And miles to go

by Bishop John C. Nienstedt

The Year of the Eucharist has now officially ended, but the graces gained from our year long reflections must continue to draw us closer and closer to the heart of our Eucharistic Lord. In my last column, (The Prairie Catholic, October 2005) I offered a commentary on the Liturgy of the Word, the first part of our Mass. Today I would like to comment on the second part, the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In doing so, however, I wish to stress the inseparable relationship between these two parts. They should not be artificially divided, since they form an organic whole.

This, for us as Catholics, is the most unique and significant part of our Sunday celebration. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us: “the liturgy not only recalls the events that saved us but actualizes them, makes them present. The Paschal Mystery of Christ is celebrated, not repeated. . . and in each celebration there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes the unique mystery present.” (no. 1104) In this sacred moment, the natural forms of bread and wine are transformed into the living Body and Blood of Jesus. While the liturgical celebration involves signs and symbols, it is not just symbolic, not just a nice metaphor. It is real and that reality causes us to pause and ponder its meaning.

This liturgy begins with our giving our offerings to God in the form of bread and wine along with our financial gifts for the needs of the Church, especially the poor. The gifts are of an “ecclesial,” not “individual” nature. They represent the gifts of all the people present, which are symbolized by a procession. “All” the people includes children as well. One is never too young to learn the importance of offering some token of self-sacrifice for the benefit of the Church’s mission.

The priest presents the gifts of bread and wine to our heavenly Father with a blessing prayer, “Blessed are you, Lord, God of creation.” It is a prayer of praise that is meant to be said with a joyful heart.

In an often missed, but highly significant gesture, the priest adds a drop of water to the wine in his chalice which symbolizes: 1) the union of both divine and human elements in Christ; 2) his becoming one with us in human flesh; 3) the bond thus formed with his Body, the Church; 4) the pouring out of blood and water from his side on the Cross.

The priest also washes his hands. This gesture had practical meaning when gifts of produce were offered at Mass. Today it is an expression of our collective need to be made pure, internally pure, as we prepare for this sacred action.

The Offertory Prayer completes this segment of the ritual and marks the start of the Eucharistic Prayer. The word “Eucharist” in Greek means “Thanksgiving.” This is the underlying theme of the Preface and following Eucharistic Prayer. We, as a community of faith, thank God for all his blessings, but most of all for the extraordinary gift of his Son, our Lord and Redeemer - ever present to us. The Preface is the first part of the Eucharistic Prayer and sets the tone for what will follow. The people’s response is the Sanctus Acclamation, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts,” taken from the vision of Isaiah 6:1-4. After this, the congregation kneels in reverence, anticipating the sacred transformation that is about to take place.

Presently, the Church offers the priest a variety of Eucharistic Prayers. All are addressed to the Father and contain an epiclesis or invocation of the Holy Spirit, wherein the presider imposes his hands over the bread and wine and beseeches the Eternal Father to transform these gifts into the Body and Blood of his Divine Son.

Overall, the Eucharistic Prayer is one unified, continuous action of prayer and praise. The words of consecration, repeating the Scriptural expression of Jesus, himself, have special importance, but they are understood within a continuity of the overall Prayer itself. Immediately after the words of Consecration, the congregation is invited to offer the Memorial Acclamation, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.” Here, the congregation “remembers or calls to mind” what the Lord has done for all. The next prayer is called the “anamnesis.” The Memorial Acclamation forms a bridge with this prayer. They are joined together in a way that should offer a sense that those present are fulfilling a command that they have received from Christ himself. Immediately, the priest then recalls those who have gone before us, the saints and our own recently deceased, joining this moment of the faithful gathered on earth with those in heaven. The Eucharistic Prayer ends with the doxology, an expression of praise and glory for what has just taken place: “Through him, with him and in him . . . all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father . . .” The congregation’s “Amen” is their assent to that which has just happened.

At this point, we begin to prepare ourselves immediately for the reception of Holy Communion. We pray the “Our Father” for forgiveness as well as daily bread. We exchange a sign of peace as an acknowledgement of our need for forgiveness and conversion. Then together we proclaim the title bestowed upon Jesus by his cousin, St. John the Baptist, “Behold, the Lamb of God . . .”

Again, at this point, a small gesture with significant meaning occurs. The priest breaks off a tiny piece of the consecrated bread and drops it into the chalice. In the early Church, the Bishop of Rome broke several particles off the Host and sent them to nearby parishes, signifying the unity of his Eucharist with theirs. Likewise, as a theology professor told me in my first year of a college, the two dimensions of flesh and blood are reunited here in the mystery of Christ’s Resurrected life.

The time is now at hand for the personal reception of Holy Communion. Those who approach the altar must be internally free from sin and externally united with the communion of the Church. Unfortunately, reception of Holy Communion today suffers from a democratic dictate that “everyone present has a right to receive.” Such is not the case and those who do partake must know in their hearts that they are internally free from sin and externally in proper communion with the Church. Upon those not receiving Holy Communion, no judgment should be made. Rather, they should be encouraged to make a “spiritual” communion with the Lord.

Reception of Holy Communion is to be given either on the tongue or in the hand. One must never try to “snatch” the sacred host. We receive as a gift, that which is given as gift. The fullness of the Eucharist is found in receiving both the Body and the Blood of the Lord. However, the reception of one species automatically presumes the reception of both. It is the one Lord that we receive, whole and entire.

The Holy Eucharist concludes with a Prayer of Thanksgiving and a Blessing upon all present. Then, the congregation is sent forth to put the effects of this Eucharist into action. Each disciple is to be a leaven in society, witnessing to the faith that he/she proclaims. Being confined to the Church building is not the disciple’s “normal” habitat; this, rather, is found in the realm of everyday life. There the Gospel is lived and transmitted to others. There one lives the dying and rising of Jesus’ life.

The Sacred Liturgy sends us forth on mission, strengthened for the task. Yet, we do so, planning to return again next Sunday, so as to re-enter the mystery and be renewed once more.

God bless you!

November, 2005

Falta Mucho por Recorrer

Por el obispo John C. Nienstedt

Oficialmente el año de la Eucaristía ha terminado, pero las gracias que adquirimos de nuestras reflexiones durante todo el año deben continuar para que nos conlleve cada vez más al corazón de nuestro Señor Eucarístico. En mi última publicación ofrecí hablar sobre la Liturgia de la palabra, la primera parte de nuestra misa. Hoy me gustaría hablar de la segunda parte, la Liturgia de la Eucaristía. Al hacerlo, deseo dar énfasis de la relación inseparable entre estas dos partes. No deben ser divididas puesto que forman uno solo.

Esto, para nosotros los católicos, es la única y más significativa parte de nuestra celebración dominical. Así como el catequismo de la Iglesia Católica nos enseña: "la liturgia nos recuerda de los eventos que nos salvaron, los renuevan, los hace presentes. El misterio Pascual de Cristo es celebrado, no se repite...y en cada celebración vemos el desborde del Espíritu Santo que hace que el misterio sea único." (no. 1104) en este momento sagrado, las formas naturales del pan y el vino se transforman en el cuerpo y sangre viviente de Jesús. Mientras que la celebración litúrgica implica señales y símbolos, no es simbólica solamente ni una metáfora agradable. Es real y esa realidad nos hace tomar una pauta y reflexionar su significado.

Esta liturgia comienza cuando le ofrecemos nuestras ofrendas a Dios en la forma de pan y vino junto con nuestras ofrendas financieras para las necesidades de la iglesia, especialmente para los pobres. Las ofrendas son de naturaleza eclesial, no individual. Ellos representan las ofrendas de todos los presentes, que simbolizan una procesión. "todos" el pueblo incluye a todos los niños también. Nunca se es demasiado joven para aprender la importancia de ofrecer algún sacrificio para el beneficio de la misión de la Iglesia.

La oración colecta termina este segmento del ritual y marca el comienzo de la Oración Eucarística. La palabra 'Eucaristía' que en griego significa "Dar Gracias." Este es el tema subyacente del prefacio y sigue la Oración Eucarística. Como comunidad de fe, le agradecemos a Dios por todas sus bendiciones, pero sobretodo por el regalo extraordinario de su Hijo, de nuestro Señor y Redentor - presente entre nosotros. La introducción es la primera parte de la oración Eucarística y establece el tono de lo que viene a continuación. La respuesta del pueblo es, "Santo, Santo, Santo es el Señor de anfitriones," de la visión de Isaias 6:1-4. Después de esto, la congregación se arrodilla en reverencia, anticipando la transformación sagrada que esta a punto de ocurrir.

La hostia en la Santa Comunión se da en la lengua o en la mano. Uno nunca debe intentar 'arrebatar' la sagrada hostia. La hostia lo recibimos como un regalo. La plenitud de la Eucaristía se encuentra en el cuerpo y sangre del Señor. Sin embargo, la recepción de una especie deduce la recepción de ambos automáticamente. Es el Señor a quien recibimos.

La Santa Eucaristía concluye con una oración de agradecimiento y una bendición para todos los presentes. Luego, se despide a la congregación para que esta Eucaristía se ponga en práctica. Cada discípulo debe difundir la palabra en la sociedad, atestiguando la fe que el / ella proclama. El estar desterrado de edificar la iglesia no es el hábitat normal del discípulo; este, se encuentra en el reino de la vida diaria. Alla el evangelio se vive y se transmite a otros. Alla uno vive la muerte y la resurrección de la vida de Jesús.

La liturgia sagrada nos envía para la misión, nos fortalece para la tarea. Así pues, nuestro plan es volver el próximo domingo, para volver a entrar al misterio y ser renovado una vez más.