Homily 5: “The Mystery of Faith.”
After the words of consecration, when the bread and wine become the true Body and Blood of Christ, the priest says Let us proclaim the mystery of faith. This sounds like an invitation, and so the congregation replies with one of the acclamations such as Christ has died ... In the new translation, the priest will simply say The mystery of faith. Why?
In the old Latin Mass, the words Mysterium fidei – the mystery of faith were part of the words of consecration. They referred not to an idea or message but to the personal presence of Christ in the Sacrament. This meaning has not changed, even though in the Missal nowadays the priest says those words after the consecration of the chalice. It is still Christ himself who is being named here. Christ is the mystery of faith.
The idea goes back to Saint Paul. In his first letter to Timothy (1 Tim.3:16sqq.), he writes: Without any doubt the mystery of our religion is great: He was revealed in the flesh ... In this little hymn, Saint Paul means Christ. Christ is the mystery of our religion. Christ is the mystery of faith.
So when the priest says the mystery of faith he is not inviting the congregation to do something. He is acclaiming someone, the real and active presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, the Christ who died and was buried and rose and ascended into glory and who lives for ever to intercede for us.
That is why the Missal specifically says that the congregation continues the acclamation. They are not replying to an invitation but continuing what the priest has begun. And their words are addressed to Christ: we proclaim your death, O Lord ... The acclamation we say most often at present: Christ has died ... is more like a slogan, and is, in fact, addressed to no one.
It’s the same thing as with The word of the Lord, The Gospel of the Lord; and later on in the Mass: Behold the Lamb of God. We are not thinking something or being taught something at these sacred moments in the Mass. We are being invited to acclaim, or welcome the Person, the presence of the Incarnate Word, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who comes in word and in sacrament to strengthen us and make us holy.
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