Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Eucharistic Prayer is the center and highpoint of the entire celebration of the Mass (cf. General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 78). And the most important element within each Eucharistic Prayer is probably the Institution narrative and Consecration (the essential elements of which are “This is my Body” and “This is the chalice of my Blood”). It is by means of these words and actions that the once-for-all Sacrifice of Christ is effected. The Words of Consecration are so key to the sacraments taking place that if the priest used different words from what is given, or omitted words such that the meaning of the text might change would cause the sacrament to be invalid – which means that Jesus does not become sacramentally present in the bread or wine, and anyone receiving invalid hosts does not receive Jesus at all in Communion.

 

It is in part for this reason that the Church in its rubrics for The Order of Mass include the line before the Words of Consecration stating, “In the formulas that follow, the words of the Lord should be pronounced clearly and distinctly, as the nature of these words requires.” This is why many priests will slow down their speech and more carefully enunciate these words at each Mass. I recall a conversation with another priest at one point on this topic, and he was saying that the text only says the words should be pronounced clearly and distinctly, not that the priest should change the way he says them compared to any other part of the Mass. He argued that those priests who do slow their speech or emphasize the words in any way are reading too much into the text. They are in effect, he would say, not following what the text actually says and just doing their own thing, which in the liturgy is wrong.

 

I disagreed with him. The Church intentionally put those instructions for how the Words of Consecration should be pronounced immediately prior to those words. The text itself distinguishes those words by printing them differently – using a Small Caps style. If it meant for them to be said in the exact same way as everything else, those actions do not make a lot of sense. In addition, when it says these specific words should be pronounced clearly and distinctly, and you assume that means they should be said in normal speaking tones without any emphasis, then that implies since the rubrics do not say that about any other words of the Mass, everything else should be mumbled vaguely – which also does not make much sense. I agree that it is possible for a priest to take that emphasis on these words to the extreme and have it become a distraction or just a show – which would also be harmful – but if there is any part of the Mass that cries out for us to slow down and recognize and appreciate what is happening in this moment, it is the Words of Consecration.

 

Every time you hear those words, I pray you might intentionally enter in that moment and know the power of God is present. At that moment, God directly performs a miracle for us as great or even greater than the act of creating the universe itself. He changes the substance of bread and wine to the Body and Blood of Jesus. We are witnesses to marvels beyond our full capacity to understand. Words cannot fully express the significance of the event. It is worth slowing down a little as we hear them.

 

Peace in Christ,
Father Timothy