Curious phrase in the Roman Canon

[Mr_Paul]

In the First Eucharistic Prayer (aka The Roman Canon) after the institution narrative and the transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, there is a quick and curious reference to an angel:

“Almighty God, we pray that **your angel **may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven. Then, as we receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son,
let us be filled with every grace and blessing.”

What is the theology behind this part of the prayer? Is this just poetic language or is there doctrinal content here?

 

[AJV]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=133465

 

[Carlan]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=133465

CA poster Tomster offered the following.

St Thomas Aquinas Interpretation.
The priest does not pray that the sacramental species may be borne up to heaven; nor that Christ’s true body may be borne thither, for it does not cease to be there; but he offers this prayer for Christ’s mystical body, which is signified in this sacrament, that the angel standing by at the divine mysteries may present to God the prayers of both priest and people, according to the Apocalypse, ‘And the smoke of incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel.’ (Apocalypse 8:4) But God’s altar on high means either the Church triumphant, unto which we pray to be translated, or else God Himself, in whom we ask to share; because it is said of this altar, ‘Thou shall not go up by steps unto My altar,’ i.e., thou shall make no steps towards the Trinity. (Exodus 20:26) Or else by the angel we are to understand Christ Himself, who is the Angel of great council (Isaias 9:6), who unites His mystical body with God the Father and the Church Triumphant." (Summa theol., IIIa, q.83, a.4, ad 9.)

In these few words the Angelic Doctor says all that may be said regarding the meaning of this prayer. He leaves us free to favor one or the other interpretation. However, apart from the discussion of the words, this prayer contains a certain aspect that is not easy to express in earthly language, for, its meaning is in the spheres of heaven, far beyond the reach of earthly comprehension. Its meaning approaches the most sacred precincts of the heavenly courts, and penetrates into the regions where angels dwell. Here the most blessed spirits hover before the presence of the divine Majesty, singing hymns of praise and adoration to the name of God, and, here in the celestial sanctuary, angels chant the glories of God forever. Here, in the holy of holies, the melodies of the angelic choir re-echo through all eternity.

I think about the time when we pray beside the bed of a dying loved one, and how we call on the Angel of God to carry our love one on his wings to the Father.
Peace, Carlan

 

[Chatter163]

Eminent liturgist Joseph Jungmann, S.J., in his classic Mass of the Roman Rite, says first that the angel is identified as the angel of Apocalypse 8:3-5, where the angel brings the petitions of the saints before the throne of God. Jungman says, “This is but a figure of spiritual activity, just as it is only figure to speak of the throne of God” (vol. II, p. 231).

Medieval commentors, such as Remigius of Auxerre and Isaac of Stella, see the angel’s bringing the Sacrifice before the heavenly altar as a sign of completion of our work and the divine accept of the Holy Sacrifice; Isaac tells us that this is akin to the old testament sacrifices of the temple. (p. 233)

Finally, Jungmann says that there is more than an ordinary angel in this prayer; rather; it is the Lord Himself. It may be understood as Christ, and also may seen as the Holy Ghost, due to the location of the prayer Supplices te reogamus occupies the same position in the Canon of the Mass as do some of the epiclesis prayers of the Eastern liturgies (p. 234). He notes that there was some confusion in the manuscripts, some of which made the word plural (angels), but that it was believed that the singular versions were accurate, for the above reasons.