The Commemoration of the Living
March 11, 2026 - 3rd Wednesday of Lent
Last week we reflected on the Te Igitur of the Roman Canon and how it sets our intentions at the Mass and does so in a way that expresses the unity of the faithful with the authorities of the Church and world under the sponsorship of God the Father, the source of all life and authority. This week we refine our intention by examining the Commemoration of the Living.
This section of the Roman Canon is very short but deeply profound. It begins with the words “Remember, Lord, your servants.” It is at this moment that the priest offering the Mass brings to mind any intentions that he has either personally or contractually, that is, by way of an assigned Mass offering, for living persons or the needs of living persons. This can be a particular person, a group of people, a need or a group of needs. But this is not just for the priest. Rubrically the priest is supposed to pause after he pronounces those initial words so that he can bring to mind any of those intentions. But, likewise, this is the moment for all of the faithful present at the Mass to do the same. Here is where you bring all of those needs for those in your life who need prayers.
The profound notion of this moment is that it is a recognition of the common work of prayer and intercession. It is not merely the saints in heaven who intercede, or the Blessed Virgin, or the angels, or the Son before the Throne of the Father. No! Rather, each and every one of us is called, in our conformity to Christ, to intercede for one another in unity with Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Father. It is here that we see the work of the Mystical Body of Christ at work, communicating grace to each member by each member in a profound unity that is established in the very person of Christ.
After pausing to recall these intentions the priest then says, “and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you.” In this moment our vision shifts from those who are remote, to those who are present to us. We remember that we are praying for the people who are right next to us. We are not divided in our offerings, but united to one another in a complex network of charity and devotion. We express our care and concern for one another in this moment of devotion. We form our intention, then, specifically “for them” and “for themselves” and “all who are dear to them.”
However, we do not do this offering blindly. Rather, we state specifically for what reason we are making this offering. We make it “for the redemption of this souls,” that is, for the highest possible good of each of these for whom we pray; “in hope of health and well-being,” that is, for those things that allow us to attain to our redemption; and “paying our homage to you, the eternal God, living and true,” that is, simply because God is worthy of worship. By this we express our desire to show the piety that is due to God because he is God. But we should notice here that our duty to God is tied to our duty to one another. In the Commemoration of the Living we see the so-called “Greatest Commandment” come alive in our intentions, that is to love God and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
In our next reflection we will examine the Communicantes. This may take us a few weeks to examine because this prayer changes with the liturgical seasons. However, as with each part of the Mass it teaches us something about who we are and what we are doing throughout the year or at that very moment in the Christian life. Therefore, I think that it is import to look at it from each one of those perspectives so that we gain a greater understanding of the times and seasons in which we worship and how those moments are related to us, our relationship to one another, and that relationship of the Mystery of God’s self-revelation to us.
