About the Mass Series: Eucharistic Prayer: Part 2

ABOUT THE MASS SERIES:

 

Eucharistic Prayer: Part 2

 

1’Call on the Spirit’

 

In the Eucharistic prayers, there is a call on the Spirit to come on the community and upon the bread and wine. Such an invocation is called an ‘epiclesis’, that is ‘a calling upon’, ‘a calling over here’.  The Father is requested to send the Holy Spirit, who brings about such fruits of the Eucharist as unity and love among the faithful gathered, and there is a request that the Spirit bless, sanctify and transform the bread and the wine.

In each of the Eucharistic prayers there is a petition that the Father send the Holy Spirit. Even though the wording of the prayers is different, both aspects of the petition is inherent in these prayers.  Eucharistic Prayer 1 says:

…‘Bless and approve our offering; make it acceptable to you an offering in spirit and in truth.  Let is become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord’.

 

Eucharistic Prayer 11 says:

‘Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ’

 

Eucharistic Prayer 111 says:

‘And so, Father, we bring you these gifts.  We ask you to make them holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may become the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate this Eucharist’.  

 

Eucharistic Prayer 1V says:

‘Father, may this Holy Spirit sanctify these offerings.  Let them become the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord as we celebrate the great mystery which he left us an everlasting covenant’. 

 

As the priest makes this petition, he extends his hands over the bread and wine in the ancient gesture signifying the giving of the Spirit.

This is a very special invocation that the Church makes each time Mass is celebrated around the world. 

May the power of the Spirit transform, complete and bring to fullness our lives.