277. How is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist carried out? (part 2 continuation)
(Comp
277 repetition) The Eucharist unfolds in two great parts which together form
one, single act of worship. The Liturgy of the Word involves proclaiming and
listening to the Word of God. The Liturgy of the Eucharist includes the
presentation of the bread and wine, the prayer or the anaphora containing the
words of consecration, and communion.
“In
brief”
(CCC 1408)
The Eucharistic celebration always includes: the proclamation of the Word of
God; thanksgiving to God the Father for all his benefits, above all the gift of
his Son; the consecration of bread and wine; and participation in the
liturgical banquet by receiving the Lord's body and blood. These elements
constitute one single act of worship.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1348) All gather together. Christians come
together in one place for the Eucharistic assembly. At its head is Christ
himself, the principal agent of the Eucharist. He is high priest of the New
Covenant; it is he himself who presides invisibly over every Eucharistic
celebration. It is in representing him that the bishop or priest acting in the person of Christ the head (in persona
Christi capitis) presides over the assembly, speaks after the readings,
receives the offerings, and says the Eucharistic Prayer. All have their own active parts to play in the celebration, each in
his own way: readers, those who bring up the offerings, those who give
communion, and the whole people whose "Amen" manifests their
participation. (CCC 1349) The Liturgy of
the Word includes "the writings of the prophets," that is, the
Old Testament, and "the memoirs of the apostles" (their letters and
the Gospels). After the homily, which is an exhortation to accept this Word as
what it truly is, the Word of God (Cf. 1 Thess 2:13), and to put it into
practice, come the intercessions for all men, according to the Apostle's words:
"I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be
made for all men, for kings, and all who are in high positions" (1 Tim
2:1-2).
On
reflection
(CCC 1350)
The presentation of the offerings
(the Offertory). Then, sometimes in procession, the bread and wine are brought
to the altar; they will be offered by the priest in the name of Christ in the
Eucharistic sacrifice in which they will become his body and blood. It is the
very action of Christ at the Last Supper - "taking the bread and a
cup." "The Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator,
when she offers what comes forth from his creation with thanksgiving" (St.
Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 4, 18, 4: PG
7/1, 1027; cf. Mal 1:11). The presentation of the offerings at the altar takes
up the gesture of Melchizedek and commits the Creator's gifts into the hands of
Christ who, in his sacrifice, brings to perfection all human attempts to offer
sacrifices. (CCC 1351) From the very beginning Christians have brought, along
with the bread and wine for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need.
This custom of the collection, ever
appropriate, is inspired by the example of Christ who became poor to make us
rich (Cf. 1 Cor 16:1; 2 Cor 8:9): Those who are well off, and who are also willing,
give as each chooses. What is gathered is given to him who presides to assist
orphans and widows, those whom illness or any other cause has deprived of
resources, prisoners, immigrants and, in a word, all who are in need (St.
Justin, Apol. 1, 67: PG 6, 429). [IT
CONTINUES]
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