The Eucharistic or Final Doxology concludes with the people responding "Amen!." This is often referred to as the "Great Amen."
Christian prayer and worship originated from our Jewish roots of Temple and Synagogue worship. Three words in the original Hebrew are found in Christian liturgical prayer: Alleluia, hosana, and amen. The word "Amen" means "It is so," "it is true," "So be it." It is an affirmation that comes at the end of blessings and prayers and signifies that the listeners agree with the prayer and desire it to be answered and done according to God’s will.
The Great Amen is significant at the conclusion of the Eucharistic Doxology. Last week I pointed out that this Doxology sums up the entire Eucharistic Prayer. It directs the Eucharistic Prayer Godward, praying that all glory and honor be given to God through the One Sacrifice of Christ offered in the Eucharist.
The Priest sings or says this Final Doxology and it is the People’s role to proclaim the "Amen!" Fr. Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, in his book What Happens at Mass, notes:
"To this doxology--to the entire Eucharistic Prayer-- the assembly sings ‘Amen!’ It is no wonder that this is often called the ‘Great’ Amen, because ‘This is the biggest Amen of the Mass and so is the biggest Amen in the world’ .... This Amen contains all the others. ...In the Mass, from our own place and time, we are spliced into this eternal Amen, and we shall sing forever what we are singing now. Amen!" (pp. 107-108; emphasis added).
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The "eternal Amen" of which Fr. Driscoll speaks is the "Amen" of the Heavenly Liturgy of Christ with his Angels and Saints, and with Mary his Mother. As Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene writes:
"The Saints...never cease giving thanks to God and with a loud voice they sing: 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the lamb!' [Revelation 7:10]. This is answered in heaven by the eternal 'Amen' of the angels, prostrated before the throne of the Most High [Revelation 7:11-12]; and should be answered on earth by the 'Amen' of the whole People of God as they journey toward their heavenly homeland, striving to emulate the holiness of the elect." (Meditation # 398. All Saints in Divine Intimacy vol. 4)
In the Book of Revelation the heaven liturgy is described with a number of doxologies sung by angels, saints and the blessed of heaven. And a number of those doxologies result in a glorious response of "Amen." (See examples HERE)
Some scholars believe that the Book of Revelation was describing elements of early Christian worship mirroring the worship of heaven. Certainly the Church’s liturgy would pick up elements of the Book of Revelation in her worship.
One of the earliest accounts we have of a the Eucharist as celebrated around 150 AD is by Justin Martyr. It could be written today. He writes:
"As soon as the common prayers [the General Intercessions] are ended and they (the Christians) have saluted one another with a kiss, bread and wine and water are brought to the presider, who receiving them gives praise to the Father of all things by the Son and Holy Spirit and makes a long thanksgiving [Greek: eucharistia] for the blessings which He has vouchsafed to bestow upon them, and when he has ended the prayers and thanksgiving, all the people that are present answer with the acclamation 'Amen'". ( Apol., lxv, P.G., VI, 428).
Hopefully, what may have been for you a simple response of "Amen" at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer can now be more fully appreciated for its significance, meaning and importance for what we do in the Mass. At Communion we say "Amen" ["it is so"] when receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, so we make a personal and communal acclamation of faith to what has happened during the Eucharistic Prayer to the glory of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
To listen to a magnificent "Amen" set to music, go HERE for the "Amen" from Handel’s Messiah.
Next Week: The Communion Rite: Revisiting the Sacrifice of the Mass.
