Your favorite Eucharistic prayer (canon)

[dizzy_dave]

Of the four main Eucharistic prayers we now have in the Mass of Pope Paul VI, which is your favorite and why?

 

[DixitDominus]

The Roman Canon is my favorite because it is the most ancient and venerable of the Eucharisitc Prayers of the Ordinary Form.

 

[LilyM]

The Roman Canon is my favorite because it is the most ancient and venerable of the Eucharisitc Prayers of the Ordinary Form.

Not a bit of it. Eucharistic Prayer 2, as well as conveniently being the shortest of the Eucharistic Prayers, is actually based on an older prayer than the Roman Canon.

Of course mere ancientness doesn’t necessarily make it better, and I prefer the Roman Canon because it best expresses the theology of the Mass.

 

[DixitDominus]

The “Apostolic Tradition” perhaps is from the fourth century which would make the EP contained in it no older than the Roman Canon. In addition, EPII is not an exact rendition of the prayer and is very different from it, though based on it.

I would certainly agree with you, BTW, that the Canon certainly does express the theology of the Sacrifice of the Mass best

 

[Joannm]

There are in reality I believe 13 Eucharistic Prayers in the Latin Rite Church. I like the second EP for Reconciliation.

 

[brotherhrolf]

The Roman Canon. I particularly like it on Holy Saturday when the listing of the saints is not cut short. It reminds me of our deep and profound history as a Church.

 

[AMDGtoo]

There are in reality I believe 13 Eucharistic Prayers in the Latin Rite Church. I like the second EP for Reconciliation.

I think that’s the one that is mostly used by the pastor of my parish (visiting priests and priests at other parishes that my husband and I might visit use various others.)

Actually I liked the Roman Canon that was used in the Tridentine Mass. Since there was only one canon back then, I didn’t have to go searching in the missal for the EP that the priest was using

 

[rosebudsal]

There are 13 of them, only some are used very specifically like the one for Masses with Children. A while back the pastor of my parish gave a talk about the Mass and said that Eucharistic Prayer #2 is actually the oldest.

I like the Roman Canon best, but I really don’t mind #2.

 

[DixitDominus]

Actually I liked the Roman Canon that was used in the Tridentine Mass. Since there was only one canon back then, I didn’t have to go searching in the missal for the EP that the priest was using

I know this is kind of knitpicky, but don’t you mean is used in the Tridentine Mass. It is, after all, one of the current forms of the Roman Liturgy

 

[benedictgal]

I very much love the Roman Canon. It details our salvation history and it reminds us of the great saints who are our ancestors in the Faith. I also love EP 4 and the first Reconciliation EP.

 

[ethelzguy]

I’ve always preferred EP#2, for it’s direct and succint manner.

I liked it even better after discovering it’s early “roots”.

 

[bpbasilphx]

The Anaphoras of the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. James.

 

[Joysong]

I voted for EP IV because it tells the story of salvation. These words especially refocus me to putting on the mind of Christ, and ordering my intention aright.

And that we might live no longer for “ourselves” but for him, he sent the Holy Spirit from you, Father, as his first gift to those who believe, to complete his work on earth and bring us the fullness of grace.

Sublime wording! Nothing compares with this.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Not a bit of it. Eucharistic Prayer 2, as well as conveniently being the shortest of the Eucharistic Prayers, is actually based on an older prayer than the Roman Canon.

Of course mere ancientness doesn’t necessarily make it better, and I prefer the Roman Canon because it best expresses the theology of the Mass.

The “Apostolic Tradition” perhaps is from the fourth century which would make the EP contained in it no older than the Roman Canon. In addition, EPII is not an exact rendition of the prayer and is very different from it, though based on it.

Not only is EP II not significantly older than the Roman Canon, there is also the nagging little question that we have no firm evidence it was ever employed in Rome, or used at all for that matter. I think I’ll stick with the single canon used in Roman worship for 1600 years, and the only canon known by all the West for roughly 800 years or so. No matter how good a job the liturgical bureaucrats may have done at cobbling together new anaphoras (and I happen to agree that they didn’t do half bad with EP IV), I still know that they are liturgy by committee and it ruins everything for me.

 

[jprioli]

Abstracting from history, and treating only the prayers per se, I happen to like EP for Reconciliation I.

There are phrases in that prayer that really capture and focus the attention. Consider this snip, that includes the Epiclesis and, immediately precedes the Institution Narrative:

Father, from the beginning of time you have always done what is good for man so that we may be holy as you are holy.
Look with kindness on your people gathered here before you; send forth the power of your Spirit so that these gifts may become for us the body and blood of your beloved Son, Jesus the Christ, in whom we have become your sons and daughters.

When we were lost and could not find the way to you, you loved us more than ever; Jesus, your Son, innocent and without sin, gave himself into our hands and was nailed to a cross. Yet before he stretched out his arms between heaven and earth in the everlasting sign of your covenant, he desired to celebrate the Paschal feast in the company of his disciples.

I am also fond of EP III. Again, some phrases really pop out at you. An example: “From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name.” This is even better in the Latin, “…that from the rising of the sun to its setting…”

Having said all of this, I wish that EP I were used more frequently. I am fortunate in having the opportunity to assist at daily Mass where the Chaplain uses all the Eucharistic Prayers… even the Roman Canon (rare at daily Mass in the OF)… at various times.

Regards,
Joe

 

[Joysong]

Very beautiful, Joe. Thanks for printing it out for us. This is not an EP that I hear very often.

 

[Aramis]

The Anaphoras of the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. James.

I as well, but we’re outside the scope of the Roman liturgies, your grace.

In answer to the OP, The Dominican Canon (Latin), and the Roman #2, of the Western Masses… but they are a good distance behind St. John, then St Basil…

I’ve never experienced the DL of St. James, tho’ I’f read of it.

 

[japhy]

I voted for the Roman Canon (EP I). However, I like the language in some of the other prayers. I like EP III’s quoting of the prophet Malachi (better rendered in Latin than English, though) and its “at whose command we celebrate this Eucharist”. Although I rarely hear it, EP IV’s story of salvation history is powerful too. EP Reconciliation I also has some beautiful language (e.g. “before he stretched out his arms between heaven and earth in the everlasting sign of your covenant”).

I don’t much care for EP II; the more I hear it, the more it seems to be “consecration lite”. It is missing the same degree of sacrificial language found in the other three “normal” EPs; since they revised it when they published it, they could just have easily have spruced up its language a bit after the consecration. Also, I’d have to check the Latin – or maybe the English translation is just not so hot – but the translation of the “Apostolic Tradition” (the primary source of EP II) has some more poetic language in other places.