Part XI: Commentary on various phrases in the new Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
We now continue with the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I). Again, this comes directly from the Magnificat Roman Missal Companion, edited by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P., with the commentary written by Professor Anthony Esolen, 2011. (if you desire to order this companion or subscribe to Magnificat, which is a great Catholic publication that contains the daily readings from Mass for each day along with meditations from Saints and Catholic writers visit: http://www.magnificat.com/romanmissal/roman_missal_companion.asp )
“In communion with those whose memory we venerate: We are encouraged to give due honor to the souls of those who have gone before us in faith. We should remember them, for they are a gift of God to us, showing us how many are the ways of God’s saving grace in human lives.”
“…especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary: When we think of the saints, we should meditate first and most devotedly upon Mary, upon her whose face indeed most closely resembles the face of Christ. She partakes of his glory more fully than does any other created being, even the cherubim and the seraphim.”
“…and blessed Joseph, her Spouse: Joseph is blessed by God not simply to be the husband of Mary, but to be her Spouse, literally, the man who responds with a promise to a promise, to be her true protector until death. The word helps us to see in Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, an image of Christ the Spouse of the Church, and indeed we venerate Saint Joseph as the Church’s patron and protector.”
“…your blessed Apostles and Martyrs: They are blessed because they are yours, O Lord.”
“…graciously accept this oblation of our service: It is more than a bare offering. It is an offering to God, an oblation, of our service, our willingness to obey the Lord in all things, and particularly in his command that we celebrate the Eucharist. We ask God to accept the offering graciously, that, literally, he will be pleased to accept it, because what we truly seek is his favor and love.”
“…order our days in your peace: We ask here for more than peace among nations. We ask that our days might be ordered in the peace of God; and that means that we beg to be governed by God’s will, wherein we find our peace. The language is that of the Psalmist: “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me” (Ps 119: 133, KJV).”
“…and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation: Literally, that we might be snatched as if from the jaws of hell. The verb “delivered” reminds us that evil is a prison from which we long to be set free. The word also echoes Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer, and a host of pleas and thanksgiving in the Psalms, the prophets, and the letters of Saint Paul: “You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling” (Ps 116: 8, RSV).”
“…and counted among the flock of those you have chosen: In the Old Testament, the prophets commonly refer to the children of Israel as God’s chosen flock: “Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs” (Is 40: 11). Indeed, the Latin word we use to describe the people of a local church, the congregation, literally means the gathering of a flock. The image reminds us that Jesus saves us by taking us among his flock: “There will be one flock, one shepherd” (Jn 10: 16).”
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Eric Fedewa
