Purpose of the Eucharistic Prayers
The Eucharistic Prayers were created by the Church, in alignment with the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus Christ, to join the bread and wine offered (as well as the substance of our lives) to the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
These prayers are offered to God the Father by Jesus Christ through the priest. The prayers are offered by Jesus (through the priest) at the moment of His passion, death, and resurrection.
By virtue of the Eucharistic Prayers (originating in the Last Supper), Jesus, as the one true mediator between God and humanity, initiates the covenant through His divinity and responds to the covenant through His humanity (Feingold). During the Mass, these prayers (along with our active participation in the Liturgy and worthy reception of the Eucharist) enable our participation in the response of Jesus to the new and everlasting covenant. The Eucharistic Prayers and the Covenant are the action of Christ's body, which we are part of by virtue of the Eucharist.
Scriptural Basis of the Eucharistic Prayers
Ultimately, all of Scripture points to the Eucharist. We see the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass prefigured in the Old Testament, such as the Prophet Isaiah's vision of the seraphim crying out “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!" Equally, we see the ultimate fulfillment of the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass throughout the Revelation of the Apostle John (Guevara-Mann).
At the core of the Eucharistic Prayers are the words of institution prayed by our Blessed Lord in the Upper Room hours before His Passion as recorded in Saint Paul's first letter to the Corinthians and the synoptic Gospels.
History and Tradition of the Eucharistic Prayers
Early Christians referred to the Eucharistic Prayers of the Divine Liturgy as the Anaphora. The Anaphora encapsulates how the Divine Liturgy carries us back to the Pashcal Mysteries of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. This Anaphora is similar to how the Hebrews participation in the Passover of the Old Testament "carried them back" to the original Passover described in Exodus (King).
The earliest records of an anaphora of the Latin Rite Church go back to the early third century with the writings of Hippolytus of Rome (King). Other rites of the Catholic Church also have early written records of an anaphora, such as the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom.
Historical evidence suggests that the Eucharistic Prayer of the early Church was chanted aloud for the whole community to clearly hear it. In later centuries, the emphasis changed to focus more on mystery (King). Thus, the priests began to pray more of the prayers quietly. This became codified in the Tridetine Mass in the 16th century.
Following the Second Vatican Council, the Mass was revised based off new archeological forensic evidence of how the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the early Church (Ratzmann). Thus, the priest began to pray or chant most of the prayers out loud for community to hear.
Today, there are several Eucharistic Prayers listed in the Roman Missal, but four are most commonly used. Eucharistic Prayer II is nearly identical to the anaphora of Hippolytus of Rome. It is considered the most ancient prayer of the Mass (King).
Eucharistic Prayer I was compiled under the direction of Pope St. Gregory the Great. The third and fourth Eucharistic Prayers were compiled after Vatican II. The third prayer was influenced by the Gallican and Mozorabic rites of past centuries. The fourth draws from Eastern sources, especially the fourth century anaphora of Saint Basil (King).
Beyond the Latin Rite, there are several different rites within the communion of the Catholic Church. Each of these have their own forms of Divine Liturgy. Even though the outward spiritual expressions vary across culture, there is only one reality of the Divine Liturgy, only one Calvary, only one Eternal Passover, only one sacrifice. Each form of Divine Liturgy celebrates the same reality: an active and substantial participation in the saving sacrifice of Christ.
Participation in the Eucharistic Prayers
Ultimately, the Eucharist means thanksgiving. Thus, it is fitting that the Eucharistic Prayers would start by giving glory to God the Father and declaring our thanks to Him for His grace in our lives and the work of salvation He has propelled through time (USCCB).
As a community, we can join all of the angels and saints in this praise and worship of God the Father, which finds its true voice in the Acclimation (USCCB). The Acclimation is the singing of the Sanctus as we add our voice to those in heaven and on earth in song.
The next step of the Eucharistic Prayer is the Epiclesis. During the Epiclesis, we implore the Holy Spirit to descend on the bread and wine in order to bless the gifts and turn them into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ (USCCB).
The Institution Narrative is then completed in order to enact the words of Christ as the Holy Spirit completes the transubstantiation of the Eucharist and re-presents His sacrifice on Calvary (Guevara-Mann). This is the point where we are mystically present at both Calvary and the eternal Passover in Heaven. This is our chance to adore Jesus as His Body and Blood are offered under the appearance of bread and wine for our salvation.
Once our Blessed Lord is sacramentally, yet substantially, present before us, we enter into the Anamnesis. During the Anamnesis, we take the opportunity to intentionally recall His passion, death, resurrection, ascension and promise of return in glory (USCCB). This is another opportunity for us to mindful of the reconciliation and sanctification that is available to us through the Blessed Sacrament as well as our fullest participation in the New Covenant through the Divine Liturgy.
The next step of the Eucharistic Prayer is the Oblation, where we pray that through the Eucharist that we may learn to truly unite with God and with each other as a fragrant and acceptable sacrifice to the Father as the Son reconciles us to Him (USCCB).
The Oblation is followed by Intercessions that recall all members of the Church, living and dead, for their participation in the redemption and salvation purchased by the Body and Blood of Christ through the Mass (USCCB). The prayers include holding up the Pope and the bishops.
The Eucharistic Prayer concludes with a Doxology where all of the faithful, in union with all of the angels and saints, acclaim "Amen" (Guevara-Mann). This is the ultimate expression of faith in God and His working through the Church and the highest expression of glorification of God. In this "Amen", we unreservedly declare our belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, in the work of salvation, and in the deposit of faith preserved by the Catholic Church.
As the faithful, during Mass, we actively and whole-heartedly participate in the faithful responses of the Mass. We are open to allowing the Holy Spirit to carry us back to the Pashcal Mysteries of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. We are mindful that we are receiving from the one bread the Lord's Body and from the one chalice the Lord's Blood in the same manner that the Apostles received them from the hands of Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment