Who's sacrifice in this prayer at Mass

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Our pastor when praying the prayer at the beginning of the liturgy of the Eucharist “Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters) that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” actually says it this way: “Pray my sisters and brothers that* our sacrifice, the sacrifice of ourselves*, my be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” I know that no one is supposed to change the wording of the Mass. My question regards “my sacrifice and yours.” I thought (please correct me if I’m wrong) that the sacrifices in question are 1. “my sacrifice” being the sacrifice of Jesus that the priest is offering to the Father. 2.And “yours” could be the “sacrifice of ourselves”. Is this correct or does the prayer mean to say that both the priest and the congregation are offering Jesus’ sacrifice to the Father and it has nothing to do with “the sacrifice of ourselves.” Can someone please enlighten me? Thank you.**
 
A Commentary on the Order of Mass of the Roman Missal by Edward Foley says the original Latin version talks only about one single Sacrifice.
Anscar Chupungco cautions not to interpret “my sacrifice and yours” as two separate sacrifices, as a more literal translation of the Latin texts would read “my sacrifice, which is also your sacrifice.”
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The liturgical reply that follows makes it clear that this refers to the Sacrifice of the Mass.
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.
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If I were you I would report that priest.
 
I would ask the Priest for clarification. They tend to like when someone asks a theological question with sincerity.
 
prayerandstudy said:
Our pastor when praying the prayer at the beginning of the liturgy of the Eucharist “Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters) that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” actually says it this way: “Pray my sisters and brothers that* our sacrifice, the sacrifice of ourselves*, my be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” I know that no one is supposed to change the wording of the Mass. My question regards “my sacrifice and yours.” I thought (please correct me if I’m wrong) that the sacrifices in question are 1. “my sacrifice” being the sacrifice of Jesus that the priest is offering to the Father. 2.And “yours” could be the “sacrifice of ourselves”. Is this correct or does the prayer mean to say that both the priest and the congregation are offering Jesus’ sacrifice to the Father and it has nothing to do with “the sacrifice of ourselves.” Can someone please enlighten me? Thank you.**

Does your pastor say it this way all the time - or is it perhaps just a blip?
paduard
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Our pastor says it every Mass and has done so for years. It has not ceased to bother me or at least make me wonder what exactly is meant by the phrase “my sacrifice and yours” which is in the missal.

I wrote to the bishop’s office for clarification and am waiting for a reply.
 
Pope Emeritus Benedict had a section on this topic in his book “The Spirit of the Liturgy”

The priest, acting in the person of Christ, offers the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ to the Father.

The laity cannot offer this Sacrifice

The laity can offer what we have, ourselves, to the Father.

They are distinct sacrifices, hence why the new English translation clarified the distinction that was present in the Latin original, but absent in the old translation
 
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
  1. Christ the Lord, High Priest taken from among men,(100) made the new people “a kingdom and priests to God the Father”.(101) The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated as a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, in order that through all those works which are those of the Christian man they may offer spiritual sacrifices and proclaim the power of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.(102) Therefore all the disciples of Christ, persevering in prayer and praising God,(103) should present themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.(104) Everywhere on earth they must bear witness to Christ and give an answer to those who seek an account of that hope of eternal life which is in them.(105)
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Though they differ from one another in essence and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless interrelated: each of them in its own special way is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ.(2*) The ministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, teaches and rules the priestly people; acting in the person of Christ, he makes present the Eucharistic sacrifice, and offers it to God in the name of all the people. But the faithful, in virtue of their royal priesthood, join in the offering of the Eucharist.(3*) They likewise exercise that priesthood in receiving the sacraments, in prayer and thanksgiving, in the witness of a holy life, and by self-denial and active charity.
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  1. It is through the sacraments and the exercise of the virtues that the sacred nature and organic structure of the priestly community is brought into operation. Incorporated in the Church through baptism, the faithful are destined by the baptismal character for the worship of the Christian religion; reborn as sons of God they must confess before men the faith which they have received from God through the Church (4*). They are more perfectly bound to the Church by the sacrament of Confirmation, and the Holy Spirit endows them with special strength so that they are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ (5*). Taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life, they offer the Divine Victim to God, and offer themselves along with It.(6*) Thus both by reason of the offering and through Holy Communion all take part in this liturgical service, not indeed, all in the same way but each in that way which is proper to himself. Strengthened in Holy Communion by the Body of Christ, they then manifest in a concrete way that unity of the people of God which is suitably signified and wondrously brought about by this most august sacrament.
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And Clem’s post pretty much settles it. The priest offers the Sacrifice of Calvary to the Father.
The laity, by virtue of their Baptism and their incorporation into the priesthood of all believers, have the privilege of offering themselves, united to the Sacrifice made by Christ, as we are His Brothers and His Body on earth.

That takes my breath away.
 
Brendan said:
Pope Emeritus Benedict had a section on this topic in his book “The Spirit of the Liturgy”

The priest, acting in the person of Christ, offers the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ to the Father.

The laity cannot offer this Sacrifice

The laity can offer what we have, ourselves, to the Father.

They are distinct sacrifices, hence why the new English translation clarified the distinction that was present in the Latin original, but absent in the old translation
Click to expand...
Thank you. Your post is a good help. I will also look at “The Spirit of the Liturgy” too.
 
paperwight66 said:
And Clem’s post pretty much settles it. The priest offers the Sacrifice of Calvary to the Father.
The laity, by virtue of their Baptism and their incorporation into the priesthood of all believers, have the privilege of offering themselves, united to the Sacrifice made by Christ, as we are His Brothers and His Body on earth.

That takes my breath away.
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I agree. Paperwight66 shared a very good, detailed quote and you gave a good summary. Thanks.
 
Brendan said:
Pope Emeritus Benedict had a section on this topic in his book “The Spirit of the Liturgy”

The priest, acting in the person of Christ, offers the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ to the Father.

The laity cannot offer this Sacrifice

The laity can offer what we have, ourselves, to the Father.

They are distinct sacrifices, hence why the new English translation clarified the distinction that was present in the Latin original, but absent in the old translation
Click to expand...
A Commentary on the Order of Mass of the Roman Missal by Edward Foley claims the opposite and says that the distinction exactly does not exist in the original text.
ICEL2010’s phrase “my sacrifice and yours” is an ambiguous construction: it can mean “my sacrifice and your sacrifice,” which is prone to misinterpretation. The Latin conjunction atque (ac before a consonant) is different from et, although both are translated in English with the conjunction “and.” In Latin lexical usage et enumerates, while atque or ac joins together nouns, pronouns, and verbs. The Latin text does not say meum et vestrum sacrificium (“my sacrifice and your sacrifice”). Rather, it carefully chooses ac: “my sacrifice, which is also your sacrifice,” or, in short, “our sacrifice” (thus, ICEL1973’s “that our sacrifice”). There is only one sacrifice, although there are different ministers and functions within the sacrificial act. The thinking that seeks to distinguish one sacrifice from another based on the difference between an ordained priesthood and the priestly assembly is not supported by the Latin text.
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Brendan said:
Pope Emeritus Benedict had a section on this topic in his book “The Spirit of the Liturgy”

The priest, acting in the person of Christ, offers the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ to the Father.

The laity cannot offer this Sacrifice

The laity can offer what we have, ourselves, to the Father.

They are distinct sacrifices, hence why the new English translation clarified the distinction that was present in the Latin original, but absent in the old translation
Click to expand...
Yes, we are so fortunate that Our Lord has given us the Sacrament of Holy Orders so that Priests could stand in his place and offer His once and for all sacrifice throughout all time. We are also reminded of this during Mass when the altar boy incenses the gifts and then incenses us, since we are offering ourselves as the Priest offers the Son to the Father.
 
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