Day 150: The Epiclesis (1104-1112)

• It’s Day 150!!

• THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES PRESENT THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST

• Today we are talking about THE EPICLESIS

• The Holy Spirit tells the story and brings it to us and makes it PRESENT

• THIS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE!!

• Paragraph 1104 says, “Christian liturgy not only recalls the events that saved us but actualizes them, makes them present.”

• We are not RE-DOING the Sacrifice of Jesus

• We are RE-PRESENTING the Sacrifice that once for all

• We are THERE

• Why?

• Because THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES PRESENT THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST

• Let’s say a prayer!!

Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, we praise your name and we give you glory. We thank you so much for the gift of your Son. We thank you for the gift of your love for us. We thank you for the love between you and the Son that is the Holy Spirit that has been poured out into our hearts. In this moment, Lord God, we ask you to come and make your saving work present in our lives now, in the Liturgy, outside the Liturgy, in our lives, Lord God. By the Power of your Holy Spirit, make present the reality of the Son’s life, Death, and Resurrection. In everything that we do let every part of our lives be conformed to you. Let every part of our lives be touched and transformed by you. We make this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen”

• So there we have it!!

• THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!

• Paragraph 1104 says, “Christian liturgy not only recalls the events that saved us but actualized them, makes them present.”

• Remember the Paschal Mystery, the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, and the Ascension to the Father

• The Liturgy ACTUALIZES THEM 

• The Liturgy  MAKES THEM PRESENT

• When we approach the altar at Mass what is happening is not…

• (SQUIRREL!! 😉)

• THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!

• What has been lost when people have walked away from the Mass?

• Yes we have times of prayer, song, Scripture proclaimed

• All of these things are very good and wonderful

• Throughout Scripture there are times when God is praised through song like The Book of Psalms which are sung liturgically

• INCREDIBLE!!

• GREAT!!

• BUT…

• If we walk away from the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Mass then we are walking away from this gift that we are given that makes the VERY EVENTS THAT SAVED US PRESENT TO US

• When we got to Mass regardless if it seems quiet, boring, ordinary, has an organ playing, has schola (choir), incense, and all that beauty…

• What is happening at EVERY MASS the events of salvation are MADE PRESENT TO US

• We are PRESENT TO THEM

• Heaven and Earth TOUCH

• Time and Eternity KISS

• AT EVERY MASS we are presented to HEAVEN

• AT EVERY  MASS we are presented to THE LORD HIMSELF

• AT EVERY MASS we are PARTICIPATING IN THOSE MYSTERIES

• That is the TRAGEDY when someone walks away from the Mass

• At the Mass the Paschal Mystery is CELEBRATED

• The Paschal Mystery is not REPEATED

• Remember it is ONCE FOR ALL SACRIFICE

• Jesus died ONCE FOR ALL

• Jesus rose from the dead ONCE FOR ALL

• So it is CELEBRATED and not repeated

• The CELEBRATIONS are repeated

• In each CELEBRATION there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes the unique mystery present

• EVERY TIME we go to Mass…

• It could be just you and the priest present

• It could be World Youth Day with millions in attendance to worship

• The outpouring of the Holy Spirit makes the unique mystery of the saving events of Jesus Christ PRESENT TO US

• Paragraph 1105 says, “The Epiclesis (‘invocation upon’) is the intercession in which the priest begs the Father to send the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, so that the offerings may become the body and blood of Christ and that the faithful, by receiving them, may themselves become a living offering to God.”

• If you are familiar with the Mass where the bells are rung three times

• The first ring is when the priest extends his hands over the gifts and THAT is the EPICLESIS

• This is when the priest asks God the Father to send down the Holy Spirit upon the gifts

• St. John Damascene says in Paragraph 1106, “You ask how the bread becomes the Body of Christ, and the wine…the Blood of Christ. I shall tell you: the Holy Spirit comes upon them and accomplishes what surpasses every word and thought…Let it be enough for you to understand that it is by the Holy Spirit, just as it was of the Holy Virgin and by the Holy Spirit that the Lord, through and in himself, took flesh.”

• It is even the SAME ACTION, in some ways, as when the Holy Spirit overshadowed the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Son of God became INCARNATE IN HER WOMB 🤯 🤯 🤯

• The Holy Spirit comes upon the bread and wind and what happens?

• They are TRANSFORMED into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ

• Our participation in the Eucharist is MEANT TO CHANGE US

• Paragraph 1109 says, “The Church therefore asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to make the lives of the faithful a living sacrifice to God by their spiritual transformation into the image of Christ, by concern for the Church’s unity, and by taking part in her mission through the witness and service of charity.”

• When we go to Mass we are not only offering the great Sacrifice of the Son to the Father in the Power of the Holy Spirit

• We are also asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit to make OUR LIVES a living sacrifice to God

• THAT IS SO IMPORTANT!!

• Why?

• Those of us who are Baptized are made KINGDOM PRIESTS

• Our GREAT HIGH PRIEST is not only the High Priest who OFFERS the Sacrifice

• HE IS THE SACRIFICE HIMSELF!!

• Because of that, if we are given a share in the PRIESTHOOD of Jesus that means in some mysterious way we are also invited to share in the SELF-OFFERING of Jesus

• Jesus is BOTH the PRIEST and the VICTIM

• If we share in His PRIESTHOOD that means we MUST also share in His VICTIMHOOD

• If Jesus is both PRIEST and SACRIFICE then we not only share in His PRIESTHOOD we share in the fact that we are meant to offer our lives as A LIVING SACRIFICE TO GOD

• Not just at Mass but EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES

• “Ok God. It’s true. You have incorporated me into the Body of Christ. You have shared your priesthood with me as a Kingdom Priest. God, let this moment be a spiritual offering to you. Let my life in this moment be a living sacrifice. Lord God, accept this moment as a sacrifice to you.”

• It doesn’t have to be a painful sacrifice

• This moment is what is being offered

• Your heart is what is being offered

• Your whole body is what is being offered

• Your self is what is being offered

• Because we have been incorporated into Christ as priest AND victim

• We get to say, “Lord God, send your Holy Spirit to help me also be a living sacrifice to the praise of your glory.”

• Does that make sense?

• PRAY IT RIGHT NOW!!

• Fr. Mike is praying FOR YOU!!

• Please pray for Fr. Mike and for each other!!

• I cannot WAIT to see you tomorrow!!