Original scientific paper

Praeparatio Donorum and the Super Oblata Prayers. A Variety of Terminology for the Framework of a Discussion on the Eucharistic Sacrifice and Offering

Ivan Šaško ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Theological discussions on the sacrificial value of the Eucharist (is the Eucharist a sacrifice or a thanksgiving) have weakened, but the theme has not stopped being a stumbling stone in theology and liturgy. These discussions have on the one hand, been burdened by many centuries of tension while, on the other hand, they have become a respite due to advances in biblical, dogmatic, patristic, ecumenical and cultural-anthropological research. Neither have liturgical aspects in the past century been neglected. However, there still exists a series of unanswered questions which cannot be answered, and threaten to confusion within ecclesiastical life to create divisions caused by certain theological understandings, literally implied or found to be in the background of present attitudes.
The Eucharistic celebration, due to its ritual stratum and dependent on various cultures has succeeded in retaining systematic and content entirety. The individual emphases within theology and sense of ecclesiology belong to a particular epoch of Eucharistic life, noting that any form of exclusion does not contribute to a valid scientific approach. The dilemma surrounding the Eucharist: is it chiefly a sacrifice or a thanksgiving; should not be solved without valuing the terminology in its complexity, including the encumbrance of the origin and meaning of the individual expressions. In the usage of Latin expressions, the author reveals important constants, which allow for an easier insight into the nuances of quite a wide textual spectrum of super oblate prayers. Translations of these expressions do not reflect the suppliant theological-liturgical content, excessively and easily equalizing and reducing them to a word in the translations. The underlying reason is the unforeseen, that dona - munera - sacrificial - hostia/ae do not have the same meaning. It is also evident that the their various meanings are heavily reliant on the verb offerre and the closely related adjective (oblatus, -a, -um) and its respective noun (oblation), while not ending the gradation and internal componential difference of the expressions. A preserved gradation allows for a typical Christian theology and theologizing of the ritual sacrifice in the context of the memorial feast.
Using an analysis of the present texts from the Roman Missal, and aided by a wider euhological context, the author demonstrates the variance of meaning and method by which the sacrificial dimension is expressed in liturgical prayers. Separated concepts do not receive completely the same-meaning. However a clearer physiognomy in the terminological medley, has a great meaning not only for translation, but also for the construction of a theological subtleness opening an approach to other questions. Towards the end of the article, the author expands his discussion and suggests that it would be more acceptable to reconcile the once-only offered Christ's sacrifice on the Cross as a unrepeatable salvific event and ritual recurrence (as a repeated contemporariness) that does not need to depart from Jesus' critique of the Temple cult. In other words, finding a Christian particularity and not fleeing into an exaggerated spiritualization of the sacrifice which already ritually exists as a sacrifice, an exchange, and a transubstantiation. Over-rating the theology of the sacrifice would contribute to an inner-societal discussion and opening of the space of culture in which Christianity can be a counter-weight to the numerous idolatries, and a distancing from the multiple-stratum present in the Eucharist. Overcoming the old anathemas requires the reading of the present contents in the prayers which are unfortunately seldom and intentionally silenced. The complexity of the ritual segment under the name of praeparatio donorum does not need to confuse but to encourage theologizing (nonetheless) of the actual themes in the present.

Keywords

Eucharist; sacrifice; offering; praeparatio donorum (preparation of the gifts); prayers super oblata (over the offerings); liturgical terminology; translation; donum; munus; sacrificium; hostia; oblatio; liturgical theology

Hrčak ID:

25599

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/25599

Publication date:

11.1.2005.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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