We hear it so often at Mass that it is easy for our minds to wander during the Eucharist Prayer. But did you ever realize how the prayer is really a prayer from us? The Eucharist Prayer is not a prayer to Christ. Rather, it is a prayer from us and from Christ to God the Father. For example, when the prayer recites “we offer…” it means that we ourselves, along with Christ, are doing the offering.
That’s pretty powerful. These are not simple statements to ignore. The Eucharistic Prayer calls us to join with Christ and, in a very active way, ask God the Father to accept our very own offerings, however imperfect or unprepared we may feel for such a big step.
Next time you are at Mass, listen carefully to the Eucharist Prayer. And pray with your heart that God will accept what we bring to the table.
For additional words on the Eucharistic Prayer, click on the US Bishops’ overview of the Eucharist Prayer. For a more indepth look, see some excellent books on the Mass. These books are available for purchase from the ActiveParishioner.com website.
