Lectio the Liturgy: Like the Dewfall

Julie Storr ponders one version of the prayer during Mass, when the priest prays that God send His Holy Spirit to change this bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus.

I remember the first time I heard Eucharistic Prayer II at Mass. The priest prayed “send down your Spirit like the dewfall” and I am pretty sure I didn’t hear anything else after that.

Dewfall? I couldn’t believe what I heard. Dew doesn’t fall. Dew is formed. There is moisture in the air all around us. It is invisible. Until atmospheric conditions are right and temperatures change and the moisture in the air forms as droplets on surfaces.

I remembered my father-in-law, a life-long farmer, telling me how some growing seasons were so dry, the only thing that saved the crop was dew.

That morning at Mass. my mind also went to our friends, the Israelites. In the Book of Exodus, we read:

In the morning there was a layer of dew all about the camp, and when the layer of dew evaporated, fine flakes were on the surface of the wilderness, fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. (Exodus 16:13b-14)

The crop the fed a nation came from the dew.

This part of the prayer is called the Epiclesis. This is the part of the prayer when the priest prays that God may send down His Holy Spirit to change this bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus.

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We know that the Holy Spirit is not just inside us, but He is all around us, just like moisture in the air and now, every time I hear those words, “send down Your Spirit” I actually look, hoping to see the Holy Spirit swoosh by.

The power of the working of the Holy Spirit is first recorded in the Book of Genesis:

And the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the water. (Genesis 1:2, NABRE)

In this verse in Hebrew, the “mighty wind” is the Spirit of God. We read about a mighty wind in the Book of Acts:

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2, ESV)

Which brings me back to the sanctuary at Mass. No matter which Eucharistic Prayer your priest uses, listen for the words asking the Holy Spirit to come. Imagine the air permeated with His presence and manifesting on the altar.

Click to tweet:
No matter which Eucharistic Prayer your priest uses, listen for the words asking the Holy Spirit to come. #CatholicMom

May we always remember to ask the Father the favor of having our hearts in the right atmospheric conditions so that the dew of the Holy Spirit comes to our heart and the Eucharist, our manna, would always kindle in us the fire of His love.

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