Presentation of the Bread and Wine

The Liturgy of the Word has three major parts to it, which correspond to the three actions of Christ at the Last Supper.  He took bread and wine, and so the people present bread and wine which the priest takes and places on the altar.  The Lord then gave thanks and praise to the Father over the bread and wine, which is what the Eucharistic Prayer does.  Then Jesus broke the bread and gave it to his disciples and gave the cup to his disciples, which is what we are doing at the Breaking of the Bread and at Communion.

So at the Presentation of the Gifts, members of the congregation bring up the bread and wine and they do this representing the whole community. The priest takes and places the bread and wine on the altar in preparation for the Eucharistic Prayer and Communion.

The bread and wine which are taken to the altar are symbolic of all gathered.  We present the simplest of gifts – food.  We do this because food keeps us alive and food enters into our very bodies.  Nothing is more crucial for us than food; it is therefore the simplest and the most suitable symbol with which to re-present ourselves.

The people who bring the gifts forward are symbolically bringing forward all who are present at that Eucharist.  It is by means of this symbolic action that the congregation enters into the action of the Eucharist.  As that bread and wine are placed on the altar, we are all being placed on the altar in readiness to enter into and renew our communion with the Lord in that new bread of life and cup of salvation which will be given to us in holy communion.

So the Presentation of the gifts is an integral part of the celebration of the Eucharist.  It is an important expression of the people’s entering into communion with the Lord and their joining him in his handing over of himself to the Father.

Because it is in the presentation of the gifts that there is expressed the entering of the gathered People of God into the celebration of the Eucharist, it is in the same bread and wine – now consecrated – that they should receive for holy communion.  That is, they should receive communion in the bread and wine that they have presented at that Mass.

By Frank O’Loughlin