Feb 12 Thu
Are the Institution Narrative and Consecration the central points of the Eucharistic Prayer?
What mankind has been waiting for through centuries is now going to take place among us. God has arranged everything to happen at its own time and in the most fitting manner. At this moment, we are invited to a greater recollection and devotion. To remind us about this, a little before the Consecration, the server may ring a bell as a signal to the faithful. Depending on local custom, he also rings the bell at the elevation of both the host and the chalice.
The Consecration is the essential part of the Mass. Only the priest pronounces the words of the Consecration.
The human minister has received, with his ordination, the power to pronounce the great and wonderful prayers of the Consecration, and these will be effective. In truth, he is but the instrument of Christ. “The priest offers the Holy Sacrifice ‘in persona Christi’; this means more than offering ‘in the name of’ or ‘in the place of’ Christ. In persona means in specific sacramental identification with ‘the Eternal High Priest’ who is the author and principal subject of this sacrifice of his, a sacrifice in which, in truth, nobody can take his place.”
The priest does not act on his own account. “The priest’s identity consists in being a direct and daily instrument of the saving grace which Christ has won for us.” That is why, “if you ever come across a priest who, apparently, does not seem to live in keeping with the Gospel, do not judge him; let God judge him. Bear also in mind that if he celebrates Mass validly, with the intention of consecrating, our Lord would still come down into his hands, however unworthy they are.”
The priest’s own personality is blotted out to clothe himself with the person of the everlasting Priest. It is Jesus Christ himself who, at every Mass, performs the Consecration, while the priest lends him his voice. The priest repeats the words pronounced by Christ, not as he would describe the history of some beautiful event that happened in the past, but as bearing the same effective power Christ attached to them.
After the Consecration, what were bread and wine are no longer bread and wine, although our senses continue to perceive them as such, with all their sensible attributes. But it is now Christ himself–with his body, blood, soul, and divinity–who is there, under the appearances of bread and wine, offering himself to the Father for the redemption of all.
The full work of our redemption is truly and effectively carried out in the Mass, not only in a symbolic manner. “To accomplish so great a work [the work of redemption], Christ is always present in his Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations; He is present in the sacrifice of the Mass, not only in the person of his minister, ‘the same one now offering, through the ministry of the priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,’ but especially under the Eucharistic species.”