Last week, I introduced the Eucharistic Prayer and quoted that important line in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal that this part of the Mass is “the center and high point of the entire celebration.” (GIRM, 78)
The GIRM explains that there are seven main elements of the Eucharistic Prayer, beginning fittingly with thanksgiving. We read the following:
The thanksgiving (expressed especially in the Preface), in which the Priest, in the name of the whole of the holy people, glorifies God the Father and gives thanks to him for the whole work of salvation or for some particular aspect of it, according to the varying day, festivity, or time of year.
(GIRM, 79)
The invitation to thanksgiving begins with that powerful exchange between celebrant and congregation which begins every Preface:
Extending his hands, he says: The Lord be with you.
The people reply: And with your spirit.
The Priest, raising his hands, continues: Lift up your hearts.
The people: We lift them up to the Lord.
The Priest, with hands extended, adds: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
The people: It is right and just.
Most prefaces then continue to emphasize thanksgiving with these or similar words:
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
Since this dialog and the first words of the Preface are almost always identical, we know that this is another one of those places in the Mass where we can easily fall into our routine responses, given more out of muscle memory that out of true devotion and thanksgiving.
Think about how radical these words are, though. In our hearts, we let the priest celebrant speak on our behalf that it is “right and just” for us to give thanks “always and everywhere.” This echoes the sentiment of St. Paul who wrote: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
When we truly enter into this prayer, we acknowledge that all that we have is a gift, and for that we thank God for His abundant generosity. But we also thank Him for those things in our lives which we do not consider blessings – such as sufferings, disappointments, and discouragements. But we believe what St. Paul also tells us, “that all things work for the good for those who love God.” (Rom 8:28) We may not always feel like giving thanks to God for these things, but as we pray, so we must believe, that it is ”truly right and just” for us to do so. And if we are having trouble reconciling that tension of saying something we do not yet fully believe, we take comfort in trusting that the gifts offered on the altar are about to be transformed into the Body and Blood, soul and divinity of Jesus, so too may our half-hearted offering of thanks be transformed into a pleasing sacrifice of thanks to the Lord for everything. This includes all that He has given, and all that He has allowed in His Providence for us to experience. For nothing is outside of the Lord’s awareness, and there is nothing He does not desire to heal and bless through His abundant generosity. For that, we give thanks!
Father Alford