Week 27: Liturgy of the Eucharist: Preface

By Archbishop Michael Jackels

Witness Publisher

The central part of the Mass and its highpoint is the Eucharistic Prayer.

Even though only the priest speaks this great prayer, he prays and acts in the name of, or on behalf of the entire holy people and all present.

This prayer begins with the Preface, in which we affirm that it is right and just, our duty and salvation to give thanks to God in worship at Holy Mass.

We worship at Holy Mass on Sunday in obedience to the Third Commandment, inspired by reverence for God and the Commandments.

At the end of the Preface, we sing or say “Holy, Holy, Holy” – the song of the ­angels in worship of God, as described by the prophet Isaiah. We also sing or say “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” – the words used by the people who greeted Jesus as he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.