Lent Instructed Eucharist
Used
During Sermon Time
Session
5: The Lord's Prayer to the Dismissal
The
Lord's Prayer (336; 364)
This prayer began to be formally inserted into the
Eucharist around 400, most likely as a devotion in preparation to
receiving the Sacrament. It also may have been used privately before
people received the elements they had brought home from the
Eucharist. Pope Gregory the Great placed it immediately after the
Great AMEN.
The prayer has had many forms and locations over the
years. In many rites the prayer was said by all; but in the Roman
rite the priest said everything up to “deliver us from evil,”
which was said by the people. The 1552 BCP indicated the complete
prayer should be said by all.
In 1637, the Scots added the concluding doxology which
was incorporated in the 1662 BCP.
Rite 1 utilizes only the traditional language prayer.
Rite 2 has both traditional and contemporary versions. There is no
indication as to what form is used when, but I use the contemporary
version in both Advent and Lent because 1) Advent is a season of
paying attention, and you have to pay attention to the different
languages, and 2) Lent is a season of penitence, and it's good to
hear the word “sin” every so often.
The
Breaking of the Bread (337; 364)
The breaking of the bread immediately follows the
Lord's Prayer.
Practically speaking, the bread is broken to divide it
among the people.
Symbolically we use only one loaf to indicate that all
participate/partake of the one body of Christ that has been broken
for us . . . “We who are many are one body, because we all share
one bread, one cup.”
In some areas, the bishop would send pieces of the one
body to outlying parishes to symbolize their unity with the bishop
and diocese.
Eventually parishes began using wafers simply for
expediency and theological cleanliness (What exactly do you do with
all those crumbs?).
Earlier Prayer Books placed the fraction much earlier
in the service, primarily during the Institution Narrative (“he
gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples”).
This Prayer Book moves the fraction to this point in
the service, making it a primary action of Communion and adding
importance to the body of Christ being broken and shared for all.
It is rubrically mandated that a period of silence
follows the breaking of the bread.
A classmate in seminary said that this was probably the
most ignored rubric in the Prayer Book.
The
Fraction Anthem (337; 364)
This is, “Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for
us . . .” It is a recognition and celebration of Christ's Passion.
It may be preceded and followed by an Alleluia, but Alleluia is not
said during, and it may be omitted at other times except for Easter.
The fraction anthem may be sung or said.
The
Agnus Dei (337; 364)
In Rite 1, the Agnus Dei (O Lamb of God . . .),
or some other suitable anthem may be sung or said. This originated
in the East and slowly spread throughout the West.
The Agnus Dei was not included in the 1928 BCP,
but was included in the service music of The Hymnal 1940.
It is restored as an explicit option in Rite 1 of the
1979 BCP.
Rite 2 only has a rubric stating, “In place of, or
in addition to, the preceding, some other suitable anthem may be
used.”
The
Prayer of Humble Access (337)
I will just that this prayer has a long and convoluted
history, but has been used in some official capacity since 1548.
Before 1979, this prayer was said only by the priest on behalf of the
people. The current book allows the congregation to recite it with
the priest.
It is not found in Rite 2.
The
Sancta sanctis (338; 364-365)
This is translated as, “the holy for the holy,” or,
“holy things for holy people.” It is associated with showing the
people the holy food which they were about to receive.
Rite 1: Rubrically speaking, this is an optional
sentence, with an optional following sentence.
Rite 2: This is a mandatory sentence with an optional
following sentence.
A word about the second sentence:
As the Church in England was forming, it found itself
sharing some things Catholic and some things Protestant. We were
developing the via media, or middle way.
You can see that middle way here:
“Take them in REMEMBRANCE . . .” is a Protestant
theology which sees Communion as nothing more than a remembrance of
the events of the Passion;
“and FEED ON HIM . . .” is a Catholic theology
which sees the bread and wine as being the body and blood of Christ.
The Ministration of Communion (338; 365)
The only rubric dictating how Communion is to be
administered is, “The ministers receive the Sacrament in both
kinds, and then immediately deliver it to the people.” There
is no dictate about place or posture. Standing has been the
traditional posture, symbolizing our being raised by Christ. In some
places, sitting was the preferred posture. The 1552 BCP mandated
kneeling as a humble and grateful acknowledgment of the benefits of
Christ given to us. In the early centuries, Communion was
distributed as the ministers moved amongst the people.
Around the time of Augustine of Hippo, a chest-high
rail was built around the altar to keep the people from pressing in
too closely upon the ministers.
In the 17th Century, Anglican churches began
to install latticed altar rails to prevent dogs from desecrating the
altar. Gradually this altar rail evolved into the Communion rail we
are familiar with.
Opportunity is made for people to receive Communion in
both kinds, but receiving in only one kind does not negate the
validity of the Communion.
The Episcopal church recognizes one baptism, as long as
it was done with water in the Trinitarian formula. Therefore all
baptized Christians, regardless of denomination, are invited to
receive. There is no age requirement.
Notes:
When coming to receive Holy Communion, you may either
stand or kneel. I encourage small children to stand at the rail. To
receive the host, place your right over your left at chin height,
arms roughly extended a forearms' distance.
You may also receive the bread directly on your tongue
if you desire.
When receiving the Cup, take the base of the chalice
and direct/guide it to your mouth.
If you choose not to receive, cross your arms over
your chest. If they are crossed at the administration of the host, I
will give you a blessing. If they are crossed at the administration
of the cup, the chalicist will simply pass by.
Rubrics allow for the bread and wine to be received at
the same time, ie intinction.
The preferred method is to leave the bread in your
hand and the chalicist will intinct the wafer and place it on your
tongue.
An optional method is for you to hold the wafer in
your fingers. This indicates you want to intinct it yourself. The
chalicist will lower the chalice to a level where you can see the
wine, and you will slightly intinct the host.
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, intinction is
more apt to spread germs than the traditional form of drinking from
the cup. The combination of wine, silver, and wiping will eliminate
germs (and we've been doing this for a couple of thousand years).
During intinction, people's fingers can get into the wine, which
causes problems. This is why allowing the chalicist to intinct is
the preferred method (which is a polite way of saying, “Don't go
knuckle-deep into the wine”).
The Words of Administration (338; 365)
Again, there is more history to this than we have time
for. So for today just know that the wording came from ancient times
(8th Century and earlier), and a combination of various
form that were rubricated in the 1559 BCP.
Rite 1 has a long form that goes back to 1559, as well
as two shorter forms going back to the ancient Church. Note that the
long form has no response from those receiving. The two shorter
forms, however, allow for an “Amen” upon reception of the
elements.
Rite 2 only has the two shorter versions.
The Amen of the people acts as both an assent that
they are receiving the body and blood of Christ, as well as a
declaration of faith that this is, indeed, the body and blood of
Christ.
Communion
Hymns, Psalms, or Anthems (338; 365)
Since the 4th Century music of some sort has
been sung and/or played during the congregational reception of
Communion. Psalms were traditionally used, but as Christianity grew,
other Communion hymns were written and incorporated into the service.
A rubric on page 409 allows for a hymn to be sung “before or
after” the postcommunion prayer. This hymn can serve to cover the
“clean up” action in and around the altar.
The
Consecration of Additional Bread and Wine (338; 365)
Consecrating additional elements if there is not enough
is a uniquely Anglican practice. There is a whole theology and
debate about this practice and its validity. In this prayer book,
additional elements may be consecrated by the priest reciting the
epiclesis and the relevant sentence (bread or wine) of the
Words of Institution. Let's just say I try not to ever have to do
this and, to my knowledge, have done so only once.
The
Postcommunion Prayer (339; 365, 366)
Endings tend to be complicated and abrupt. But in the
4th Century a more formal ending developed. There is one
postcommunion prayer in Rite 1, and two in Rite 2. There is too much
in these prayers to delve into, but they have been described as, “A
remarkable summary of doctrine,” as they are an almost complete
summary of the faith as found in the act of Holy Communion, moving us
from participating in the Holy Mysteries to participating in
Christian service.
Rite 1 hearkens back to forms found in 1549 and
forward.
Rite 2 utilizes a shorter version of the Rite 1 prayer,
as well as one written for 1979.
I use the second prayer in Rite 2 during Advent,
Easter, and baptisms because we are being explicitly sent out to do
the work of Christ and serve as witnesses to Christ. I use the first
prayer at all other times.
The
Blessing and Dismissal (339; 366)
After the postcommunion prayer the Bishop or Celebrant
blesses the people. A final blessing has been part of Christian
services since the 4th Century. Rite 1 contains both a
long and short version of a blessing. Rite 2 apparently leaves the
wording up to the imagination of the Bishop or Priest.
Following the blessing, the Deacon, or Celebrant if no
Deacon, dismisses the people. Note that, by rubric,
there is to be no hymn between the blessing and dismissal. This is,
again, another place for a rubrical cat fight. It might be the one
place where every clergy person intentionally breaks the rubrics.
There are four dismissal variations in each rite, and I rotate
through those depending on the season.
Note that there are no alleluias for any of the
dismissals, but a double Alleluia may be said during the Easter
season. Pro-Tip: mimic the form that the Deacon/Celebrant uses.
This concludes the Instructed
Eucharist
I hope you learned something.
I hope you gained a new understanding for why we do what we do. And
I hope you have a new appreciation for how our service ties together
both ancient and modern aspects of worship.
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