LITURGY LESSON: PRESENTATION
OF THE GIFTS
(Given: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time;
One
of the most ancient customs of the church is that of the people themselves
providing the bread and wine for the Eucharist.
As the Roman liturgy spread to
other lands, this rite became a true procession of all the people who brought
forth not only bread and wine but at times also oil, candles, wheat, grapes,
and other items of precious value.
Toward
the end of the Middle Ages, the presentation of bread and wine was generally
replaced by the giving of money. It was not until after the Second Vatican
Council that this procession was restored. Since it is a procession it may be accompanied by a hymn, but it need not
be.
Note
especially the connection between two directives from the Sacramentary:
At
the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the gifts which will become the
Lord’s body and blood are brought to the altar . . . it is desirable for the
faithful to present the bread and wine.
And
This
is also the time to bring forward or to collect money or gifts for the poor and
the Church.
Our
liturgical rites area symbol-filled but, accustomed as we are in our pragmatic
culture to focus on words, we tend to overlook the meaning that symbols speak.
When
it comes to the presentation of the gifts what you and I should remember is
that this is not just a way of getting the bread and wine to the altar, nor is
it unconnected to the collection taken up by the ushers. The Church intends
that this procession of just a few people represent all of us; and that the
presentation of just a few gifts symbolizes our commitment to the Church and to
the poor through sharing of our wages and salaries and allowances.