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In the last issue, we explored how faithfuls prepare to take part in the Holy Communion after the Eucharistic Prayer with The Lord's Prayer to receive the grace of His presence.  The first two out of the four important liturgical actions during the Ministry of the Sacrament — ‘take’ and ‘give thanks’ — are done by the Celebrant during the Eucharistic Prayer.  While preparing for the Holy Communion, the Celebrant ‘breaks’ the consecrated bread.  And finally, the bread and wind are ‘given’ to us.

According to the version of Book of Common Prayer (1662), ‘the breaking of the bread’ is following Jesus' example at the Last Supper and represents our Saviour's body sacrificed on the cross for us, so that disciples since can share His sacred life.  St Augustine is the first to use 1 Corinthians 10:17 to express ‘though we are many, we are only body, because we all share in one bread’, the spirit of communion during the Eucharist.

After the breaking of the bread, the choir would likely lead all in prayer with the Agnus Deī (Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29 and Revelations 5:6). It is a prayer that centres meditation on ‘Christ as the lamb of God’ as core of the prayer — connecting Christ who sacrificed His body and shed His precious blood for us with the breaking of the bread during the Eucharist.  This anthem has been a part of Ministry of the Sacrament  since the 5th century.  Sung after the breaking of the bread, the Agnus Deī becomes an integral part of the spiritual experience of many faithfuls as they prepare to receive the Holy Communion.

Meditation

1. Prayers in the Eucharistic Prayer are ‘opened-eye’ prayers to concentrate on the Holy Table.  Do mediate on the four-fold liturgical actions — take, give thanks, break and give — and consider what they are related to your spiritual life.
2. When singing the Agnus Deī, do mediate on the peace and grace that the suffering Christ and the breaking of bread brought to us.