We know that in the Eucharistic Prayer, when the words of consecration are prayed over the bread and wine, these simple physical substances are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. Christ becomes really present in our midst! This awesome reality is a very familiar truth to us.

Too often, however, we limit our concept of the real presence to this act of transubstantiation. While Christ's coming under the form of food to feed us so that we may grow strong in him is a gift of inestimable value, it is not the only experience of Christ's real presence the Mass offers.

Just as Christ becomes present body and blood, soul and divinity under the forms of bread and wine, so also his saving action, his passion, death, resurrection and ascension become present in every Mass.

Pope John Paul II said that Jesus did not simply say that what he was giving his followers to eat and drink was his body and his blood, he also made sacramentally present his sacrifice, which soon would be offered on the cross for the salvation of all.

This is not simply "faith-filled remembrance." Rather, Christ left us a means of sharing in it as if we had been present there, since this sacrifice is made present ever anew, sacramentally perpetuated, in every community that offers it at the hands of the consecrated minister ("Ecclesia de Eucharistia," Nos. 11,12).

Unfortunately, this sacrificial aspect of the Mass is missed by many because of our single-minded focus on the moment of the consecration in the Eucharistic Prayer and adoration of Christ, who has become present.

This often may be because instruction on the Liturgy of the Eucharist moves from the presentation of the gifts to the consecration and then to holy Communion, with little or no attention to what happens at other points in the Eucharistic Prayer which is --- in its totality --- the center and summit of the entire celebration (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 78).

In fact, the Eucharistic Prayer is not primarily about worship of Christ. This may sound almost shocking, but in reality the Eucharistic Prayer is about worship of "the Father," about "joining with Christ" in his perfect act of worship, which won our redemption!

It is true that in the memorial acclamation our wonder at what Christ has done for us flashes out in joy and gratitude, but the basic substance, the basic "business" of the Eucharistic Prayer is the prayer of Christ to his Father, a prayer in which we are privileged --- and obliged by baptism --- to join.

It is only because of Christ's redemptive act --- his passion, death, resurrection and ascension --- that we, those redeemed by him, are "able" to join in worship of the Father.

And our worship goes beyond offering the sacrifice of Christ.

To do that is relatively simple. What we are called to do in every Mass is to offer to the Father, in union with Christ, ourselves: our lives, all we have and are, all our efforts to be what God wants us to be. In the words of Vatican Council II's Constitution on the Church:

"Taking part in the eucharistic sacrifice, which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, they (the community of the faithful gathered for Mass) offer the divine victim to God and offer themselves along with it."

The offering we make is imperfect at best, but joined with Christ's offering, enfolded in Christ's offering, it becomes perfect worship of the Father.

In fact, then, in addition to the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, the Eucharistic Prayer brings into our midst the "real presence" of Christ's redemptive action.

What are the implications of this for our participation in the Eucharistic Prayer?

Led by the priest who acts in the person of Christ but also as our leader in faith, we are invited in the Preface of the Mass to join in praying: "Lift up your hearts.... Let US give thanks to the Lord our God."

Throughout the prayer we are called to join our prayer, our action of praise and worship of the Father to that offered by the priest in the person of Christ. Pronouns used in the Eucharistic Prayer make it clear that we are to be part of it: "And so, Father we bring you these gifts."

We are called to participate in the "whole" Eucharistic Prayer, to pray it in its entirety with the priest, to give all of it our full attention.

Our efforts to do this will help us grow in awareness of this additional and profound dimension of the real presence of Christ.

Sister of Charity of New York Janet Baxendale is adjunct professor of liturgy at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers and an adviser to the U.S. bishops' Committee on the Liturgy.