Sometimes what we are most familiar with we know least about. Liturgy, from the Greek leitourgia meaning a voluntary public work, refers to the public prayers of the Church and includes the rite we call Mass as well as all the sacraments and the Liturgy of the Hours. Through the use of words, signs and symbols we express our belief in God’s invisible truth and God is present in our midst.

Over the next year we will examine our public worship, most especially the prayer we know as the Mass. Each week there will be a Liturgical Catechesis section in the bulletin explaining a part of the Mass.  The priests will also say something about that part of the Mass when we come together on Sunday.  Other Sundays, we’ll invite parishioners to share or witness to their experience of Jesus in the Eucharist.  Our hope is that during this Year of the Eucharist, we shall all have a deeper understanding of our prayer as community and the desire for full, conscious, and active participation in the Mass.

 The Vestments:  

Almost everything that we do requires some preparation. We make lists for the grocery store. Students do homework before returning to school. Gifts are purchased before weddings and showers. We tend to diet and exercise before our family and high school reunions. Some of our preparation is habitual and some deliberately thought out.

Preparing for our weekly celebration at Mass is no different. Some of us have childhood patterns to build upon. Mom and Dad insisted that we dress in our “Sunday clothes” and attention was given to the timing of a meal so that the appropriate period of fasting was observed. Some think that such details are superficial and that God doesn’t care what we are dressed in or whether we have maintained an hour of fasting before communion. However, it is we who need to observe practices such as these so that we mentally and, in our actions, delineate a change of routine that sharpens our awareness of God. We define our relationship with visible practices that are consciously chosen.

However, preparing for Sunday Mass is more than laying out our clothes the night before or delaying breakfast until after we return. We can do much more to ready ourselves for a deeper connection to Christ in the liturgy. One of the best ways is to make a practice of reading the Scriptures for the following Sunday early in the week. Spend time with them in prayer and reflection perhaps even discussion at the family meals. While there are many materials available to guide such a study, simply reading and becoming familiar with the text can prepare one to truly listen to the proclamation of the Word and to hear the message of the homily.

Start small. Resolve to read the Gospel at least one time during the week. The readings are listed in the bulletin.

Entering Church

It’s the first thing we do when we enter a Catholic Church. Almost instinctually, our right hand reaches for the Holy Water font. When we dip our fingers into the Holy Water at the door and make the Sign of the Cross we remember our Baptism and bless ourselves.  Baptism is our entry into the Church, God’s Holy People.  Likewise, it is fitting that we commemorate this when we enter the physical church building by using Holy Water. Taking the time to recall what baptismal water is about releases the power of the sign. We are cleansed. We are healed. We are refreshed. And we are joined with all those sealed together by Baptism.  

The narthex is the entrance section of a church. This room represents the transition between the outside world and the church.  This is a place of hospitable gathering both before and after Mass.  Notice how many things in the narthex help connect our faith to going out into the world such as bulletins, civil flags, devotional areas, a Vocation Awareness area, etc.  A unique feature of our narthex is the relic of St. Andrew Kim, the first Korean Catholic priest and companion of St. Paul Chong Hasang.  It is believed that this is the last relic of St. Andrew Kim to leave Korea.  Usually, relics are placed within the altar, but our community asked for special permission from the bishop to have it placed in a devotional area so that the faithful could approach closely and pray.  

The term "nave" comes from the Latin word for ship, suggesting the church was the arc of salvation.  As we enter the nave, the main body of the church, we notice that the Blessed Sacrament is present in the tabernacle indicated by the red candle called a Sanctuary Lamp.  Entering the pew, we genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle (or bow if we’re unable to genuflect) as a sign of reverence to the Real Presence of Jesus.  It is customary to kneel and pray as we assume our place in the pew.  We take time to quiet ourselves, become more aware of God’s loving presence, pray some favorite prayers or pray spontaneously from the heart, and consider any prayer intentions that we may have for the Mass.   As we sit down, we may wish to use the missalette to look over the Mass readings and prayers to help ourselves prepare.   

Genuflection and Bowing

“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on the earth and under the earth…” (Phil 2:10). Because God has greatly exalted Jesus Christ, we as Catholic Christians use our bodies in prayerful postures to demonstrate our awareness. We bow, genuflect (the right knee touches the ground) and, rarely, prostrate as a sign of homage. One of the earliest demonstrations of this is mentioned in Matt 2:11 with the visitation of the Magi. The evolution of liturgical actions signifying adoration extends backwards to our Jewish roots. Bowing is actually a form of prostration, a posture of reverence and subjugation to the One before us. The profound bow (from the waist) changes our position from equal or dominant to servant. During liturgy we bow toward the altar because this is the place of Eucharistic action. The rubrics (instructions for Mass) indicate a bow for all during the Creed at the words professing our belief in the Incarnation. We also bow before receiving Holy Communion as an expression of reverence to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.  

Genuflection was originally used as a gesture to give honor to royalty or a high dignitary.  In the early Church this became an action to demonstrate momentary adoration. We use it most when we turn toward the tabernacle as we enter the church or our pews. Once Mass begins, we discontinue genuflecting to the Tabernacle because the primary action of Christ is at the altar and this becomes our focus. The priest has a rubrical genuflection following the elevation of the host and the chalice.  He genuflects a third time before the acclamation “Behold, the Lamb of God…”   We also frequently genuflect when celebrating Exhibition of the Blessed Sacrament and Eucharistic Adoration.

You may notice a simple bow of the head from ministers when we hear the name of Jesus, Mary the Mother of God, or the saint of the day. This devotional slight bow is a conscious gesture of respect and veneration.

In the course of our liturgical celebration certain vessels are used as the action unfolds, some with more minor roles, others the focus of the Eucharistic action. The chalice (from the Latin calix meaning cup) is specifically mentioned in the scriptural accounts of the Last Supper.

Paten (from the Greek patane meaning plate) was the container used for the Eucharistic bread in the early Church and could have many shapes but was large enough to hold the loaves brought by those coming to Eucharist. There was probably a smaller one for the priest. Another container used for bread is the ciborium (ciboria, pl.).  Ciboria are used to hold the hosts for distribution at appropriate places within the church. They are also used to repose those hosts not used at the liturgy in the tabernacle.

Other vessels include the cruets. When only the priest received the precious Blood, a smaller vessel contained the wine for the liturgy and such may still be used in the context of small daily Masses. A second cruet contains water for the mingling of water and wine. The water for the washing of hands is usually in another pitcher for this purpose. 

During the Gathering Song, the priest and other ministers process to the front of the sanctuary and give a profound bow as a gesture of reverence toward the altar. The priest and deacon approach the altar and venerate the altar by kissing it; when the occasion warrants, the priest may also incense the cross and altar.   A kiss is one of our culture’s most intimate expressions. It is symbolic of the love and unity between two people. This gesture of veneration is made to recognize the place where Jesus, Gift of God’s love, will join the assembled people through the action of the priest.

Together with the priest we make the Sign of the Cross.  The Sign of the Cross is itself a powerful prayer as well as a sign of our faith in the Trinity and the mystery of the Cross. Making this sign together expresses our unity in these moments of gathering. 

Then through his greeting, the priest declares to the assembled community that the Lord is present.   The people’s response “…and with your spirit” uses the Biblical language of St. Paul (see Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23; 2 Timothy 4:22). Some may remember the previous translation “…and also with you” in which one might get the false impression that our response was merely intended to express an exchange of personal greetings or reciprocal good will: "May the Lord be with you, too, Father."  By saying “and with your spirit” a stronger theological distinction is made. When a man is ordained a priest, the Holy Spirit comes upon him in a unique way, enabling him to perform the sacred rites of the Mass and consecrate the Eucharist. By responding, "And with your spirit," we acknowledge the Spirit's activity through the priest during the sacred Liturgy. We are referring to the "spirit" of the priest, the very core of his being, where he has been ordained to offer the sacrifice of the Mass. Indeed, we are acknowledging that since God works through the priest who is offering the Mass, ultimately it is Jesus Christ who is the head of the community gathered for the Liturgy, and it is his Spirit who is the primary actor in the Liturgy, regardless of who the particular priest celebrating Mass may be.

In Matthew 5:23-24 we are reminded that if we come to the altar and then remember that a brother holds something against us, we should first be reconciled and then come to offer our gift. At the beginning of Mass we pause to acknowledge that we are sinful and to ask forgiveness of God and each other during the penitential rite. There are three forms that the penitential act can take, and each begins with the invitation to recall your sins: “Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.”  It is ideal that we take a brief moment of silence to recollect what’s on our conscience.   

The first option is the familiar prayer known as the Confiteor (Latin for “I confess”). Through this prayer we make an honest and humble acknowledgment of our sins of commission and omission.  The threefold ownership that we have committed these sins “though my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault” while striking one’s breast both verbally and physically helps us take heartfelt responsibility and express contrition or sorrow for our sins (See the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:13).  The prayer continues with both a humble and confident request for prayer from the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and saints, and from all the community.  

The second form is probably the least familiar to this assembly. The priest or deacon begins, “Have mercy on us, O Lord.” The people respond, “For we have sinned against you.” Then there is another exchange in which the priest or deacon says to God, “Show us, O Lord, your mercy.” And the people add, “And grant us your salvation.”  

The third option is common and features a three-part invocation incorporating the response pattern “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” The Roman Missal gives eight options and allows the priest or deacon to compose other prayers in this pattern. The prayers are statements addressed to Christ and reinforce our awareness of God’s gift of salvation. 

Finally, the celebrant invokes God's mercy and asks that he forgive the sins of the gathered assembly. This prayer, however, is distinct from the formula of absolution in the sacrament of reconciliation (penance), which is required for the remission of grave (mortal) sins. When the first and second forms are used, the penitential act is followed by the Kyrie.  “Kyrie eleison” is a Greek phrase that means “Lord, have mercy”. The third option does not repeat the Kyrie since it is already imbedded into form itself, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” 

At St. Joseph Catholic Church, we uphold the sacred tradition of offering Mass intentions for the spiritual benefit of our community and loved ones. Whether to remember a deceased loved one, pray for someone facing illness, or celebrate a special occasion, requesting a Mass intention is a meaningful way to unite your intentions with the Eucharistic sacrifice. The calendar of Mass Intentions for the 2025 calendar year will open on Monday, December 2nd. 

To learn more about Mass Intentions and our policies, click here. 

If one were to ask members of the assembly why they come to church, perhaps some of the answers would include being with the community or listening to Father or getting communion. 

The primary purpose of the coming together of the assembly is to give praise and worship to our God. Praise is probably one of the hardest prayer forms for us to sustain as we want to drop into petition or thanksgiving for our personal needs.  

The beautiful liturgical prayer that is simply called the Gloria is a hymn of praise to the heavenly Father whose gift is the Son. It is a very ancient hymn that was both composed and used by the early Church. 

The first stanza of the Gloria repeats the song of the angels at Bethlehem and then sings the praise of the Father and the Son; the second stanza is an enthusiastic hymn to Christ the Lamb of God. The Gloria is prayed at every Sunday liturgy except during Advent and Lent when we adopt a more penitential tone. It is also prayed on solemnities and feasts that fall during the week. It should be said or, most appropriately, sung with wholehearted enthusiasm by every person of faith who has some comprehension of what we owe our God who is Creator, loving Father, willing Savior, Holiest and Most High.

The Introductory Rites of the Mass are concluded with the Opening Prayer. It is also known as the “Collect” because it "collects" the prayers of the congregation into one prayer for the church. The priest invites the assembly with the words “Let us pray…” The invitation is followed by a brief period of silence. The silence is important because, having already become aware that we are in the presence of God, we now call to mind the intentions we bring with us to Mass. 

The structure of a Collect is unique and typically has five parts: 

1) invocation or address of God; 

2) acknowledgment or description of God;

3) petition or request; 

4) aspiration or desired result; and 

5) conclusion or doxology.

Sometimes a connection can be made to the readings for the day although this may not always be explicit. Learning to concentrate on the words of the Opening Prayer can become an opportunity to unlock surprising inspiration and focus as we continue into the Liturgy of the Word that follows. The response, “Amen” is our acknowledgment of the prayer of the presider. Through the “Amen” we make the Church’s prayer our own.

Following the Introductory Rites that open Mass is the Liturgy of the Word. This is the next major section of the Mass during which we listen to the readings.  As the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) states, "When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel" (GIRM 29). In faith, we can listen to the proclamation of God’s Word in such a way as to be listening to God and open to grace.  

The First Reading is usually from the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures. These readings from the Law, Prophets, and Wisdom books connect us to God’s covenant with his Chosen People. The first reading is chosen to relate to the Gospel message of the day. During the Easter Season the selections for the first reading are taken from the Acts of the Apostles. 

The Responsorial Psalm is sung or read after the First Reading. The text for the Responsorial Psalm comes from the Book of Psalms, which is part of the Old Testament. Led by a cantor, the congregation sings a response to each verse of the psalm, which is usually a phrase or topic from the reading. It’s powerful to reflect that the Psalms were also prayed by Jesus and the early Church.

The Second Reading is taken from the New Testament, the writings of the post-Resurrection Church. It is sometimes referred to as the Epistle (which means letter or message). These are actual letters of the early Church leaders to Christian communities.  Most frequently, the epistle is taken from one of the Letters of St. Paul – Romans, Corinthians, Thessalonians, etc.  There are also letters from Peter, John, and Jude.  Unlike the first reading, this one is usually not thematically connected with the Gospel but follows a sequential order from week to week.

Both readings conclude with the phrase “The Word of the Lord” indicating that it is God who has just spoken to us. The assembly replies “Thanks be to God” in gratitude for the Living Word. The Liturgy of the Word is also comprised of the Gospel Acclamation, the Gospel, the Homily, the Creed, and the General Intercessions.  These will be discussed in the coming weeks.

During the liturgy there are structured times of silence: during the Penitential Rite, after the invitation “Let us pray,” after the first and second reading and homily, during the Eucharistic prayer, and after Communion.  We are a very action-oriented society and at times we may feel uncomfortable with these times of silence and stillness.  Yet these moments of silence are there to provide opportunities for us to reflect and absorb more deeply the mystery we celebrate and to participate more fully with our hearts.  In 2000, Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Ratzinger, offered an insight into the silence of the liturgy. “We respond, by singing and praying to the God who addresses us, but the greater mystery, surpassing all words, summons us to silence. It must, of course, be a silence with content, not just the absence of speech and action. We should expect the liturgy to give us a positive stillness that will restore us.”  The more we cultivate a spirit of silence at the designated times at Mass, the more we begin to experience the reality of God’s presence and hear His voice.

The General Intercessions concluded the Liturgy of the Word and the assembly now prepares for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Commonly we speak about the offertory but the Missal names this time of the liturgy as the Preparation of the Altar and Gifts. A collection is taken up to support the needs of the parish and also to fulfill our responsibilities to the diocesan Church and to those members of the Body of Christ who are in need. We sing a hymn during this time to draw us together in unity as we prepare to offer our gifts. The hymn may reflect themes of offering or bread and wine but may simply be a song of praise or a seasonal selection. While this time may seem somewhat like an intermission, it’s potentially a powerful time of prayer in which each person may reflect upon their own lives and present the offerings of their hearts and life situations upon the altar with the bread and wine.  During this interval ministers (acolyte or servers) prepare the table by placing certain items on the altar. A corporal (from the Latin “corpus” or “body”) is a linen square unfolded in the center of the altar and the Eucharistic vessels including the chalice and the paten and/or ciboria will rest there. Another linen cloth called a purificator that is used to wipe the edge of the chalice is also placed on the altar.  The Roman Missal, the book containing the prayers of Mass, is also set upon the altar.  Members of the community bring the gifts of bread, wine, and the monetary offering forward in procession. Like the boy in John 6:9 who gives his 5 barley loaves and 2 fish to Jesus, so also, we trust that the Lord will transform our offerings and multiply his graces.  

The Preparation of the Gifts continues with prayers that are inaudible to the people if the hymn is still in progress. However if the hymn has concluded, the assembly will hear and respond to the two prayers beginning “Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.” These prayers epitomize our relationship with the Father. He is the Giver of all gifts including wheat and grape, but having given them he accepts them back as we offer ourselves with what we have made, bread and wine, now to become the Body and Blood of his Son who is then returned to us as food. Between these two prayers, the deacon speaks inaudibly as he pours wine and a few drops of water into the chalice. The two mix and are indistinguishable from each other and we are reminded that through this mystery now taking place we share in the divinity of Christ who through love came to share our human condition. Truly we must answer “Blessed be God forever.”  The priest, bowing profoundly, says quietly: “With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you Lord God.  Incense may also fittingly be used at this time signifying the purification and sanctification of the gifts being presented at the altar, essentially representing the people's spiritual sacrifices being offered alongside the bread and wine.  The cross, priest, and congregation, likewise, are incensed as all make their offerings to God with the sacrifice of Christ.  The preparation is concluded as the priest washes his hands signifying his unworthiness to handle the consecrated bread and wine (the body and blood of Christ) and his need to be cleansed from sin before offering the Eucharist; this is represented by the prayer he quietly says while washing, "Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." 

The priest invites the people, “Pray brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the almighty Father.”  By saying "my sacrifice and yours," the priest invites each individual to bring their own struggles, joys, and intentions to be united with Christ's sacrifice.  The people rise and reply: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.”
Now the priest says the Prayer over the Gifts, the transition from the Preparation of the Gifts to the Eucharistic Prayer. As the priest offers the elements we are reminded again that this is not merely bread and wine but the gift of ourselves. In various ways we ask that God take what we offer in praise and thanksgiving and transform it, transform us, help us to grow in love and service, and to bring us to salvation through his Son Jesus Christ.

Now the priest begins the Eucharistic Prayer praying the Preface.  The Latin phrase for "Preface" is "Praefatio," which literally means "pre-action" or "what comes before," signifying that the preface is the introductory part of the Eucharistic Prayer, coming before the central act of thanksgiving; it sets the stage by highlighting the reasons why we are giving thanks to God.  A dialogue ensues: The Lord be with you" - "And with your spirit" - "Lift up your hearts" - "We lift them up to the Lord" – “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God” – “It is right and just.”
A kind of “On your mark, get set, go!” at the beginning of the Preface, the dialogue serves as a moment of conscious connection between the congregation and the priest, signifying that the community is actively participating in the prayer and lifting their hearts to God in thanksgiving, essentially preparing them to enter into the Eucharistic Prayer by acknowledging God's presence and their readiness to praise Him.  Earlier this year we learned the significance of “The Lord be with you.”  There is a similar depth in these exchanges.  The verb “lift up” is not in the Latin, but is presumed. “Sursum corda” means literally, “Hearts aloft!”  And the “give thanks” is derived from the Greek from which we get the word “Eucharist.”

God who is all-good and all-giving needs nothing from us but we, the recipients, are overcome with the need to give back and so our thanks and praise flow through the words of the Preface. There are dozens of options for this prayer that match seasons and occasions. Themes include God’s intervention throughout history, the life and saving acts of Jesus, thanksgiving for the lives of the holy men and women who are our models, and in the case of weddings and funerals, thanksgiving for the persons who are entering a different stage of relationship with God. Preferably this prayer is sung when possible.  Each Preface ends with the worshiping community joining with the angels and all the communion of saints. We are always cognizant of belonging to a larger community than the small group of people that we call by name, a community that transcends time and place, and together we can make a prayer of unceasing thanks and praise.

The concluding part of the Preface provides a transition into the Sanctus or ‘Holy’.  The realization of how incredibly blessed we are by the saving gift of the Son from the Father results in an outpouring of praise. United with all the angels and saints we join our voices to the priest in a song of joyous recognition. The words of the Sanctus or Holy, Holy, Holy are based in the Scriptures and the prayer that came to Christian liturgy from the synagogue. The first part is related to the calling of the prophet Isaiah.  In a vision he sees the Lord on his throne, surrounded by seraphim (angels with six wings), who call to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa 6:3).  The second part adopts the shouts of praise spoken by the crowds of people when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  Matthew reports the greeting of the crowd as: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matt 21:9). The Hebrew word Hosanna originally meant “Pray, save us.”  However, it very soon became an acclamation glorifying and praising God.  When we sing “blessed he who comes” we are reminded that indeed our Lord does come to save us in the saving mystery of the Mass.  As an acclamation it should be sung whenever possible, not by a few well-trained voices but flowing from the hearts and mouths of all the faithful present and celebrating.

On February 2nd we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord or the bringing of the baby Jesus to the Temple with the emphasis on Christ as the true light that has entered the world. This feast is also called Candlemas and candles may be blessed for home and parish use. 

From primitive times fire has been used to ward off darkness both physically and spiritually.   Before electricity, candles were the primary means of giving light indoors and were necessary for reading.  The lampstands in the Temple of Jerusalem symbolized God's constant presence and guiding light, representing the idea that God is the source of life and illumination, shining continuously day and night, much like how the lamps were kept burning perpetually in the sanctuary.  In the earliest years of Christianity, candles served the practical purpose of giving light when Christians gathered in secret or in dark places such as home-churches and the catacombs.  Christians also saw a rich symbolism in the light of candles.  They remind us of Jesus Christ as the Light of the World and the call we each have as his disciples to vigilance in the Christian life.  

Through the centuries other ceremonial uses for candles or lamps developed including altar candles, processional candles, and the placement of candles at the shrine of a martyr. This custom continues in our current practice of lighting votive candles in front of images of Christ and the saints as a sign of petition or thanksgiving. The burning flame represents a continuation of our prayer and a perseverance in petition.  

There are also special candles that are used in the church.  A perpetual light is placed near the tabernacle called the Sanctuary Lamp.  It burns perpetually as long as the Eucharist is present.   During Advent we also light the candles of the Advent Wreath.  This ancient custom helps us in anticipation of celebrating the Christmas mystery.  At the Easter Vigil, the Easter or “Paschal” Candle with its many symbols of Christ in his cross and as the Alpha and Omega is lighted from the kindling of the Easter fire. The beautiful prayers of this liturgy open for us the power of Christ the Light of the World. Everyone in the assembly once more holds a candle and the light spreads through the darkness---the resurrected Christ has conquered death. The Easter Candle is also used prominently at every baptism and every funeral. Light leads us into the Church and light guides us to our eternal homeland…Alpha and omega, beginning and end.

The Eucharistic Prayer is the culminating moment of the liturgical celebration. It is the prayer the priest prays while you are kneeling and the prayer that brings forth the transubstantiation (change in substance) of the bread and wine which becomes our Lord’s Body and Blood.   It is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God the creator of all things and giver of salvation through Jesus Christ as well as a prayer of remembrance whereby we recall all that is accomplished in the life and death of Jesus. As we celebrate the supper as we have been instructed to do, the past is made present in the action now occurring. It is also a prayer of offering in which we consciously join ourselves to the “once-for-all offering of Jesus Christ.” Too, the prayer is one of supplication, asking the Holy Spirit to come upon the gifts, praying for communion of the Church on earth, and interceding for those who have died.  There is also an element of reconciliation as we look forward to communion from the Body broken and Blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Finally, this is a prayer of consecration. The people of God are renewed in their baptismal commitment to work for the coming of the Kingdom, united with everyone on earth--Pope, bishops, and all the faithful—and with everyone who has already joined with the angels and saints in heaven.  There are four primary Eucharistic Prayers, two others with themes of Reconciliation, and 4 more that may be used for “Various Needs and Occasions”. We will treat each of the main four individually and then cover the remaining six together.  

Let’s begin with Eucharistic Prayer I, also known as the “Roman Canon” because it is the oldest and most traditional Eucharistic prayer used in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, essentially serving as the "standard" or "rule" of the Church of Rome’s prayer, with the word "canon" itself meaning "rule" or "standard" in Latin.  It dates to the 5th century and even earlier in a less developed format. It was the only Eucharistic prayer from approximately the 11th century until 1969 when the other three new forms were introduced.  
A prominent theme of the Eucharistic Prayer I is the sacrificial offering both that of Christ and of the faithful.  There are powerful and beautiful allusions to the sacrifice of Christ, “this pure victim, this holy victim, this spotless victim.”  And there are Old Testament precursors of sacrifice (the offerings of Abel, Abraham, and Melchizedek).  

Another distinguishing feature of EP1 is the inclusion of two listings of saints venerated by the early Church of Rome.  The first list of saints includes the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the Apostles, three popes (Linus, Cletus, & Clement), four martyrs of the 3rd century (Sixtus II, Lawrence, Cyprian, & Cornelius), and five titular saints of Roman basilicas (Chrysogonus, John & Paul, Cosmos & Damien).  The second list includes 4 saints from the New Testament (John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, & Barnabas), seven martyrs of Rome (Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Agnes, & Cecilia), and three titular saints of Roman basilicas (Agatha, Lucy, and Anastasia).  Some other interesting features of the Eucharistic Prayer that sets it apart from the other three are: the gifts are blessed apart from the Epiclesis (invocation of the Holy Spirit upon the gifts); the prayer for God’s angel to take this sacrifice to heaven during which the priest bows; and the priest striking his breast at the words “though we are sinners.”  

Eucharistic Prayer #2 has elements that can be traced back to the early 3rd century attributed to St. Hippolytus.  This is the shortest of all the Eucharistic Prayers and is remarkably clear and precise. Christ is the focus of the theology, “the Savior [God] sent to redeem us, [who]…by the Holy Spirit…was born of the Virgin Mary …opened his arms on the cross; to put an end to death and revealed the resurrection.” There is a focus on praise and thanksgiving to the Father for his great gift to us in the Son, our Paschal Mystery.  

Another trademark characteristic of this eucharistic prayer is the symbolic use of the word “dewfall” when praying the Epiclesis, or the prayer asking for the Holy Spirit to come upon the gifts to be consecrated.  The action of “like the dewfall” is quiet, unseen, mysterious and gentle. It is a life-giving action. In the Book of Exodus, we read how the people complained that they were hungry. God said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven” (Ex 14:4), and instructed him to tell the people, “In the morning, you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I, the Lord, am your God” (Ex 14:12). The next morning, “when the dew evaporated,” the people awoke and found the manna, “the bread which the Lord has given you to eat” (Ex 14:13-15). So, God performed this miracle, feeding His people with manna. And so, the wonderful saving act of God lives on in the holy Mass. The priest prays for the Holy Spirit to descend like “the dewfall” to transubstantiate bread and wine into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Pope Benedict XVI praised the Eucharistic Prayers for their “inexhaustible theological and spiritual richness.”  Let’s explore three such riches in Eucharistic Prayer III: its emphasis on sacrifice, its intercessions, and its invocation of the Holy Spirit.

Sacrifice is what the Mass is – it’s a meal, yes, but as we hear constantly throughout all the Eucharistic Prayers, it is our presence at the foot of the Cross as well.  So we’ll hear phrases like, “holy and living sacrifice”, and talk of victims and offerings – things that might have a bad connotation in a secular culture, but which are essential to who we are as Catholics, because they were done by Christ with immense love!

EP III includes a series of intercessions that are noteworthy for their universal scope. First is the petition to the Holy Spirit for unity, after which we ask the Father to “make of us an eternal offering to you, so that we may obtain in inheritance with your elect.” Then comes a petition that the Eucharist would “advance the peace and salvation of all the world.” This illustrates why St. John Paul II said that the Mass has a “universal and, so to speak, cosmic character…It unites heaven and earth. It embraces and permeates all creation.”  The next petition is for God’s “pilgrim Church on earth” to be confirmed “in faith and charity.” Then comes a petition for the unspoken prayers of the congregation: “listen graciously to the prayers of this family,” and then a request for God to “gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world.” And finally, a prayer for the dead—not only “our departed brothers and sisters,” but “all who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life”—that the Father would give them “kind admittance to your kingdom” where we also “hope to enjoy forever the fullness of your glory.”

Another big theme throughout Eucharistic Prayer III is the Holy Spirit. EPIII underlines the action of the Holy Spirit in the Eucharist – he gathers us as one people to offer that sacrifice, he transforms the gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, and he transforms us too, giving us meaning to our participation at Mass.

Eucharistic Prayer Four offers us a short course through salvation history beginning with the sin of the first parents “who disobeyed and lost your friendship” through the covenants and the prophets until all is fulfilled in the sending of the Son who is born, “proclaimed the good news of salvation,” died, rose and by so doing “destroyed death and restored life.” Although all the Eucharistic Prayers are Trinitarian in nature, this one in the history mentioned above also shows us the Father as Creator of humanity, Christ as Savior of humanity and Spirit who is sent to “bring the fullness of grace,” a completion to the work that has begun. Many other parts of the prayer refer again in differing combinations to Lord and Father, Christ, and Holy Spirit. This Prayer might be termed one of consecration as formed in God’s own likeness we ask that “we might no longer live for ourselves but for him.” It also reminds us of the Gospel according to John with its theme of Jesus who “always loved those who were his own in the world.” 

Epiclesis (pronounced Epp-eh-clee-sis) comes from Greek meaning “invocation” and refers to the portion of the Eucharistic prayer that invokes or calls upon the Holy Spirit to descend upon the gifts of bread and wine. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Church asks that the bread and wine change into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, not as some magical action, but as a divine gift that transforms not only the elements but also those who will receive them into the Body of Christ.  The epiclesis takes place as the priest joins his hands and holds them outstretched with palms facing downward over the offerings. In some parishes, the Sanctus (Holy) Bell is rung that calls our reverent attention to this unseen but real descent of the Holy Spirit.  In most of the Eucharistic prayers, this gesture is accompanied by the Sign of the Cross being made over the bread and chalice except for Eucharistic Prayer I which separates the blessing from the Epiclesis and places it earlier.  For the sake of an example here is what the Epiclesis sounds like in Eucharistic Prayer III:  “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.”  

The consecration or institution narrative is the central part of the Eucharistic Prayer, most closely relating it to the source of the Eucharistic Sacrament in the Last Supper of Jesus. Here Jesus’ words and actions at the Last Supper are retold giving context and meaning to the action taking place. Everything in the liturgy so far has been leading up to this moment of great reverence. We have asked for forgiveness, listened to the Word, offered ourselves, given praise and thanks. Now we place ourselves with all the disciples at the table with Jesus as he gives thanks and praise and blesses both bread and cup. “This is my Body given up for you, this is my Blood poured out for you…so that sins may be forgiven.” The word “transubstantiation” is used to describe the changing of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus.  While the “accidents” or appearances of bread and wine remain, the “substance” changes to become the body and blood of Jesus.  This actual presence is often referred to as the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.  

During the elevation of the consecrated host and chalice, the ringing of the Sanctus bell is a traditional way of drawing attention to the profound mystery occurring on the altar, signaling to all present the moment of Christ’s true presence among us. Many Catholics have a beautiful custom of praying silently, “My Lord and My God,” echoing the words of St. Thomas the Apostle in John’s Gospel (20:28). This simple but profound prayer reflects both awe and reverence for the divine presence in the Eucharist. In this moment, we recognize Christ's real presence and are invited to unite ourselves with Him in faith and thanksgiving. Let us also take this time to reflect on His great sacrifice for our salvation, offering a silent prayer of adoration. As we are nourished by His Body and Blood, may we be strengthened to live His love in our daily lives and be united with all believers in the Church, past, present, and future, who partake in this sacred meal.

The Memorial Acclamation is a powerful declaration of faith and thanksgiving that follows the consecration during the Eucharistic Prayer. After the priest recites the words of Christ’s Last Supper, the faithful respond with one of the acclamations, such as "We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again." This acclamation is a vivid expression of Anamnesis, the Greek term for "remembrance," which in the liturgical context signifies more than just recalling past events. It’s an active participation in the Paschal Mystery—the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Christ—which we proclaim as a living reality present in the Mass. Through this acclamation, we affirm that the Eucharist is not just a historical recollection but an ongoing encounter with Christ’s saving work. We unite ourselves with the eternal sacrifice of Christ, offering us His grace and inviting us into deeper communion with Him and with the Church throughout time.

The Memorial Acclamation is offered in three possible forms, each beautifully expressing a different aspect of the Paschal Mystery. The first acclamation, "We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again," emphasizes the centrality of Christ's death and resurrection in our faith, while also looking forward to His return in glory. The second acclamation, "When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again," highlights the intimate participation of the faithful in Christ’s sacrifice through the Eucharist, underscoring the importance of the Body and Blood of Christ in the liturgy. The third acclamation, "Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free," focuses on Christ's redemptive act of salvation, recalling how His Cross and Resurrection bring liberation from sin and death. Each acclamation invites us to reflect on a different dimension of the mystery we celebrate—Christ's sacrifice, our participation in it, and the ultimate gift of salvation—drawing us more deeply into the mystery of the Eucharist and the life of faith.

The Doxology, which follows the Eucharistic Prayer, is a hymn of praise that beautifully expresses the glory of God, acknowledging the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The priest concludes the Eucharistic Prayer by proclaiming, “Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, forever and ever.” This solemn declaration affirms that all blessings, thanksgiving, and glory belong to God, and it reflects the deep unity of the Trinity in the mystery of the Eucharist. Immediately following the Doxology, the faithful respond with the Great Amen, a resounding affirmation of the priest’s prayer. The word "Amen," meaning "so be it," signifies our complete agreement with the prayer, expressing our own participation in the offering and our trust in God’s promises. By joining in the Great Amen, we unite ourselves not only with Christ’s sacrifice but also with the entire Church, offering praise and worship to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. This final response of the Great Amen completes the Eucharistic Prayer, drawing the faithful into the fullness of the prayer, where we offer ourselves, our lives, and our worship to God, united in the Body of Christ.