Jeremiah 20:7–9
The word of the Lord has meant insult for me.
Psalm 62(63):2–6, 8–9
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Romans 12:1–2
The word of the Lord has meant insult for me.
cf. Ephesians 1:17, 18
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our heart, that we might see how great is the hope to which we are called.
Matthew 16:21–27
‘Get behind me, Satan!’
In the eucharistic prayer,
expression is given to the fact that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the entire Church, of heaven as well as of earth, and that the offering is made for her and for all her members, living and dead, who have been called to participate in the redemption and the salvation purchased by Christ’s Body and Blood.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §79
It has been our traditional practice to remember our communion with all the church, living and dead, at every Mass. Let us be attentive to our priestly role of intercession as the Body of Christ in our Mass for all who have died.
‘Renewed by this bread from the heavenly table, we beseech you, Lord, that, being the food of charity, it may confirm our hearts and stir us to serve you in our neighbour.’
—prayer after Communion
Isaiah 22:19–23
I place the key of the House of David on my servant’s shoulder.
Psalm 137(138):1–3, 6, 8
R. Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands.
Romans 11:33–36
All that exists comes from him; all is by him and from him.
Matthew 16:18
You are Peter, the rock on which I will build my Church; the gates of hell will not hold out against it.
Matthew 16:13–20
You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.
Among all who are involved with regard to the rites, pastoral aspects, and music there should be harmony and diligence in the effective preparation of each liturgical celebration in accord with the Missal and other liturgical books. This should take place under the direction of the rector of the church and after the consultation with the faithful about things that directly pertain to them. The priest who presides at the celebration, however, always retains the right of arranging those things that are his own responsibility.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §111
Harmony and diligence. Music is not an adornment to the Mass, but something that can elevate the faithful's experience of the liturgical celebration, can serve to lift their hearts to the Lord in worship. Do we arrange our music with harmony and diligence, with reverence for the rubrics and the tradition of the Church?
‘Complete within us, O Lord, we pray, the healing work of your mercy and graciously perfect and sustain us, so that in all things we may please you.’ —prayer after Communion
Isaiah 56:1, 6–7
I will bring foreigners to my holy mountain.
Psalm 66(67):2–3, 5–6, 8
R. O God, let all the nations praise you!
Romans 11:13–15, 29–32
With Israel, God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.
Matthew 4:23
Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom and healed all who were sick.
Matthew 15:21–28
The Canaanite woman debates with Jesus and saves her son.
[The offering,] by which, in this very memorial, the Church - and in particular the Church here and now gathered - offers in the Holy Spirit the spotless Victim to the Father. The Church’s intention, however, is that the faithful not only offer this spotless Victim but also learn to offer themselves, and so day by day to be consummated, through Christ the Mediator, into unity with God and with each other, so that at last God may be all in all.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §79
Throughout the eucharistic prayer, all the assembled faithful have an important part to play: to offer praise and thanks to God, and to offer themselves to God. In this way, we exercise our priestly role of offering sacrifice to God. As we then approach the altar during the Communion procession, our humble offering is consecrated by our union with the Body and Blood of Christ. By our physical presence at Mass, we are able to become the acceptable sacrifice to our God.
‘Made partakers of Christ through these Sacraments, we humbly import your mercy, Lord, that, conformed to his mage on earth, we may merit also to be his coheirs in heaven.’
—prayer after Communion
1 Kings 19:9, 11–13
The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire.
Psalm 84(85):9–14
R. Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation.
Romans 9:1–5
I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers.
Psalm 129:5
I hope in the Lord, I trust in his word.
Matthew 14:22–33
Jesus walks on the water.
The Mass is made up as it were of the two parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which are so closely interconnected that they form but one single act of worship. For in the Mass the table both of God’s word and of Christ’s Body is prepared, from which the faithful may be instructed and refreshed. There are also certain rites that open and conclude the celebration.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §28
The liturgy forms one single act of worship. In our framing the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we should be careful to recall that it is, in fact, only one liturgy. Listening to and being instructed in God's Word is a preparation for receiving the Word of God made flesh, the Word who comes to under the veil of the Eucharistic species.
‘May the communion in your Sacrament that we have consumed, save us, O Lord, and confirm us in the light of your truth.’
—prayer after Communion
Isaiah 55:1–3
Come and eat.
Psalm 144(145):8–9, 15–18
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Romans 8:35,37–39
No created thing can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ.
Matthew 4:4
No one lives on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 14:13–21
The feeding of the five thousand
It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the priest himself is bound to do, receive the Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and that, in the instances when it is permitted, they partake of the chalice, so that even by means of the signs Communion will stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually being celebrated.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §85
To participate in the Mass is to participate in a sacrifice. The signs in the liturgy point towards that sacrifice. As St Paul says, the cup of blessing that we bless is a sharing in the blood of Christ; the bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ (1 Cor 10:16).
‘Accompany with constant protection, O Lord, those you renew with these heavenly gifts and, in our never-failing care for them, make them worthy of eternal redemption.’
—prayer after Communion
1 Kings 3:5,7–12
Solomon chooses the gift of wisdom.
Psalm 118(119):57,72,76–77, 127–130
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Romans 8:28–30
Those he called, he justified.
cf. Matthew 11:25Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
Matthew 13:44–52
He sells everything he owns and buys the field.
This will best be accomplished if, with due regard for the nature and the particular circumstances of each liturgical assembly, the entire celebration is planned in such a way that it leads to a conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful both in body and in mind, a participation burning with faith, hope, and charity, of the sort which is desired by the Church and demanded by the very nature of the celebration, and to which the Christian people have a right and duty by reason of their Baptism.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §18
How important it is that we gather physically as the Body of Christ . Our physical presence is in fact constitutive of being Church. Gathered as God’s beloved people, we are able to fully participate and exercise our priestly roles. We gather in this time and place to offer sacrifice and praise to our God as the one Body of Christ. We then go from this physical gathering to continue our Christian life as service to God and to one another.
‘Accompany with constant protection, O Lord, those you renew with these heavenly gifts and, in your never-ending care for them, make them worthy of eternal redemption.’ —prayer after Communion
Wisdom 12:13, 16–19
You will grant repentance after sin.
Psalm 85(86):5–6, 9–10, 15–16
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
Romans 8:26–27
The Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words.
cf. Matthew 11:25
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
Matthew 13:24–43
Let them both grow till the harvest.
In this way, the Christian people, ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,’ expresses its cohesion and its hierarchical ordering. All, therefore, whether they are ordained ministers or lay Christian faithful, in fulfilling their office or their duty, should do only the parts that pertain to them.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §91
We form the priestly people of God, chosen by God’s plan to be his holy people and to give glory to his name. Each day we are called to offer sacrifice by our daily works of patient service. We live honestly and respectful of creation. We are to offer these as our daily sacrifice to God. We do so in hope of being able to unite our spiritual sacrifice to the one acceptable sacrifice of Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist.
‘Graciously be present to your people, we pray, O Lord, and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries to pass from former ways to newness of life.’
—prayer after Communion
Isaiah 55:10–11
The word that goes out from my mouth does not return to me empty.
Psalm 64(65):10–14
R. The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
Romans 8:18–23
The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons.
John 6:68
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.
Matthew 13:1–23
A sower went out to sow.
In the readings, the table of God’s word is prepared for the faithful, and the riches of the Bible are opened to them. Hence, it is preferable to maintain the arrangement of the biblical readings, by which light is shed on the unity of both Testaments and of salvation history.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §57
By opening up to the Word of God, we are drawn beyond the limits of our isolated lives into the grandeur of God’s plan. Let us approach the liturgy with attentive ears and obedient hearts to receive God’s Word for the life of the world.
‘Having consumed these gifts, we pray, O Lord, that, by our participation in this mystery, its saving effects upon us may grow.’
—prayer after Communion
Zechariah 9:9–10
See now, your king comes humbly to you.
Psalm 144(145):1–2, 8–11, 13b–14
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
Romans 8:9, 11–13
If by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
cf. Matthew 11:25
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
Matthew 11:25–30
You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children.
The Eucharistic celebration is an action of Christ and the Church, namely, the holy people united and ordered under the Bishop. It therefore pertains to the whole Body of the Church in different ways, according to their different orders, duties, and actual participation.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §91
The liturgical reform of Vatican II was centred on restoring to the priestly people of God their right and duty to participate fully in liturgical actions. Their presence at liturgy is never as spectator but as participant in the liturgical action.
‘Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, having been replenished by such great gifts, we may gain the prize of salvation and never cease to praise you.’
—prayer after Communion
2 Kings 4:8–11, 13–16
This is a holy man of God; let him rest here.
Psalm 88(89):2–3, 16–19
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Romans 6:3–4, 8–11
When we were baptised we went into the tomb with Christ, so that we too might live a new life.
1 Peter 2:9
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people. Praise God who call you out of darkness and into his marvellous light.
Matthew 10:37–42
Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
For this reason Christ’s promise applies in an outstanding way to such a local gathering of the holy Church: ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.’ For in the celebration of Mass, in which the Sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated, Christ is really present in the very liturgical assembly gathered in his name, in the person of the minister, in his word, and indeed substantially and continuously under the Eucharistic species.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §27
When we speak about 'the real presence', most often we refer to the true and substantial presence of Christ in the eucharistic species. However, the Church recognises various ways in which Christ is also present, albeit in different ways. In the assembly, in the priest, and also in the proclamation of the Word of God. All of these are ordered towards our union with the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.
‘May this divine sacrifice we have offered and received fill us with life, O Lord, we pray, so that, bound to you in lasting charity, we may bear fruit that lasts for ever.’
—prayer after Communion