USCCB - Roman Missal | Priest Changes

Changes in the
Priest's Parts

PDF Version Changes in the Priest's Parts - Eucharistic Prayer II
PART OF MASS	PRESENT TEXT	NEW TEXT
Preface	Father, it is our duty and oursalvation always and everywhere to give you thanks through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Word through whom you madethe universe, the Savior you sent to redeem us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he took flesh and was born of the VirginMary. For our sake he opened his arms on the cross; he put an end to death and revealed the resurrection. In this he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people. And so we join the angels and the saints in proclaiming your glory as we say:	It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, yourWord through whom you made all things, whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer, incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin. Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people, he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion, so as to break the bonds of death andmanifest the resurrection. And so, with the Angels and all the Saintswe declare your glory, as with one voice we acclaim:
Thanksgiving	Lord, you are holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness.	You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Epiclesis	Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.	Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Institution Narrative Commentary At every Mass, the Priest repeats the words by which Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, and by which the bread and wine become the true Body and Blood of Christ for us today. The changes at the consecration of the bread are minor, but there are a few changes in the text for the consecration of the wine that are worth explaining. First is the replacement of “cup” with “chalice.” Both refer to vessels from which we drink, and both terms appear in the Bible. However, “chalice” implies a special kind of cup – one that is precious and set aside for a noble purpose (in this case, for the “new and eternal covenant”). This is part of the dignified language brought out by the new translation: just as we do not refer to the altar of sacrifice as merely a “table,” so saying “chalice” at this moment emphasizes that the Blood of Christ is no ordinary drink. Such language can help foster greater reverence at the Holy Mass. A significant change is the revision of the current phrase, “shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven,” to “poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” One observation regarding the new wording is that the imagery of Blood being “poured out” is more vivid than “shed” – it portrays His Blood as true drink (Jn 6:55) and accentuates that Jesus entirely emptied Himself (Phil 2:7) out of love for us. However, the more noticeable revision in those same lines is the replacement of “for all” with “for many.” At the most basic level, “for many” is a faithful translation of the original Latin phrase, “pro multis.” Turning to Scripture, Isaiah 53:12 prophesied that the Messiah would take away “the sins of many,” and Christ Himself at the Last Supper also said His Blood would be shed for “many” (Mt 26:28, Mk 14:24). This does not mean that Christ did not die for the sake of all humanity, for that, too, is indisputable from Scripture. We need only recall 2 Corinthians 5:15 – “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Rather, “for many” upholds the reality that each individual must also accept and abide in the grace won by Christ in order to attain eternal life. The recovery of this wording affirms that salvation is not completely automatic. Nonetheless, it should not be interpreted as overly restrictive, either. The fact that Jesus was addressing only the Apostles in the Upper Room while saying, “for you and for many,” implies far-reaching inclusion – that many more besides the Twelve would benefit from this new covenant. So, the revised translation of “pro multis” is important, but may require some of the most careful catechesis, due to potential misunderstandings.	Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, he took bread and gave you thanks. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you. When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave youthanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlastingcovenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.	At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and eat of it:for this is my Body which will be given up for you. In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, hegave it to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new andeternal covenant, which will bepoured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Anamnesis	In memory of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Father, this life-giving bread, this saving cup. We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.	Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation,giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.
Epiclesis	May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.	Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Intercessions	Lord, remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in love, together with N. our Pope, N. our bishop, and all the clergy. In Masses for the dead: Remember N., whom you have called from this life. In baptism he (she) died with Christ: may he (she) share his resurrection. Remember our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again; bring themand all the departed into the light of your presence. Have mercy on us all; make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the virginMother of God, with the apostles, and with all the saints who havedone your will throughout the ages. May we praise you in union with them, and give you glory through your Son, Jesus Christ.	Remember, Lord, your Church,spread throughout the world, andbring her to the fullness of charity, together with N. our Popeand N. our Bishop and all the clergy. In Masses for the Dead: Remember your servant N., whom you have called (today) from this world to yourself. Grant thathe (she) who was united with your Son in a death like his, may also be one with him in his Resurrection. Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of yourface. Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased youthroughout the ages, we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify youthrough your Son, Jesus Christ.

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