What Is With "The Mystery of Faith"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter BrianDay
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BrianDay

Guest
Can anyone explain the reasoning behind the proclamation of the Mystery of Faith? I understand the words of the actual verses, but interupting the Eucharistic Prayer right after the Consecration just seems wrong.

Does anyone else think this is out of place?
 
The Mysterium Fidei (“Let us proclaim the mystery of faith” has been a part of the Mass which has been united to the consecration, within the formula itself in the Tridentine Mass and now it is at the end.

In the normative Missal we are invited to respond to declare and give witness to the encounter of the risen Christ and Mary Magdaline on Easter Sunday. But more important it is to help us find the meaning of our live by sharing the Victim’s offering and proclaiing the message of the resurrection.

A more extensive explaination can be found in the document titled Mysterium Fidei by Pope Paul VI

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_03091965_mysterium_en.html

There is always popping up on forums and discussion groups a bit of contraversy surrounding this between those who cling to the Tridentine Mass as the only Mass. They will claim that it is taking away from the original words of the consecration and thus makes the NOM consecration invalid — this is nonsense
 
I have heard some lodge arguments that disagree with the notion of, “let us proclaim”. Instead, they say, the proper term should be “acclaim”…

maybe some else knows the particulars of this argument or is more familiar with this line of reasoning - if it is that??
 
Hi, Brian,

Very simply put, the Mystery of Faith, was in the words of the Consecration of the Wine into the Precious Blood of the Lord in the Mass of Old or the Tridentine Mass as it is known, now. This was to indicate the great miracle that just occurred before us. In the new version of the Mass, it was taken out of the Consecration and placed immediately after it, so that we can proclaim that great mystery or miracle of the Bread and Wine becoming the Body and Blood of Christ. It has now lost its meaning becomes just words of proclamation. Most people don’t even realize that it is pointing to He Who has just become present before us. I prefer the old way. As you say, it does not disrupt our focus on the Canon or Eucharistic Prayer. Hope this helps some? It is great that you find concern and look for answers. Some of the meanings of things just get lost the theatrics over time.
 
One of our Priests here always says “Let us proclaim one of the great mysteries at the heart of our faith” :nope:

Ah well. That’s another story.

Fergal
 
And I’ve seen a lot of unapproved texts inserted as the memorial acclamation, for example, “Oh, come let us adore Him” during the Christmas season.
PS I don’t think “Keep in mind that Jesus Christ has died for us and is risen…” was ever approved for this purpose, was it? Anyone know for sure?
 
40.png
BrianDay:
Can anyone explain the reasoning behind the proclamation of the Mystery of Faith? I understand the words of the actual verses, but interupting the Eucharistic Prayer right after the Consecration just seems wrong.

Does anyone else think this is out of place?
Click to expand...
It seems to me to be disconnected from its proper subject. The formula about declaring the MoF following the consecration of the wine, namely, “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again,” or any of the optional formulae, defies the logic of Paul Vi’s own Mysterium fidei. At the very beginning, he declares “The Mystery of Faith, that is, the ineffable gift of the Eucharist that the Catholic Church received from Christ…” That the expression “the Mystery of Faith” should have been intercalated into the words of institution in the former Latin Mass had also seemd rather peculiar, but less so than the erroneously implied definition of the MoF currently in use. The former usage seems to have been very ancient, possibly of apostolic origin, an argument I have always accepted for lack of a better explanation.
 
Can someone explain what exactly is the mystery of faith and also the purpose I the sign of peace
 
Marissa99 said:
Can someone explain what exactly is the mystery of faith and also the purpose I the sign of peace
Click to expand...
The Mystery of Faith is the Eucharist. The statement “The Mystery of Faith” is just that, a statement by the priest to the faithful about what has just happened on the altar. It is the final statement of the Eucharistic Prayer.

The problem is, the old translation led people to believe that what the priest was referring to was the Memorial Acclamation, which immediately follows the Mysterium Fidei

So: Mystery of Faith is the Eucharist

The Memorial Acclimation is what follows, and has three approved English versions
  • We proclaim your Death, O Lord,and profess your Resurrection,until you come again
  • When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,we proclaim your Death, O Lord,until you come again.
  • Save us, Saviour of the world,for by your Cross and Resurrectionyou have set us free.
As to your second point, the Sign of Peace is the priest, in persona Christi, sharing the Peace of Christ with us.

It involves the priest saying " The Peace of Christ be with you" and we respond “And with your Spirit”

That concludes the Signum Christi. There is an optional component, where members of the faithful are invited to extend a sing of the reception of the Peace of Christ with each other.

Again it is option, and it’s purpose to to signify to each other what we have received from the priest.
 
It would be interesting to determine the origin of the phrase “Mystery of the faith.” Is it from the first three centuries of the Faith? Perhaps it was added by a POPE or Ecumenical Council to deal with a particular controversy in the past. The answer might be in the Vatican Library? 😉
 
It would seem like less of an interruption if there wasn’t music associated with it or if it was just chanted.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top