About the Mass Series: Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preparation of the Gifts Part 2

ABOUT THE MASS SERIES.

the Mass: About the Mass Series Vol 2.

The Mass follows the rhythm of the celebration of the Last Supper. Three parts are distinguished in it: the bringing of the bread and the wine to the altar, the prayer of thanksgiving, and the distribution of Communion. The General Instructions of the Roman Missal (2007) said: 

‘1. At the Preparation of the Gifts, the bread and the wine with water are brought to the altar, the same elements that Christ took into his hands.

2. In the Eucharistic Prayer, thanks are given to God for the whole work of salvation, and the offerings become the Body and Blood of Christ.

3. Through the fraction and through Communion, the faithful, though they are many, receive from the one bread the Lord’s Body, and from the one chalice the Lord’s Blood in the same way the Apostles received them from Christ’s own hands’. (p.27).

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.

Historically, an ancient custom of the Church was that the people provided the bread and wine for the Eucharist. In the 3^rd century in Rome, the deacons carried and presented to the bishop the gifts brought by the people from the special tables in the transepts of the Basilicas. By the 7^th Century, the Pope received the bread from the aristocracy; his assistants collected bread from the people. As the Roman Liturgy spread to other lands, this rite became a true procession of all the people who brought bread and wine, and also at times oil, candles, wheat, grapes and other items of precious value to them.  Since this procession was a counterpart of the communion procession in which the transformed bread and wine were received back, those who presented gifts were expected to receive the Eucharist.    

However, with the decrease in the number of communicants, as well as the change from the leavened to unleavened bread in the 9^th century, contributed to the gradual disappearance of the procession, and from the 11^th century the presentation of bread and wine by the people was replaced by the giving of money.  

CURRENT PERSPECTIVE.

Since Vatican 11, the procession has been restored in a simple form, as representatives of the congregation bring up the bread and wine together with other gifts for the poor or for the Church.    

    

The logistics of the ‘taking up of the collection’ varies from parish to parish.  Some parishes only have one collection, whilst others have two collections.  When there is one collection, it mainly consists of contributors using Thanksgiving envelopes.  These envelopes are divided into Priests Offering on one side and Thanksgiving envelope on the other side.    Whether there are one or two collections, it is appropriate that the collection is taken up at this time.