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CHAPTER 12
The
Breaking of the Bread
The
people and presiding priest break the
bread
Silence is kept when the action of breaking the bread is
begun. Each of the Eucharistic Liturgies then has a
sentence and a people's response for the fraction (e.g. "We
break this bread..."). If much bread is to be broken, a
fraction anthem (confractorium) may be sung. This could be
"Lamb of God..." (page 426). The line "Lamb of God, you
take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us." can be
repeated as long as necessary, with the ending "grant us
your peace" used for the final repetition. "Jesus, Lamb of
God ..." (page 427), the Easter Anthems (page 94), or
another anthem could be used instead.
If wafers are used then as many as possible can be broken
at the fraction or at least three or four large wafers can
be broken so that a significant amount of bread is seen to
be broken. All this can be done in the silence before the
words "We break this bread ..." The primary
purpose of breaking
the bread is in order to share it. Only secondly has this
developed a postbiblical symbolism of the brokenness of
Christ in death. For this reason the breaking in half of a
wafer in a communicant's hand is not recommended.
It is not essential
at this point to break
the bread into as many pieces as there are communicants.
Individual portions may be more conveniently broken off
during the administration of communion. It is important,
however, that the symbolic character of the one bread
broken for the many, so that the many may become one, is
clearly seen by the whole community. This is one of the
reasons why it is significant to distinguish between the
breaking of the bread and distribution of communion.
Breaking as much bread as needed at the fraction does this
most clearly.
Further empty chalices, patens or baskets needed for the
distribution of communion are brought up to the altar
before the Invitation and filled with the consecrated bread
and wine.
The Prayer of Humble Access and its alternative (page 425)
are devotional texts perhaps best used only in penitential
seasons or omitted altogether. If the congregation is
kneeling for this prayer, those behind the altar bow rather
than kneel as kneeling behind the altar can give a very
disconcerting view of the presider or occasionally, no view
of the presider at all!
Some
Questions
Does the bread received in your community speak of
brokeness and of sharing or of private individualism?
Think through the practice of the fraction in your context.
Are there ideas that have come to mind as you read this
chapter?
