Q. My family and I have been asked to bring up the gifts at Mass on several occasions, but I’m not sure if I’m doing it quite right. What are you supposed to do when you bring up the gifts at Mass, and what is the purpose behind the practice?
A. Thank you for this very practical question that is probably on the minds of many people. Oftentimes, it is the duty of the ushers to choose a family to present the gifts to the celebrant of the Mass, but there is usually little instruction given ahead of time.
The presentation of the gifts by the faithful is not an essential component of the Mass, but it’s a beautiful, symbolic gesture. The practice goes back even to the early Church. In the 2nd Century, St. Justin Martyr wrote: “When our prayer is ended, bread and wine with water are brought forth, and the president offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability.” In the 5th Century, St. Augustine, in reference to the offertory, spoke of the “admirable exchange” that takes place, where the faithful return their gifts they have been given back to God.
The preparation of the gifts occurs during a time of transition in the Mass. Having been fed and nourished by the Word of God in the Liturgy of the Word, the faithful prepare to be fed and nourished through the Holy Eucharist, in which they receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.
The Eucharist is all about the offering of sacrifice. The Mass is the re-presentation of Christ’s offering of himself to the Heavenly Father. And then this gift of Christ to the Father pours forth to the Church in the reception of Holy Communion. Christ offers himself as a sacrifice to the Father, and in doing so he also offers himself to the Church in giving us his very body and blood.
Since the Eucharist is the celebration of Christ’s spousal love for His Church, it is meant to have the full, conscious and active participation of the faithful. The faithful accomplish this by giving of themselves at Mass, and allowing themselves to be transformed by the power of the sacred mysteries.
This desire to be transformed is symbolized in the presentation of gifts, which is much more than simply a sentimental gesture. The people taking up the gifts at Mass represent the people of the parish and, in a sense, the entire Church. They bring up bread and wine; perhaps even the collection from that Mass: all as signs of the gifts God has given us and are returned back to him.
Thus, as we watch the people process down the aisle to bring these gifts at Mass, we think of all we have received from God and ask him to transform us by his saving action.
It’s understandable to be a little nervous in bringing up the gifts. The norm is to process down the aisle with the gifts and hand them to the celebrant at the foot of the altar. It’s customary to bow to the altar or genuflect to the tabernacle before you return to your pew. Don’t be afraid! In presenting the gifts, you are carrying the very bread and wine that will be changed substantially into the Body and Blood of Christ.
This question was answered by a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
