How to Benefit from the Holy Liturgy - Pope Kirillos Scientific Family

The Consecration
The following part of the liturgy until the beginning of the
litanies is called the CONSECRATION or the Institution
Narrative. It is considered the most important part of the
Mass as it includes the dwelling of the Holy Spirit on the
Sacraments and the conversion to the Holy Body and Blood
of our Good Saviour.
The priest points to the bread and wine saying, "He
instituted for us this great mystery of godliness." Then he
places the two corporals on the altar, then places his hands in
the incense above the censer, and gives three rounds of the
incense to the bread with his hands. On the third round, he
also gives incense to the chalice, saying, "For He was
determined to give Himself up for the life of the world."
Look at this strange conflict, the unlimited love of Christ
towards mankind, versus the hatred of mankind to the Lord
Jesus Christ. On the same night that the people agreed to
surrender the Son of God to death, the Lord Jesus cared to
give life to the world. While they were preparing chains for
Him to be crucified, He had prepared for them this Divine
Feast and Redemptive Table. While they were thinking of
crucifying and slaughtering Him, He was preparing a
Sacrifice of Atonement for them. St Paul says, "For I
received from the Lord that which is also delivered to you,
that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was
betrayed took bread" (1 Corinthians 11:23-25).
This is clear from the Gospels that the Lord Christ instituted
the Sacrament of the Eucharist on Thursday evening, and
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