THE VERY GRACE-FILLED MOMENT

THE VERY GRACE-FILLED MOMENT

During the consecration at Mass the unbloody immolation of the divine Victim is achieved, manifested in a “mystical manner by the separation (separate consecration) of the sacred species and by their oblation to the Eternal Father” (Pope Pius XII, Mediator Dei). At this very moment we are mystically transported to Calvary, at the foot of the Cross. This is the very moment the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is made ACTUALLY PRESENT, so that we can PLUG into it. There we unite ourselves INTERIORLY with the act of Christ's immolation, reproducing in our hearts “the likeness of the divine Redeemer through the mystery of the Cross, according to the words of the Apostle to the Gentiles, ‘With Christ I am nailed to the Cross. I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me (Gal 2: 19-20). Thus we become a victim, as it were, along with Christ to increase the glory of the Father.” (Pius XII, as quoted in CREDO, by Bp Schneider).

We ought therefore to strive to unite our own interior sentiments and intentions to Jesus, our High Priest, at this very moment (especially at the elevation), on to the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer when the solemn words “through Him, with Him…”, are pronounced, to which we respond ‘AMEN’. We ought also never to forget to OFFER ourselves, our cares, sorrows, joys, distress… in a word, our whole being, in union with Jesus upon the Cross. This is the essence of ASSISTING at Mass.

But Christ's sacrifice and His priesthood are eternal. For “we have a great High Priest who has ascended into Heaven” (Heb 4:14), and “holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. Consequently He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7: 24-25), having entered “not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf” (Heb 9:24).

Thus Christ's eternal priesthood unites Heaven and earth at every Mass. “In the earthly Liturgy we partake in anticipation of that heavenly Liturgy….to which we are making pilgrimage.” (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium). “Who among the faithful could doubt that at the very hour of the sacrifice, at the word of the priest, the heavens are opened, that the angels are present at this mystery of Jesus Christ, the Most High itself united with the lowest, earth unites with heaven, visible and invisible become one?” (Pope St. Gregory the Great). Thus in the Canon of the Mass, the Church prays: “Humbly we beseech Thee, Almighty God, to command that these our offerings be carried by the hands of Thy holy angel to Thine altar on high, in the sight of Thy divine Majesty, so that those of us who shall receive the most sacred body and blood of Thy Son by partaking thereof from this altar may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing: through the same Christ Our Lord.”

In a word, at the Consecration we are at Calvary, at the foot of the Cross, but in a sense we are also mystically transported to Heaven there in the presence of our Blessed Mother, the Angels and the Saints, joining the heavenly liturgy. What a powerful grace-filled moment! At Mass, time and distance are annihilated, so to speak, because we behold the God-man, Jesus, who is outside time (cf CCC 1085). What a moment of innumerable miracles where the laws of nature are suspended, climaxed in the Transubstantiation, when Jesus becomes Truly, Really, and Substantially present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine!!!

From hereon (the Consecration, the CRUX of the Mass) we ought to be filled with sentiments of adoration and love, ever amazed at the great love Jesus has for us in offering Himself to redeem us, and arousing in our hearts sentiments of victimhood and self-gift to God. How foolish it is for man to seek power, joy, happiness, satisfaction and contentment in anything else this world offers, when God comes to us daily at Mass. We need only to see it with the eyes of faith and be caught up in it.

And so may we prepare for this grace-filled moment beginning with the penitential rite, arousing in our hearts genuine acts of repentance, in order to be worthy to assist at this most august sacrifice, and on to listening to God's word, and on to professing our faith in the Creed. May we also carry over these sentiments of total self giving to God after Mass. This is the ‘continued in-Mass and after-Mass identification of ourselves with Jesus in the bond of charity, shown by charity toward our fellowmen.

May we grow in greater love of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, for herein we are able to worship God adequately and increase the worship level of our life. Herein also the fruits of our redemption are applied to our souls as much as we are disposed to receive. Indeed the Eucharist is the SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF ALL CHRISTIAN LIFE.