In The Celebration of the Eucharist, Charles Edward Miller deals with the Mass as a celebration of the Christian community. He speaks of the four ways in which Christ is present during the liturgy, outlines the eight elements in the Eucharistic Prayer and their corresponding eight steps to holiness, and follows with a complete study of the Mass—from the Introductory Rites to the Dismissal. Serious theology is leavened with anecdotes and practical pastoral and spiritual suggestions. Every Catholic will recognize the various scenes that Father Miller humorously uses to illustrate his points. The liturgy is the “work of the people,” and that means that some effort is required if we are to achieve the “full, active participation” in the liturgy recommended by the Second Vatican Council. The Mass is the highest form of prayer possible to us, since it is the worship which Christ himself offers to his Father in union with all the people who are united by the power of the Holy Spirit as one body in his Church. This book helps to show us how we can make it all it is meant to be.
“we offer the sacrifice to the Father through Christ because Christ is the Mediator” (Page 58)
“At the conclusion of the scripture readings the declaration, ‘This is the Word of the Lord’ was changed to ‘The Word of the Lord,’ and ‘This is the gospel of the Lord’ was changed to ‘The Gospel of the Lord.” (Pages 43–44)
“expresses praise and thanks to God, not abstractly, but by telling God what he has done and what he continues to do” (Page 59)
“it makes the death and resurrection of Jesus a reality for us on the altar” (Page 60)
“is the people’s affirmation of the entire eucharistic prayer.” (Page 63)