Comparison of the two forms of Offertory Prayers in the Roman Rite
Whenever I offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form, I am struck by the great contrast in the Offertory Prayers. As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, I wonder if this was a change made “in light of sound tradition,” and if indeed there was a genuine “pastoral need” for this revision. What were the historical and theological criteria used in making this particular change? Looking at SC in hindsight, I wonder if the Church will one day restore the traditional Offertory Prayers in light of Pope Benedict XVI’s admonition of “cross pollination” in Summorum Pontificum.
In comparing the two forms of Offertory Prayers, it is easy to recognize how disconnected with the traditional prayers they truly are. The ancient prayers are addressed to the Father, they make a clear reference to our sinfulness and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ about to be re-presented in our midst. The contemporary prayers are almost identical for both the host and chalice, without any reference to sin or the atoning sacrifice and sound like a blessing you might hear any ordinary meal.
There is an added response for the congregation, following the “meal blessing,” that is nowhere to be found in the traditional formula. The prayer for the preparation of the chalice drops the blessing of the water before it is added to the wine and leaves aside the Trinitarian ending. Dropping of the blessing of water is reminiscent of the infamous Book of Blessings that gives very few blessings at all and was rectified by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, on 14 September, 2002 when they stated the the Priest should add a sign of the cross over the people or object being blest. I wonder if the CDW will eventually do the same for this deprivation in the preparation of the chalice. And last but not the least is the complete removal of the prayer invoking the Holy Spirit. One would think that an invocation of the Holy Spirit would be of great significance to the action about to take place.
This is just one instance that that I believe ought to be revisited in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Following is a comparison of the two forms of the preparation of the altar for the sacrifice of Christ.
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Extraordinary Form |
Ordinary Form |
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Offering of the Bread and Wine |
Presentation and Preparation of the Gifts |
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The Priest takes the paten with the host, and offering it up, says: |
The Priest, standing at the altar, takes the paten with the bread and holds is slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice: |
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Accept, O Holy father, Almighty and Eternal God, this spotless host, which I, Your unworthy servant, offer to You, my living and true God, to atone for my numberless sins, offences, and negligences; on behalf of all here present and likewise for all faithful Christians living and dead, that it may profit me and them as a means of salvation to life everlasting. Amen. |
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of hymn hands, it will become for us the bread of life. |
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Making the Sign of the Cross with the paten, he places the host upon the corporal. (He places the paten partly under the corporal.) |
He places the paten and host on the corporal, |
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If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim: “Blessed be God for ever.” |
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He pours wine and water into the chalice, blessing the water before it is mixed. |
The Deacon, or the Priest, pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly. |
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O God, ✠ Who in creating man didst exalt his nature very wonderfully and yet more wonderfully didst establish it anew; by the Mystery signified in the mingling of this water and wine, grant us to have part in the Godhead of Him Who hath deigned to become a partaker of our humanity, Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord; Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen. |
By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity. |
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Offering of the Chalice |
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Then the Priest takes the chalice, and offers it, saying: |
The Priest then takes the chalice and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice: |
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We offer unto Thee, O Lord, the chalice of salvation, entreating Thy mercy that our offering may ascend with a sweet fragrance in the sight of Thy divine Majesty, for our own salvation, and for that of the whole world. Amen. |
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink. |
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The Priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the chalice, places it upon the corporal, and covers it with the pall. |
Then he places the chalice on the corporal. |
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If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim: “Blessed be God for ever.” |
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Then, with his hands joined upon the Altar, and slightly bowing down, he says: |
After this, the Priest, bowing profoundly, says quietly: |
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Humbled in spirit and contrite of heart, may we find favor with Thee, O Lord: and may our sacrifice be so offered this day in Thy sight as to be pleasing to Thee, O Lord God. |
With humble spirit and contrite hearty may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God. |
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Raising his eyes towards heaven, extending and then joining his hands, the Priest makes the Sign of the Cross over the host and chalice, while he invokes the Holy Spirit: |
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Come Thou, the Sanctifier, Almighty and Everlasting God, and bless ✠ this sacrifice which is prepared for the glory of Thy holy Name. |
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I know this is an old post, but was wondering if I could bother you about references to the historical precedents for Ordinary From Offertory prayers (if there are any). Were they newly composed whole cloth, or are there more ancient prayers upon which they are based?
They were newly composed. Based on the ancient Jewish notion of the Passover meal blessings as in a seder supper. See the intervention written by Cardinal Ottaviani.
I will like to have the offertorium prayers from before the Trento mass change in English or Spanish also Latin
ThNK YOU
And so, after some 20 centuries, the words and actions of Christ concerning the commandment “Do this, …” are still present as the hard core of the Traditional Latin Mass, they are still the same, repeated by the Priests:
The acts of the priest in the Offertory refers to the acts of Christ: “He took the bread and blessed it” and “He took the cup and blessed it”. The priest takes bread and wine from the ordinairy use, in accordance with the first part of these acts of Christ: “He took the bread …” and “He took the cup …”. Then the bread and wine are offered by the priest to the Lord for “His Blessings of the bread and wine”, whereby the bread and wine become suitable for the “Sacred Use to become the Body and Blood of Christ”. This refers to the second part of these mentioned acts of Christ for both, the Bread and the Cup: … and blessed it”.
Note, the Sacred Scripture mention these blessings over the bread and the cup, but without giving the specific words used by Christ. Since these blessings could not have been the usual prayers of thanksgiving, since they had already been said over the bread and wine, it cannot be otherwise than that they were here said specifically over the one loaf and the one cup of wine Christ took in His hands, by which He elevated them above their normal use and thereby make them fit to become His Body and Blood. It is therefore right and logical to ask Christ to elevate the bread and wine by His blessings from their ordinary use to their destiny for sacred use:
“Veni, sanctificátor omnípotens ætérne Deus: et bénedic hoc sacrifícium, tuo sancto nómini præparátum” (Come, O sanctifier, almighty and eternal God, and bless this sacrifice prepared for Thy holy name).
Then next, in the Canon the “Blessed Bread and Wine” are offered to the Lord for the consecration into the “Body and Blood of Christ” by Christ Himself as the Head of “His Mystical Body”, with the words of consecration pronounced by the priest “In Personna Christi”. After this, in the Anamnesis, the “Body and Blood of Christ” is sacrificed, followed by a “Remembrance of Christ and His Work of Redemption”. Thereafter, like Christ did, the priest breaks the “Consecrated Bread”, which is called Fraction. After this, again in accordance to Christ’s command, the priest, representing the High Priest, Christ, partakes in the “Sacrifice of Christ” by eating the “Body and Blood of Christ”. Finally, the priest invites the faithful present to also participate in the “Sacrifice of Christ”, through Holy Communion, the Sacrificial Meal.
Is there a more expansive side by side from the whole Eucharist Rite
There is, but you’d have to research that.
The epiclesis occurs during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, right before the Words of Institution (Consecration). During this time, the priest extends both hands, palms down, (just as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary at the Annunciation) over the bread and wine to call upon God the Father to send the Holy Spirit to transform the gifts into the Body and Blood of Christ. So why split hairs about not invoking the Holy Spirit during offertory? Jesus’ words of Consecration to follow the epiclesis are made clearly profound.
Thanks for your comment.
The epiclesis occurs during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, immediately before the Words of Institution. At that moment, the priest extends his hands over the gifts and calls upon God the Father to send the Holy Spirit to sanctify the bread and wine. Given this explicit invocation of the Holy Spirit immediately before the Consecration, it seems unnecessary to criticize the traditional Offertory prayers for not mentioning the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Offertory is to prepare and offer the gifts; the epiclesis belongs properly to the Eucharistic Prayer. Whether the invocation is expressed more explicitly or more implicitly, the Roman Rite has always understood the consecration to be accomplished through the words of Christ spoken by the priest.
From my old Missal: Fruit of the earth and work of human hands it will become the bread of life
Fruit of the vine and work of human hands. it will become our spiritual drink
These I whisper
That is not the 1962 Missal. It’s probably one of the transitional Missals.