The Mass: Liturgy of the Eucharist - Part XIV

We are now at the point in the Liturgy of the Eucharist where the Eucharistic Prayer has just ended. We are about to enter into the Communion Rite. The priest sets down the host he has just elevated (as the deacon sets down the chalice). The priest then invites us to pray the Lord’s Prayer together. You’ll recall that the entire Eucharistic Prayer is directed to God the Father. It is therefore fitting that we all stand, and join together, led by the priest, to continue to pray to the Father, in Jesus’ words.

There’s an important liturgical note to mention about the Lord’s Prayer. During the Lord’s Prayer, the priest takes the orans posture (hands extended). The posture of the priest and the people is always done for a specific reason. It is the priest who offers the Lord’s Prayer on behalf of the people, and the assembly prays through the priest. 

After the changes to the liturgy from Vatican II, and the liturgical experimentation that was attempted, the posture of the people during the Lord’s Prayer also took on the orans position. This also led to hands being joined together in some cases. This has continued today. However, from a liturgical perspective, this is incorrect (it is perfectly acceptable in private prayer). Only the priest’s hands should extended. The posture of the assembly should be one of hands folded in prayer (if you’re unsure about the posture during this part of Mass, just observe your deacon).

In the Lord’s Prayer at Mass, we pray in a particular way for the Eucharist (our “daily bread”) and also for purification from sin. How remarkable it is, therefore, that the very Lord Jesus who gave us the words of this prayer two thousand years ago is truly present, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, in this Eucharist we are about to receive. Praying this prayer and partaking in the Eucharist prepares us for the week ahead.

“Praying the Our Father and living it will lead us toward saintliness. The Our Father contains everything: God, ourselves, our neighbors.” –  Mother Theresa 

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact me at eucharist@stmli.org.