"The Prayer Over the Gifts" used to be called the Secreta (Secret Prayers). Thankfully these beautiful prayers are now spoken out loud. They usually have reference to the sacrifice which is about to be offered. I have previously said that the Sacrifice of the Mass is a continuous action. We have seen that the Offertory Prayers already refer to the sacrifice which is offered. More and more we hear references to the sacrifice as we approach the Consecration when the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Our Lord; after which the offering of Christ at the hands of the Priest with the assistance of the faithful is formally made.

The awareness of the Mass as the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary cannot be overemphasized. From my own personal perspective not all the Eucharistic Prayers emphasize the sacrificial character of the Mass as it should be emphasized. Between this lack of emphasis and poor instruction in the faith many Catholics no longer understand the true meaning of the Mass. It has become primarily a fellowship meal. Of course, the Mass is also communion with Christ and His kingdom, but there must first be the sacrifice before we are able to commune with God, His saints and one another.

Immediately after the "Prayer Over the Gifts" is said, the Priest opens his hands in greeting to the faithful and invites them to join with him in the work of offering Christ to the rather. The Priest represents Christ in a unique way. He alone can change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. At the same time the faithful are a priestly people who assist the Priest at the offering of the Mass.

The Priest then exhorts the people to lift up their hearts for the purpose of giving thanks to the Lord. Another name for the Mass is Eucharist which is from the Greek and means thanksgiving. Giving thanks is the Christian's way of life. We always have reason to rejoice. The mark of a mature Christian is to be thankful in adversity, to believe that "all things work together for the good to those who love God."

This Preface leads us into the Proper Preface which gives us the reasons for being thankful. There is a Proper Preface for each season of the Church year. In Advent we are thankful for His coming to us at Bethlehem, in the Eucharist and in His second coming. At Christmas we rejoice in the gift of the Savior of the world. In Lent we are thankful for the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Easter gives us reason to rejoice that death has been conquered. Each season and feast has its Proper Preface which expresses how right and proper it is to give thanks to the Lord.

With thanksgiving in our hearts we now ascend to the Throne of Mercy. We sing with all the company of Angels and Saints and bow in awe before the Thrice-Holy Trinity:

 Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

 This hymn is what the Latin designated as the Sanctus. It heralds the coming of God to earth. It announces our ascension with Christ into the kingdom of God. The altar becomes our Bethlehem where Christ is born to us in the Blessed Sacrament. The altar becomes the heavenly altar where the Lamb of God stands who was slain and now lives forever.