Saturday, 11/16/13,
If I were dutiful I would enlarge on the lessons from
today’s two Scripture readings, but I must beg off. The wording of the first
reading is beautiful, but I have no idea as to its meaning. Then, as for
abiding by Our Lord’s command that we must pray always, I agree, but I have
nothing more to add. So, let me use this open period to repeat some thoughts I
have on how we are to hear Mass.
The Last Super was a memorial of the Jewish Passover. There
was a special table blessing for such a solemn occasion, and both Luke and Paul
refer to Jesus offering that
blessing. Then, with Jesus telling the Apostles to “do this in memory of me,”
they understood that they were to use the elements of his table blessing as the
pattern for the Masses they would offer.
In each of our Masses we see them beginning with the first
third of that old blessing. Our Eucharistic Prayers always begin with our
calling to mind the good things God has done for us. Our Masses then mimic the
old table blessing by our calling down God’s Spirit to unite us and to empower
us to speak to God.
The third part of that traditional table blessing was called
“the pleasing gift.” It consisted of the guests all uniting with the host as
one pleasing gift to God. This third part of the traditional blessing amounted
to its being a true sacrifice by which the diners all subjected themselves to
God’s will. They became a pleasing gift to him.
Now, the Greek name for the Pleasing Gift was the Eu-charis. To enable us to become
physically one with him in the Eucharist, Jesus gives us himself in Holy
Communion.
Whatever form of prayer we follow when assisting at Mass we
should always be offering God a pleasing gift of our love and obedience, united
to the love and obedience of Jesus.
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