Having recalled the life and death of Jesus and being reminded that we have received the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete, the Priest continues the Eucharistic Prayer,
Therefore, O Lord, we pray: may this same Holy Spirit graciously sanctify these offerings, that they may become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the celebration of this great mystery, which he himself left us as an eternal covenant.
One moment I like in this part of the prayer to God is “this same Holy Spirit”. The Third Person of the Trinity is also never-changing, always was, is now and always will be. He is the one who proceeds from the Father and the Son. He was present at the moment of creation. He is the one who prays for me when I cannot. The one who animates me allowing me to fulfill my mission as a disciple of Jesus. He is the one who strengthens me to speak, glorify and declare Jesus is my Lord and my God. This same Holy Spirit who God sent at Jesus’ baptism, the same Holy Spirit who descended upon the Apostles in the locked room, the same Holy Spirit who Jesus sent has our helper and guide, He is the one who now the Priest asks God the Father to send down and sanctify, to make holy, the bread and wine on the Altar so that they may become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s almost a call for us to recognize this great celebration is not complete without the action of the Holy Spirit. It is truly a moment of unity at the Altar, another holy moment in the great Eucharistic Prayer.
Another moment I like in this prayer is the two words – “great mystery”. We cannot see the Holy Spirit descend. There is no mighty wind, no tongues of fire, there is only the Invocation by the Priest at the Altar that is tangible to us. We can’t hear Him, touch Him, see Him or feel Him. Yet, He is real, and He is among us. This is the mystery. This is Faith.
We are reminded that is was Jesus himself, at the Last Supper who instituted the Mass, giving us His very Body and Blood and commanding us to “Do This in Memory of Me”.
For when the hour had come for him to be glorified by you, Father most holy, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end: and while they were at supper he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Let’s pause for just a moment. We are about to move into the most holy moment of the Mass. The moment of Consecration. The moment when bread and wine are substantially changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. If ever there is a time for humility, silence and worship, seek it here, at the Altar of the Lord as He now becomes present before us.
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
This incredible moment is captured in all four Gospels, although John’s discourse expands on the mystery of this reality. For us, Jesus’ invitation to take and eat is real as we cannot have life within us without Him. At this solemn moment, the Priest elevates Jesus. Just as we looked up to Jesus on the Cross at His Crucifixion, so too we now look upon Jesus truly present in the semblance of bread. Then the immensity of His Sacrifice on the Cross becomes real to us – for He now is truly present among us and within us.
In a similar way, taking the chalice filled with the fruit of the vine, he gave thanks, and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
“Do this in memory of me.” Along my journey, the true meaning of the Sacrifice has, on occasion, been lost to me. The memory had faded, and the Sacrifice pushed aside. That was part of my human journey. Now, I find myself walking with my Lord, keeping the memory alive in my relationship with my husband, my children, my friends and acquaintances. It is a gift for me to be called to share my faith, to be a witness. And when I look upon the Chalice of His Blood, I can only in the silence of my prayer proclaim, “I believe you are truly present, body, blood soul and divinity. You are my Lord and my God”.
I am reminded of a Pilgrimage I hosted a couple of years ago. During that Pilgrimage journey, I had arranged for my group to stop at Santarem, Portugal, just a few miles south of Fatima. Housed there in the Church of St Stephen is a consecrated Host, the Body of Christ, that has been physically transformed and to this day still bleeds. I have always had a strong love and devotion for the Eucharist, but to be a witness of the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem forever changed me. Christ truly is present, truly becomes one with us. I invite everyone to research the Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem to learn more for the history of the story. Sometimes I find myself being like Thomas, doubting and unsure. But faith and witness now demand of me to recognize and worship and proclaim. What would you do if Jesus suddenly stood before you?
Please join me on Friday as we continue through the Eucharistic Prayer to its conclusion.
Learn more about the Eucharistic Miracle at Santarem: