20091201
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi

Our August discussion on the Institution Narrative or Consecration was reprinted in the November edition. We learned about the priest retelling the story of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, the story shifting from the past to the present at the Consecration, and Heaven touching Earth on the Altar. The Eucharistic mystery, the bread & wine have become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus, The Christ. We are fully immersed in the mystery that is the Holy Trinity. This mystery takes Faith, the focus of this month’s article; “The Mystery of Faith.”

Mystery – the word tells us that we cannot understand the Divinity hiding beneath the Bread and Wine. Our five senses cannot penetrate the Mystery or comprehend its creation. Our eyes, touch, and taste tell us that the bread is still bread and the wine is still wine. Our ears and nose also tell us there is no change – and yet – we KNOW there is. In our hearts, we know. We know, and the Mystery of the infinite God, contained in humble bread & wine, starts to make sense. Faith perceives it – Faith knows it is True.

Faith – the great gift of God that allows us to see The Truth that our sinful nature cannot see. “Flesh and blood” do not reveal this great mystery to us. We, just like Peter and his confession that Jesus is “the Christ,” are given this ability by the Holy Trinity, especially the Holy Spirit.

After the priest genuflects before our Eucharistic LORD in the species of Bread and Wine he invites us to proclaim the Mystery of Faith. This invitation is more than a rubric of the Mass; it is an invitation to express our wonder and awe at God’s presence on the altar. This climax of the Sacred Drama is punctuated by the words in the Mystery of Faith. The congregation joyfully exclaims what it perceives through the eyes of Faith – “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.” The story of our Salvation is summarized in these 10 simple words.

Ten words that speak of our Jesus’ past, His death; His present, risen from the dead; and His future, He will come again. These same ten words speak to our past, our death to sin through Baptism; our present, our new life in Christ; and our future, eternity with God, if we are loyal to His precepts. All of this lies on the altar of sacrifice in the form of bread and wine. Past – Present – Future --- Father – Son – Holy Spirit --- The Mystery of Faith perceives it and proclaims it. May God renew “The Mystery of Faith” within us.

Next time we will continue our discussion on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. May you have a wonderful and Holy Advent and a Merry Christmas. Please remember to pray for our priests during this Year for Priests.