Easter Season prepares us to celebrate the Ascension and Pentecost!
Easter Season prepares us to celebrate the Ascension and Pentecost!
Easter season prepares us to celebrate the Ascension and Pentecost.
Each season, reading from the Acts of the Apostles gives us a glimpse of the life of the early Church. Today’s first reading (Acts 15:1-2;22-29) tells us about the great internal struggle of the early Church. The book of Leviticus 12:3 says, “On the eighth day, the flesh of the boy’s foreskin shall be circumcised.” One group in the early Church argued that the Gentiles should follow the Mosaic Law and need to be circumcised to become Christian. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles to solve the doctrinal problem about the Gentiles becoming Christians, which shook the very foundation of the Church. The second reading from the book of Revelation (21:10-14;22-23) describes heaven. Early Christians were persecuted. John’s vision gave them hope. We see that the description of heaven is detailed. There were twelve gates, one in each of the four directions, three each. God’s kingdom is open for all. The Gospel reading from John (14:23-29), Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give it to you.” He breathed on them the Holy Spirit. At the Ascension, he told them to remain in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:1). After Pentecost, they embraced the peace Jesus gave them, they understood Jesus’ teaching, and they were ready to go out and proclaim the Gospel. Jesus offered them peace; it was not the absence of struggle; it was inner strength. Jesus promises to his followers that the Holy Spirit will come and instruct them in everything they need to know.
Main Parts of the Eucharistic Prayer
1. Preface – Gives thanks to God and leads into worship with the angels. 2. Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) – The hymn of the angels, sung or said by all. 3. Epiclesis – The calling down of the Holy Spirit upon the gifts. 4. Institution Narrative & Consecration – The priest speaks Jesus’ words from the Last Supper: “This is my Body…This is my Blood…” 5. Anamnesis (Memorial) – We remember and proclaim Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. 6. Intercessions – Prayers for the Church, the pope, clergy, the faithful (living and dead), and unity. 7. Doxology & Great Amen – A final praise of the Trinity, with the people affirming it all with a resounding Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer:
Opening Dialogue in the Mass: *The exchange "The Lord be with you" / "And with your spirit" is rooted in Scripture. *"The Lord be with you" comes from Ruth 2:4, where Boaz greets his workers. *"And with your spirit" is based on 2 Timothy 4:22, where Paul addresses Timothy, acknowledging his ordained ministry and the gift of the Spirit received through the laying on of hands. "Lift up your hearts" is also part of the preface dialogue, with biblical roots in Lamentations 3:41, which encourages the faithful to lift their hearts and hands to God.
Lifting Hands in Prayer: *In ancient Judaism, lifting hands was a common posture during prayer. *This external gesture symbolized an internal lifting of the heart to God. *The Catholic Mass reflects this in the priest’s invitation: “Lift up your hearts”, emphasizing intentional, focused prayer.
"Holy, Holy, Holy" in the Mass: *This chant originates from Isaiah 6, where the prophet has a vision of God in the heavenly temple. *In the vision, seraphim (fiery angels closest to God) chant “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts”—a superlative in Hebrew expressing God’s supreme holiness. *"Hosts" refers to the angelic armies, indicating God's lordship over all heavenly beings. *The chant is deeply angelic and liturgical, and its inclusion in the Eucharistic Prayer connects the earthly Mass with heavenly worship. *The term "Sanctus" in Latin maintains the original meaning, even preserving the Hebrew “Sabaoth” as a proper name for God. *Isaiah’s Vision: The prophet Isaiah, upon hearing the angelic hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy," is filled with fear and awe because he is a sinner in the presence of divine holiness. An angel purifies his lips with a burning coal from the altar, symbolizing his cleansing to stand before God. This emphasizes that singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" signifies entering God's heavenly presence, just like Isaiah did. *Heavenly and Earthly Worship: The Sanctus reflects the heavenly hymn of the angels, while the phrase "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" recalls the earthly cry of the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Matthew 21:9, Psalm 118). Together, these hymns represent both heavenly and earthly praise, uniting the Church on earth with the worship of heaven.
St. Cyprian of Carthage (3rd century) gives a spiritual interpretation of “Lift up your hearts”: *It's a call to attention—to focus, to detach from earthly concerns, and to engage fully with the heavenly reality about to unfold. *The Eucharistic Prayer is not merely a recitation, but an entry into divine mystery, requiring inward preparation and spiritual attentiveness.
St. John Chrysostom (4th century) in the Eastern tradition sees the Sanctus as a cosmic moment: *Heaven and earth sing in unison. *The liturgy unites the Church militant (on earth) and the Church triumphant (in heaven). *A mystical symphony of angels and mortals praising God together. *St. John Chrysostom assumes the Sanctus should be sung, not just recited. While the Church permits both, singing is ideal because it reflects the angelic hymn of heaven, making this moment a mystical union of heaven and earth. Gregorian chant, with its timeless rhythm and lack of time signature, symbolizes the eternal, heavenly nature of the liturgy.
St. Cyprian of Carthage (3rd century) gives a spiritual interpretation of “Lift up your hearts”: *It's a call to attention—to focus, to detach from earthly concerns, and to engage fully with the heavenly reality about to unfold. *The Eucharistic Prayer is not merely a recitation, but an entry into divine mystery, requiring inward preparation and spiritual attentiveness.
St. John Chrysostom (4th century) in the Eastern tradition sees the Sanctus as a cosmic moment: *Heaven and earth sing in unison. *The liturgy unites the Church militant (on earth) and the Church triumphant (in heaven). *A mystical symphony of angels and mortals praising God together. *St. John Chrysostom assumes the Sanctus should be sung, not just recited. While the Church permits both, singing is ideal because it reflects the angelic hymn of heaven, making this moment a mystical union of heaven and earth. Gregorian chant, with its timeless rhythm and lack of time signature, symbolizes the eternal, heavenly nature of the liturgy.
St. Cyprian of Carthage (3rd century) gives a spiritual interpretation of “Lift up your hearts”: *It's a call to attention—to focus, to detach from earthly concerns, and to engage fully with the heavenly reality about to unfold. *The Eucharistic Prayer is not merely a recitation, but an entry into divine mystery, requiring inward preparation and spiritual attentiveness.
St. John Chrysostom (4th century) in the Eastern tradition sees the Sanctus as a cosmic moment: *Heaven and earth sing in unison. *The liturgy unites the Church militant (on earth) and the Church triumphant (in heaven). *A mystical symphony of angels and mortals praising God together. *St. John Chrysostom assumes the Sanctus should be sung, not just recited. While the Church permits both, singing is ideal because it reflects the angelic hymn of heaven, making this moment a mystical union of heaven and earth. Gregorian chant, with its timeless rhythm and lack of time signature, symbolizes the eternal, heavenly nature of the liturgy.