INVITATIONS AND PREFACE RESPONSES

Prefacio

Invitations and Responses to the Preface at Mass is an exchange between the priest and the faithful that begins the Eucharistic Prayer, where the priest invites the people to lift up their hearts in gratitude to God before the consecration of the Eucharist.

1. "The Lord be with you": It is an ancient greeting of deep origin, which establishes the presence of Christ in the community and prepares the faithful for the prayer that is approaching.

2. "And with your spirit": The response of the people confirms that they also feel and participate in the presence of the Lord.

3. "Let us lift up our hearts": The priest invites the faithful to raise their thoughts and affections beyond earthly concerns and turn them to God.

4. "We have lifted it up to the Lord": This is the answer that confirms that they have answered the call and have turned their spiritual attention to God.

5. "Give thanks to the Lord our God": It is a direct invitation to thanksgiving, which is the main purpose of the preface.

6. "It is just and necessary": This response recognizes the righteousness and importance of giving thanks to God, and in turn, serves as an introduction to the reasons for that gratitude that the priest will set forth in the preface.

This dialogue links the whole community to the priest's prayer and prepares them for the most important moment of the Mass: the consecration of the Eucharist. In this way, the assembly, as a single community, prepares to unite itself to the thanksgiving that the earthly Church raises to the heavenly Father, uniting itself even to the heavenly worship of angels and saints.

Fr. Claudio