The Breaking of Bread - Lincoln, Nebraska

1 THE MASSI. INTRODUCTORY RITESE ntranceVeneration of the AltarGreetingPenitential Rite Lord, Have Mercy Glory to God in the Highest Opening PrayerII. THE LITURGY OF THE WORDS cripture ReadingsHomilyProfession of FaithPrayers of the FaithfulIII. THE LITURGY OF THEEUCHARISTP reparation of the GiftsEucharistic Prayer1. Preface2. Sanctus3. Epiclesis4. Consecration5. The Mystery of Faith6. Anamnesis7. Offering8. Intercessions9. Final Doxology & AmenCommunion Rite1. Lord s Prayer2. Rite of Peace3. Breaking OF Bread <4. Communion5. Prayer After CommunionIV. CONCLUDING RITESA nnouncementsBlessingDismissalVeneration of the AltarPersonal Thanksgiving#35 in a series of 40 inserts researched and compiled for the parishioners ofSt.

2 John the Apostle Catholic Church, Lincoln, Nebraska . (c) Breaking of BreadImmediately after the sign of peace is exchanged, the priest and other ministers begin tobreak the Eucharistic Bread . This is one of the key actions of Jesus, who took the Bread ,said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to His practiced before and now, the priest takes the host and breaks it over the places a small piece into the chalice while saying,May the mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christbring eternal life to us who receive Breaking of the loaf of Bread is a familiar ceremony in countries where Bread isthe staple food.

3 The father, presiding over the table, would perform the ceremony, theorigin of which harks back to the very beginning of the Last Supper, our Lord also broke the Bread (the Jews always broke, and nevercut, their Bread ). It was in the act of Breaking Bread that the risen Lord was recognized bythe disciples at Emmaus. As if it were a Mass celebrated by the Lord, the Breaking of thebread was preceded by the liturgy of the word: While they were walking, Jesus explainedto them the passages throughout the Scriptures that were about himself. Then, while hewas with them at table, he took the Bread and said the blessing; then he broke it andhanded it to them.

4 And their eyes were opened and they recognized him (Lk 24:27, 30-31).The two disciples returned to Jerusalem, announcing that they had recognized theLord at the Breaking of the Bread . Jesus Himself stands in our midst. This is the moment of decision for each of us. Willour eyes open to His Presence? Are we blind to what we are about to partake in? Has ourability to receive Him so freely dulled our senses?BY THIS priest will do something that may be imperceptible to our eyes if we are notspecifically looking for it. He will break off a small piece of the Eucharistic Bread and dropit into the chalice that contains the Precious Blood of Jesus while he says a prayer is called the co-mingling of the Bread and wine.

5 It is a small act, but rich in , it symbolizes the Resurrection of our Lord. At the consecration our Lord cameto the Bread and wine separately--this is my Body, this is my Blood; symbolic of His deathon the cross. Now the two are , it symbolizes the unity of the Church. In the early Church a piece of theEucharist from the Pope s Mass was broken off and taken to other churches and mingledwith their Eucharistic species to signify that they were all one Body of Christ. This piecewas called the fermentum, a Latin word that means prayer said by the priest as he performs this action asks that this action might bring eternal life to all who receive this DEID uring the Breaking of the Bread and the co-mingling, the Agnus Dei is sung or saidby all:Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; have mercy on final phrase is always: Grant us peace.

6 At first, the Breaking of the Bread was done in silence. It was a Syrian pope, (687-701), who established the singing of this figure of the Lamb of God is full of meaning and is helpful to enkindle ourdevotion before Communion. The Lamb foretold by Isaiah and announced by St. John theBaptist whould wipe out our sins through his obedience to God s will:Innocent, he never opened his mouth,like a lamb that is led to the slaughter house,like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers (Is 53:7).Let us make up with a great longing to atone for our sins and be cleansed for our lack , the Agnus Dei is also a nuptial hymn to celebrate the wedding of the Lamb withhis bride, the Church, in peace and unity, as is described in the Book of Revelation.

7 Certainly,each Mass is only a prelude and a token of the future adoration of the Lamb in eternity.