Novus Ordo Eucharistic Prayer II and Sacrifice

[Spyridon]

So, I’ve seen it several times now in certain circles, and even a few times here on CAF, where the Anaphora of St. Hippolytus (aka Eucharistic Prayer II - EPII) as used in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite (OF) is disparaged, and even its very validity called into question, by virtue of the fact that “sacrifice” is not mentioned explicitly in the text of the Anaphora itself. Because EPII is the most often and widely used Eucharistic Prayer of the OF Roman Rite, this is then taken to mean that the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Pauline Mass is in itself deficient, and so the entire Novus Ordo of the Mass is invalid.

I will now show why this is a false argument, by showing that “sacrifice” is explicitly mentioned multiple times in the OF Liturgy of the Eucharist (LOTE), and that the concept of sacrifice is implicitly mentioned several more times.

You can’t take just the text of the EPII and criticize it on its own because “sacrifice” is not explicitly mentioned. You have to look at the entire OF LOTE and see if the fact that what’s happening is a sacrifice is clearly established or not.

Without further ado, let us begin our study.

The LOTE starts off with the presentation of the gifts, preparation of the altar, and offertory prayer.

The following prayers are always said, either out loud by the Priest or quietly while a hymn or chant is sung.

"Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God for ever.

Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever."

As can clearly be seen, the very first prayer of the OF LOTE says “the element we offer you.” This heavily implies a sacrificial offering is about to take place.

After this prayer, the Priest prays quietly “With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.”

The Priest then prays out loud: “Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.”

To which the people reply:

“May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his holy Church.”

So now we see that already during the LOTE, even before the EP has begun, sacrificial offering has been implicitly mentioned twice, and the word sacrifice and the concept of sacrifice has been explicitly mentioned thrice - once quietly by the Priest, once out loud by the Priest, and once by the People. This is only in the Ordinary parts of the LOTE - we’ve got five, count them 5, mentions of Sacrifice already before the Anaphora has even begun… Let’s continue.

 

[Spyridon]

…continued

The final prayer of the LOTE before the Anaphora begins is the prayer over the Offerings (aka the Offertory). This is different at every Mass as it is a proper prayer, not an Ordinary prayer, but in almost all of these Offertory Prayers (OP) mention of “sacrifice, offering, oblation, victim, etc.” is made. For example, the OP for Palm Sunday was “Through the Passion of your Only Begotten Son, O Lord, may our reconciliation with you be near at hand, so that, though we do not merit it by our own deeds, yet by this sacrifice made once for all, we may feel already the effects of your mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

The OP for tomorrow reads “Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that we may participate worthily in these mysteries, for whenever the memorial of this sacrifice is celebrated, the work of our redemption is accomplished. Through Christ our Lord. Amen”

The OP for April 15th reads “Receive, O Lord, we pray, these offerings of your exultant Church, and, as you have given her cause for such great gladness, grant also that the gifts we bring, may bear fruit in perpetual happiness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

All the OP’s either explicitly mention sacrifice (most of them) or at least imply it like the above (the rest of them).

So now we’ve covered the prayers of the LOTE that occur before the Anaphora. Let’s now move on to the actual text of Eucharistic Prayer #2 itself, and examine and see if the concept of sacrifice can be found.

EPII has many prefaces which can be used. I will admit - SOME of these prefaces make no mention of sacrifice, some not even implicitly. However, MANY of these prefaces DO mention Sacrifice. For example, Preface I for Easter reads:

"It is truly right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
at all times to acclaim you, O Lord, but

Easter Vigil: on this night
Easter Sunday: on this day

above all to laud you yet more gloriously,
when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.

For he is the true Lamb who has taken away the sins of the world;
by dying he has destroyed our death,
and by rising, restored our life.

Therefore, overcome with paschal joy, every land,
every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers,
with the angelic hosts,
sing together the unending hymn of your glory,
as they acclaim:"

 

[Spyridon]

…continued

The preface for the Solemnity of Christ the King:

"It is truly right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For you anointed your Only Begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
with the oil of gladness as eternal Priest
and King of all creation,
so that, by offering himself on the altar of the Cross
as a spotless sacrifice to bring us peace,
he might accomplish the mysteries of human redemption and,
making all created thing subject to his rule,
he might present to the immensity of your majesty
an eternal and universal kingdom,
a kingdom of truth and life,
a kingdom of holiness and grace,
a kingdom of justice,
love and peace.

And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim"

As these two prefaces illustrate, the concept of Sacrifice is very often mentioned in the preface.

Moving on to the proper text of EPII…

EPII contains a very explicit Epiklesis - a calling upon the Holy Spirit. In EPII the Epiklesis is "Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body + and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. "

The context of the words “these gifts” makes clear that sacrifice is occurring. “Gifts” can be understood as “sacrificial gifts.”

Next in the institution narrative we read “At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT: FOR THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT: FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.”

This narrative is PACKED with sacrificial overtones. “Entered willingly into his passion,” “my body will be given up for you” etc. This is a heavily sacrificial text.

After this, we have the Mysterium Fidei (Mystery of Faith) where sacrifice is again implied. Then we have the anamnesis or remembering, where we read “Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.”

We offer you Lord! We make a sacrificial offering of the Bread of life and Chalice of salvation!

So, that’s it for EPII and the LOTE in the OF mention of sacrifice.

I think after reading this, nobody should ever again make the argument that EPII or the OF LOTE fails to mention sacrifice.

 

[HeDa]

This is the time we all shall say: “Well done good and faithful servant!”. Thank you for taking the time to post. Teaching the ignorant is a major task for the Church.

 

[Spyridon]

Thanks so much!

I spent about a half hour researching and creating this little study, so I’m glad you liked it.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

Thankyou

 

[Maximilian75]

It may have been you, Spyridon, who said in another thread that most TLMers don’t hate the NO, but rather the abuses they associate with it

 

[BoyGenius]

Novus Ordo = New Order
Novo Cedat Ritui = New Rites

Both the New Order, and New Rites refer to Christ’s Sacrifice “prevailing.” The “New Order” is the Sacrifice of Christ. But, we must receive it. We must receive His Sacrifice. That just as He multiplied the fishes and the loaves, so His Sacrifice is multiplied through the Mass. The Bread and Wine, thus becoming the Body and Flesh, wherefore the Soul and Divinity of Christ is received. For as the Hymn states: “Let All Mortal Flesh be Silent.” Because, “as of old on earth He stood.” In human stature.

Pope Benedict XVI incorporated the Nicene Creed with fairly more clarity. Thus why the words much more descriptive, and distinct, instead of general. The heart/core of the Creed distinguishes Christians from all other people’s, religious, customs, and traditions. Thus, the Creed separates the people of God apart from the world: Holy. To be in the world, not of the world.

The Mass should always betoken the narrative of that. And even more so, the Rites and Traditions of the Church should be explicit in doing/saying that. As Jesus said: This is my body…this is my blood…do this in memory of me.

Not figuratively, but literally in the transfused union of His Grace, set down upon His Apostle’s and His priests through the centuries, and eternally, and ever more.

Jesus actually died on the Cross. Literally rose from the dead. And Ascended into Heaven. The bread and wine were not figurative acts of His death, and Sacrifice. But the real explicit purpose for them to be the Sacrifice. To turn into it, during Mass. For did He not explicitly multiply the fishes and loaves? For did the Holy Spirit not infuse the graces into Mary’s womb that Jesus was conceived and born?

Jesus comes into the Mass through the Holy Spirit, the same Paraclete who brought for Christ’s life and presence in the Virgin Mother’s womb. And so, the same Christ who multiplied the fishes and loaves with the Holy Spirit, also comes into the Mass, through the Liturgy, and through the Word. He becomes Christ crucified, the Paschal Lamb Crucified for my sins, and those of the whole world. Quite explicit. Thus, this renders a New Order. For all the older sacrifices could not prevail, but Jesus alone. And it is in Mass we eat with Him. Dine with Him. And receive Him in this Sacrifice, in this way. He is God, not man alone. Who can do this. Has said it, And it is/was done this way.

Thus it’s not anything new that nothing is impossible for God.