LITURGY LESSON: PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

(Given: July 11, 2010 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time))

Today we say just a few words about the final prayers during the Preparation of the Gifts. After the priest washes his hands he invites us to pray. He says, "Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice will be acceptable to God, the almighty Father." In other words, it is the sacrifice of the community and so we all need to pray that "the Lord accept the sacrifice at" the hands of our representative, our priest, and that it is for "our good and the good of all His Church."

The next prayer, which changes every week and which is called the Prayer Over the Gifts, has an odd history. It was always said out loud until about the eighth century when in France it became a silent prayer. No one knows why. At that time the French church had great influence in the Church, and so this silence was adopted by Rome. Some of you may remember that the prayer was actually called the "Secret." The Vatican Council brought it out of secrecy and back to life.⁸⁰

It is an important prayer, and we should listen to it. Remember, nothing happens at that altar without God's action. In this prayer we are almost begging Him to act on our behalf. It is also a transitional prayer, for when it ends we are about to begin the great Eucharistic Prayer, the heart of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.