The Liturgy of Holy Communion (Part 2) - The Proper Preface

The curious observer will wonder why the first part of the liturgy of Holy Communion is called the Preface but the second part is the Proper Preface.

What’s with the “Proper”? Did the first Preface need some training in manners?

Speaking Properly

A tree can be understood to have two very basic parts: 1) The trunk/limbs part and 2) the greenery/leaves part. Similarly, the historic liturgy can be seen as having two basic components, namely “Ordinary” and “Propers.”

The Ordinary parts are those that are the same in every Divine Service, such as the Kyrie, Gloria Patri, Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Nunc Dimittis.

The Proper Parts are those that, like leaves on a tree, change depending on the specific liturgical day or season. An easy way to remember the difference is that the Propers are appropriate or proper for the day. Going back to the tree illustration, leaves change color depending upon the season, so the Propers change depending upon the season.

The major parts of the Divine Service that are Propers are the Hymns, the Collect of the Day, the Scripture readings, the Sermon, and the Proper Preface.

The proper preface then is a part of the liturgy that changes depending upon the season or occasion.

Now that we have answered the question of what the Proper is, what is the Proper Preface about? Simply put, it is a prayer of thanksgiving to God our Father for all He has done for us in Christ Jesus.

Giving Thanks at all times

After being invited to give thanks to the Lord in the Preface, the pastor now does just that by now talking to God in a prayer of thanksgiving. The opening line is addressed to the Father and expresses what we have seen throughout Scripture: the duty of God’s people to thank the Lord. 

“It is truly good, right and our joy that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God.”

In the words “it is truly good, right, and our joy” we express that what follows is always, no matter what we are facing, a good and salutary act - thanksgiving. We acknowledge that we should “at all times and in all places” joyfully and rightly give thanks to God our Father.

It is often easy to feel thankful when life is going good, when our health is strong, relationships are happy, and we experience success at work. It can be much more difficult to have this attitude of thanksgiving when we are in the valley of the shadow of death. Yet Philippians 4:4-7 encourages this very thing:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In the Proper Preface we are acknowledging that regardless of what we are facing in life, that it is good and right to give thanks to God.

Why is it good and right for us to give thanks to God? The second portion of the prayer answer this question.

Jesus is the Reason

This prayer follows the pattern of thanksgiving in the psalms in the Old Testament. Thanksgiving in general was offered for the gifts of God’s creation (Ps 136:4-9), His provision in their lives (Ps 67:6-7), His wondrous deeds (Ps 75:1) and for His saving acts (Ps 35:18).  Like Israel thanked the Lord for delivering them from their enemies, so we now thank God for sending His Son to save us from sin and Satan.

For by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a new people in Jesus Christ our Lord, to show forth your glory in all the world.

Here the Church is giving thanks for God’s gracious salvific work of gathering and making for Himself a new people in Christ Jesus!

Other seasonal Propers include the following:

Advent - “because in His coming the day of our deliverance has dawned; and through Him You will make all things new, as He comes in power and triumph to judge the world.

Lent - “who overcame the assaults of the devil and gave His life as a ransom for many that with cleansed hearts we might be prepared joyfully to celebrate the resurrection feast in sincerity and truth.”

Easter - “And most especially are we bound to praise You on this day for the glorious resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the very Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us and bore the sins of the world. By His dying He has destroyed death, and by His rising again He has restored to us everlasting life.”

Joining the Choir of Heaven

Hubert van Eyck, “Adoration of the Lamb” (detail), Ghent Altarpiece, ca. 1429

The third and final section of the Proper Preface is the transition into the Sanctus (the topic of the next blog post). Here we shift to now joining our voices with the praise of those in heaven.

Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

This is a powerful moment where we are remind that our worship is not simply our worship only, but it is joining with the whole Church in heaven and earth. It is the moment we begin to see the the curtains drawn back on heaven and the people of God lifting our voices to mix and mingle with those of the angels, archangels, and victorious saints.

Hebrews 12:22-24 describes that through the blood of Christ, we now enter into the heavenly Jerusalem, with the angels and saints!

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

St. John Chrysostom says that during Holy Communion the angels surround the pastor, and the whole sanctuary is filled with angels honoring Christ, present in the Eucharist. He adds that we, though lowly, have been deemed worthy to join the powers of Heaven in the worship of the Lord.

The liturgy is often described as the “thin place” where heaven and earth meet. It’s the mountain top where God’s people ascend and God descends to meet His people. This moment is ushering us to the summit of the Divine Service where God comes to humanity in the person and work of the incarnate, crucified, died, risen, and glorified Christ Jesus in the bread and wine.

The next blog installment will look more at this heavenly chorus of praise of the Santus.

Seven reasons why the historic church use incense in worship

Why does the church use incense in places of worship?

1. Connection to Old Testament Worship
"Incense" is mentioned over 100 times in the Bible and was an integral part of worship in the Old Testament. The altar of incense in the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:1-10) and later in the Temple was used to burn incense regularly as an offering to God. Incense was an aromatic substance made of gums and spices to be burned. It was made according to a definite prescription of gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense in equal proportions, and was tempered with salt (Exod.30:34-Exod. 30:35). It could not be made for ordinary purposes (Exod.30.34-Exod.30.38; Lev.10.1-Lev.10.7). The use of incense in Christian worship can be seen as a continuation of this ancient practice. 

2. A form of worship to Christ 
The three gifts given to Christ by the Magi was gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The second two were resins both commonly used as incense. The newborn King received His first worship from gentiles by the gifts of incense!  

2. It models the worship of Heaven
The prayers of the saints are depicted as rising before God along with the smoke of the incense.

Revelation 8:3-4, "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel."

3. Purification and Sanctification of a sacred space 
Incense is traditionally used to purify and sanctify the space in which it is burned. The sweet fragrance is a symbol of holiness and setting aside the space for God. 

4. Symbolism of our Prayers Rising to Heaven
Incense is often seen as a physical representation of prayers ascending to God. This is based on biblical imagery, particularly from Psalm 141:2, which says, "Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

5. The Presence of the Holy Spirit
The smoke of the incense symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Just as the smoke fills the space and is perceived by the senses, so the Holy Spirit fills the hearts and minds of the worshippers, permeating the entire environment.

6. The Presence of God
Throughout the OT the presence of God was made manifest in the form of a cloud of smoke. In 2 Chronicles 5:12-14 we have a description of when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Temple build by Solomon, "and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; 13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God."

7. Symbol of Sacrifice
Incense is also associated with sacrifice. Just as incense is consumed by fire, it represents the offering of oneself to God, symbolizing the worshippers' devotion and willingness to sacrifice for their faith.

What is the Feast of Ascension?

What is the Feast of Ascension?

The Feast of Ascension is when we celebrate Christ ascending to the right hand of the Father in heaven. While we observe it today on Sunday, technically the feast day always falls on a Thursday because it is 40 days after Easter Sunday. The timing of the liturgical year is simply following historical fact.

Ascension celebrates a very important part of Christ’s life and work in redeeming us from sin and giving us His Divine life. Jesus Himself teaches that part of the Son of Man’s work is to be seated at the Father’s right hand (Luke 22:69). All over the New Testament are references to Christ’s ascension and His being at the Father’s right hand, here are a few of those: 

But [Steven], full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56)

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…(Hebrews 1:3)

…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Though often overlooked, the ascension of Christ is filled with theological significance. Christ’s ascension means that in heaven there is one who, knowing firsthand the experience of suffering and temptation, prays for us and perfects our prayers. The ascension is a witness and guarantee of our own bodily resurrection, as well as an invitation for us to set our hearts and minds “on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1-2) to rule over all things in heaven and throughout the universe (Eph. 1:10, 20-23). Finally, the ascension of Jesus serves as the prelude to Pentecost, when the power of the risen Christ came upon all believers through the Holy Spirit.

Ford Maddox Brown, The Ascension, circa 1844

Benjamin West (1738–1820)

Scenes from the Life of Christ: Ascension

Flemish School; Campion Hall, University of Oxford

Why you should consider making the sign of the cross on yourself

The Sign of the Cross

Growing up I always thought someone making the sign of the cross on themselves was a pointless and superstitious gesture that just made the people doing it look silly. For real.

I’ve since changed my mind.

I have now come to believe it a very powerful reminder to myself that I have been saved by Christ’s finished work on Calvary and a bold statement to those around me of my faith and hope. And while certainly not required, I would humbly suggest it is a practice that Christians of all traditions would greatly benefit from in practicing.

Here is a brief introduction into this very ancient Christian gesture:

What is the sign of the cross?  

The sign of the cross is an ancient Christian practice of marking the shape of the cross of Christ upon one’s self or upon another person or object.

What does crossing myself with the cross mean?

The sign of the cross is a physical gesture that signifies a spiritual reality. In the same way that in placing our right hand over your heart and reciting the pledge of allegiance declares a statement of belief, hope, and solidarity, so in like manner, crossing oneself with the sign of the cross is a distinctively Christian gesture that is a statement of belief and hope. This simple act reminds us that:

1. We have been bought and purchased by the finished work of Christ on the cross (“sign of the cross”).

2. We have been marked with the name of the Triune God in our baptisms (all Christians baptisms are in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).

3. We continue to look and trust in Christ at all times and situations.

4. We boldly and unashamedly declare to the world that we are Christ-followers.  

Do I have to do it? 

Not at all! It is a matter of Christian freedom and completely optional. You may or may not feel comfortable doing it yourself, or you may not do it as often as your neighbor. That’s okay. But when the sign of the cross is made, whether by pastor or people, let this be the proclamation: Christ has died for your sins upon the cross; in Baptism he shares that cross with you; because you share in His cross, you are a child of God and are precious in His sight.

What did the early Church say about it? 

The early Church Fathers attested to the use of the sign of the cross. Here are a few comments from the first several hundred years of the church. 

Tertullian (250 A.D.) described the commonness of the sign of the cross: “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross” (De corona, 30). And in another place he said, “We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross.”

Athanasius of Alexandria (269–373 A.D.) said, “By the signing of the holy and life-giving cross, devils and various scourges are driven away. For it is without price and without cost and praises him who can say it. The holy fathers have, by their words, transmitted to us, and even to the unbelieving heretics, how the two raised fingers and the single hand reveal Christ our God in His dual nature but single substance. The right hand proclaims His immeasurable strength, His sitting on the right hand of the Father, and His coming down unto us from Heaven. Again, by the movement of the hands to our right the enemies of God will be driven out, as the Lord triumphs over the Devil with His inconquerable power, rendering him dismal and weak.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (386 A.D.) in his Catechetical Lectures stated, “Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are traveling, and when we are at rest” (Catecheses, 13).  

How do I make the sign of the cross on myself? 

Touch your head at the naming of the Father; then bring your hand to the middle of your chest (over your heart) at the naming of the Son. At the naming of the Holy Spirit, touch your right shoulder and then your left shoulder. The Eastern tradition of the Christian church goes right to left, while the Western tradition is left to right. Either is good!  

When is it appropriate to make the sign of the cross? 

Anytime throughout the day you feel led to or whenever you desire to be reminded of God’s presence with you and your reliance upon Him. You may do it before an especially important meeting, when you are being tempted by sin, as you drive, when you pray, before and/or after meals, and when you wake up and when you go to bed.   

During the worship service it is especially appropriate to cross oneself at (1) the beginning of the service during the Invocation (In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit), (2) after the Declaration of Grace; (3) during the Creed when we declare our belief in the resurrection (“Resurrection of the body”), (4) after receiving the Holy Eucharist, (5) upon receiving the closing benediction when the pastor makes the sign of the cross upon the congregation.  

A final word

If you have never made the sign of the cross, it will feel a little awkward when you first start. That’s okay. Once you have done it a few weeks it becomes quite natural and second nature. A good way to ease into it is crossing yourself at the beginning and end of your personal prayers and go from there. It is also a wonderful way to disciple your children at meals and when putting them to bed.

May the Lord’s grace and peace be upon you!