“We proclaim your Death …” and “When we eat this Bread …”) are rooted in 1 Corinthians 11:26: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” The third form (“Save us Savior …”) comes partly from John chapter 4 (the acclamation of the woman at the well) and partly from what say at the beginning of each Station during the Stations of the Cross (“We adore you O Christ … you have redeemed the world”).

But why do we say one of these at every Mass? And why directly after Christ’s Body and Blood become present on the altar? These mysteries we pronounce are, at their heart, Eucharistic Acclamations. They are beyond mere human reason. We take part in the Real Presence of Christ to come ever closer to the One who gave his life for us. We participate in Holy Communion to advance the communion we wish to have with God and all his people, and God himself. May our belief in the death and resurrection of the Son truly be the source of light and hope in our lives.

“There is an urgent need, then, to see once again that faith is a light, for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim. The light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence. A light this powerful cannot come from ourselves but from a more primordial source: in a word, it must come from God.” – Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis, 29 June 2013, no. 4.

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