The Eucharistic Prayer opens with the dialog, “The Lord be with you,” with the response, “Lift up your hearts” and then “Let us give thanks...” With the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, given to us out of love, as its focus. These three short exchanges between the priest and the assembly solicit and receive affirmation to continue with the sacrifice. Priest and people acknowledged and lovingly awakened each other to the roles they must play in what follows. The priest, now in the role of Christ at the head of his body commands the people to “Lift up your hearts”. We are going to heaven. The assembly responds affirmatively with “We lift them up to the Lord”. We want to be with you leaving anxieties behind on earth. The priest as Christ announces why we are in heaven, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God”. The assembly responds with, “It is right and just”. We acknowledge that all that happens at Mass from the lessons of the Liturgy of the Word to the sacrifice at the Liturgy of the Eucharist is Thanksgiving.
With the assent of the assembly, the priest turns to the Preface where with outstretched arms, all attention is directed at God the Father. The Church’s prayer proclaims what we are about to do, “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks.” Then we proclaim the events of God. Then we join with the angels and saints in the continual praise of God and free of anxiety.
Holy, holy, holy Lord ... joins what the prophet, Isaiah, experienced in his vision of the heavenly banquet with the choirs of angels singing.