Ordinary Form·Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation of the Gifts
Bread, wine, and water are brought forward and placed on the altar.
What happens
An Offertory Chant accompanies the procession. The bread and wine, with a little water added to the , are brought to the altar; the priest prays the two Berakah-style prayers ('Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation…'). He may incense the gifts, the cross, and the altar, and is himself incensed along with the people.
Why it happens
The bread and wine become the matter of Christ's Body and Blood. The gifts of the faithful express their participation in the offering and symbolize the work of human hands presented to God for transformation.
Sources
- GIRM §§73–76
- Order of Mass nn. 21–26