#27 The Epiclesis and the Consecration. Understanding the Mass and Its Parts.

 

Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper

The ancient understanding of the Mass is that the Risen and Glorified Christ is Really Present in the worship under the appearances of bread and wine that have been duly consecrated. There is a wondrous transformation of the ordinary bread and wine where the Risen Christ becomes present in a way he was not before the Consecration.

Thus Christ, through the ministry of the ordained Priest, truly offers his Body and Blood (his entire self) in his One eternal Sacrifice, sacramentally through the Consecrated Bread and Wine.

How is the bread and wine transformed through the ministry of the ordained Priest for the benefit of all who offer themselves with Christ in the Eucharist? The Catechism teaches that "At the heart of the Eucharistic celebration are the bread and wine that, by the words of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, become Christ's Body and Blood." (#1333)

The ordained Priest, by virtue of his ordination, is given a permanent role to represent Christ the High Priest and the Head of the Church (the supreme expression of this role is that of the Bishop). The Priest through his ordination is invested with a "sacred power" (an authority and service) to consecrate the bread and wine in the Eucharist to become Christ’s Body and Blood.

However, this "power" is accomplished by the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ which he spoke at the last Supper ("...this is my Body...this is my Blood...").

 

I. The Epiclesis

After the Sanctus is sung (and in the United States the Assembly kneels) there are a few words that serve as a transition to the Epiclesis. Epiclesis is a Greek word meaning "to call upon or from above," thus "to invoke," in this case the Holy Spirit. The Priest extends his hands over the bread and wine to be consecrated. This signifies the coming of the Holy Spirit by whose power Christ the High Priest will transform the bread and wine.

This gesture of the Bishop or Priest extending hands over some thing or person is a type of "laying on of hands" whereby the Holy Spirit comes to act upon that thing or to act in that person. Thus there is an epiclesis also in Confirmation, in Ordination, and in the Anointing of the Sick and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation when one goes "face to face" with the minister.

With the Eucharistic Epiclesis the Priest also makes the Sign of the Cross over the bread and wine when it is indicated. Thus in Eucharistic Prayer III the Priest prays:

"Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you: by the same Spirit graciously make holy these gifts we have brought to you for consecration, that they may become the Body and + Blood of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ at whose command we celebrate these mysteries."

We should remember a principle stated in the Catechism: "When the Father sends his Word, he always sends his Breath." (#689). The Word is Christ Jesus and the Breath is the Holy Spirit (note the play on words: the breath carries the spoken word, so the Spirit brings Christ and Christ comes with the Spirit). We are accustomed to believe that we receive Christ in the Eucharist; we also receive the Holy Spirit anew in the same Eucharist.

II. The Consecration

The act of Consecration signifies a dedication and a making holy. The words of Jesus spoken at his last Supper are given in a "Eucharistic version" and repeated by the Priest over the bread and the wine. Since it was at the Last Supper that Jesus instituted (i.e. established) the Eucharist to be done in his memory, this moment of the Mass is also called "the Institution Narrative."

The function of the Consecration as discussed earlier is to bring about the transformation of the bread and wine to become the Risen Body and Blood of Christ in the manner of a sacrament. But these words also tell God why we are doing what we are doing in the Eucharist. In the course of telling God we are also being reminded of why we do what we do.

There is always some short introduction to the words of Consecration. Thus in Eucharistic prayer III the Priest says:

"For on the night he was betrayed he himself took bread, and giving you thanks he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:..."

As the priest is saying the introduction, he takes the bread (a Host, from Latin for sacrifice or that which is sacrificed) in his hands and then when saying the words of Consecration he bows slightly (in reverence) and says:

"...TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT: FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU."

The Priest elevates the Host slightly above the altar so that those present may adore Christ Really Present." Then putting the Host back on the altar, he makes a sign of reverence by genuflecting (going down on one knee and then rising back up). The People are already kneeling after the Sanctus.

Then he introduces the Chalice filled with wine. Again in Eucharistic Prayer III:

 "In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and giving you thanks he said the blessing, and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying..."

The Priest takes up the Chalice of wine while saying this and then again bowing slightly says:

"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."

He lifts the Chalice slightly above the altar so that the People may adore Christ. The Priest genuflects after showing the Chalice.

III. Who is Addressed in the Consecration?

 

We must remember who is being addressed in this Institution Narrative. It is God the Father who is being addressed. Some Priests will take the bread and while they are saying the introduction to the Consecration they show the bread from right to left or left to right to the Assembly, obviously saying the words to the Assembly. The words "gave it to his disciples" is being used to include those in the pews, as the Priest says these words to them.

First, there is nothing in the guidelines of the Mass which says "At the Consecration, address the Assembly and show them the bread (or Chalice) while doing this." If the Assembly is being addressed in this introduction, then the words "and when he was giving you thanks" would mean he thanked his disciples! Then is the Consecration also addressed to the Assembly? If the Priest follows the guideline to bow at these words, then at least that mistaken possibility is avoided (no eye contact with the Assembly).

Instead, the Priest is addressing God in the Institution Narrative. He relates how Jesus gave God thanks and what he did with the bread and wine. We are telling God what God already knows! But this is the way we are to pray. Let me expand what is done in this way:

As the priest takes the bead  it is as if he is saying: "Father, we do this Eucharist because, as you know, on the night Jesus was betrayed he took bread and thanked you and blessed it and broke it and said, ‘...TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT: FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.’"

The Priest prays a similar meaning with the Chalice, only adding "[Jesus said:] Do this in memory of me. And so we are doing this in his memory, Father."

Of course, as we tell God these things, we also are remembering it ourselves. The Eucharistic Prayer, as one revered liturgist said, is"both prayer and proclamation."

In the following weeks I want to explore some matters connected to the Epiclesis and Consecration, such as the teaching on the Real Presence of Christ in the Mass, the four actions of the Eucharist (take, give thanks/bless, break/give and eat/drink), the Paschal Mystery, and how the word "Memory" is used in the Consecration.

Next Week: The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

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