Do Not Touch

Instead of The Book of Common Prayer through the summer months, we are using Eucharistic prayers from the supplemental publication Enriching Our Worship 1. It was authorized by General Convention some years ago, the copy I’m looking at is dated 1998, so maybe that was when. I’ve always enjoyed it, a refreshing change from the usual, although the BCP liturgies are okay, maybe a bit worn. There are six in the BCP, two in “traditional” language, four “contemporary,” my favorite being “A” but also “C” from time to time. “B” is seasonal for Advent and Christmas. “D” nice try but I don’t think people know how to use it, the Prayers of the People are to be incorporated into the Eucharistic Prayer.

But we’re using EOW1 for the summer, and it has three Eucharistic prayers, oddly enough, 1, 2, and yesterday and next Sunday we’re using 3.

Prayer 3 has a secret hidden in plain view. All the eight prayers of the nine authorized have a rubric (literally “red ink”) with instructions for the celebrant that says just before the Words of Institution, "At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it, or to lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be
consecrated" and anyone watching the action at the Altar will observe the celebrant moving hands around touching things and making circling motions and what. That rubric is missing from EOW1 Prayer 3. The theologians reportedly (I heard it briefed once years ago at a clergy conference by someone who I think was on the commission that put EOW1 together for us) said that the rubric was omitted to correct the impression that had accrued over the years, that something about the priest or bishop touching the bread and wine is what effects the consecration; that the celebrant’s touch is spiritual, theological “hocus pocus” and that the rubric conveyed that erroneous impression.

So the touchy-feely rubric is not in this ninth of our nine Eucharistic prayers. There’s nothing that forbids the celebrant from going ahead with the sleight of hand, and it’s such a habit with us that nobody’s going to stop. But it’s no longer required. As I preside our Eucharist this coming Sunday, I’ll try to keep my hands at my side or flat on the Altar, but I don’t think it’ll work, with a mind of their own, they'll jerk free and wave around anyway.

TW+ 

The late posting is because I went to bed at midnight last night, stayed awake at least an hour, slept until five-fifteen this morning, walked at six, in the office at seven to draft the liturgy booklet for next Sunday, home at ten, zonked until noon, salad and ice water for lunch, opened my email to find a reminder "what, no blog?" I forgot.