Devotion for today: We proclaim your death, O Lord!

Immediately following the Consecration at Mass, the priest introduces the Mystery of Faith. The faithful respond with one of three possible responses. Here we take time to proclaim our belief that the body and blood of Christ, given to us at the Last Supper, bought for us at a price on the Cross, and offered to us through the promise of the resurrection and ascension, is truly present in front of us on the altar. St. Paul tells us that we must own the mystery. It is no good to watch the host and chalice elevated if we do not own the mystery of the transubstantiation. We must be willing to leave the Mass and proclaim our belief to others by living it in our daily lives.

Scripture for meditation: 1 Timothy 3:9…holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

 I Corinthians 11:26: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until He comes.

John 4:39-42: Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I have done.” When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

Edward Sri tells us in his book, A Biblical Walk through the Mass, (Ascension Press, 2011):

We have arrived at the supreme moment of the Mass. The priest has spoken the words of consecration over the bread and wine, and they have now become the body and blood of Christ. In reverence, the priest genuflects in silent adoration before Christ’s blood in the chalice and then rises and solemnly says, “The mystery of faith.” These words are not so much a ceremonial instruction for the people to say their part next. Rather, they express the priest’s profound wonder and awe over the mystery that is taking place. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose body and blood were offered for our sins on Calvary, is now really present on the altar under the appearances of bread and wine…. Joining the priest’s wonder over this mystery, the people proclaim the story of salvation summed up in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

“The Mystery of Faith”:

“We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until You come again.”

“When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.”

“Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.”