"By the Mystery of this water and wine....humbled Himself to share in our Humanity"

“By the mystery of this water and wine……humbled Himself to share in our humanity”

During the Holy Mass the deacon, or in his absence the priest, takes the cruets filled with water in one and wine in the other and quietly recites these words as he blends the two elements being careful to only add a drop of water into the chalice with a greater amount of wine as he says the formula.  It’s like a seasoned concoction being prepared for a meal, and a very theological format preparing for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  A meal indeed that supersedes any feast where one and all are invited to share.  This mingling of water and wine symbolizes that once blended together, water as the people, and wine as the Blood of Christ, can no longer be separated. 

“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” are words that not only characterize the theological premise of God inviting us to understand this union, but becoming the action of the Blood shed on Calvary to the minuteness of humanity, through the sign of blending with a drop of water, to drink spiritually of the Sacrifice Christ endured when He died.  This leads us, the wanton sinners, to the Paschal Mystery where God’s Plan to share His life and love with us becomes real and opens for each person their own way of the Cross.

To think of being humble we see how God through the Incarnation of His only begotten Son chose to become one with us by humbly taking on humanity.   

Why did God create humanity?  Not because of loneliness, nor did He need to satisfy some abstract thought.  God, in His infinite omnipotence has a love so great and deep that He wished to share that with creatures that would seek to accept life to the fullest.  Angels could not fulfill these issues, but human beings, in spite of their arrogant personalities would, with promptings from the Holy Spirit and the precious example of God’s beloved Son, turn away from sin and use Free Will to seek God through an ardent desire to be with their maker, forever. 

As the Psalmist says; God is holy, perfection personified.  “From Zion God shines forth, perfect in beauty.”  “Those who offer praise as a sacrifice honor me; to the obedient I will show the salvation of God”.  (Psalm 50: 23).

Are you able to discern how God, who is forever, not needing creatures, but creating out of total love those whom would reason, listen to wisdom, lead those under their charge, and most of all find their way to God through Free Will?

This is one of several qui prayers during the liturgy that has a very pronounced meaning and qualifies as a continuing part of the congregation’s participation.  It is good to learn these silent prayers to understand why they are said.

Ralph B. Hathaway, Lent - Easter 2019