Review of Book: The Pain of this World and the Providence of God

troversy upon fourth century liturgical ideology, the primitive attitude toward the Eucharist as the Mysterium which defies and transcends all powers of adequate human expression, the characteristic Roman economy in phrasing which (in contrast with the East) saw possibly much more in a single liturgical phrase (cf. e.g., Dom Odo Casel's recent arresting study of the original meaning of hostia rationabilis, Jahrbuch fur L i tur giewissenschaft, bd. 1, Munster, 1931, pp. 1-19) than is now apparent, the variety of meanings which the term epiclesis or invocatio may have (cf. Dom Hugh Connolly's article in T H E D O W N S I D E R E V I E W , Jan. , 1923, pp. 28-34, m which he shows that the term as applied in the fully developed Eastern liturgy was unknown before the middle of the fourth century, a fact which D r Atchley fails to bring out in the chapter he devotes to this question) and finally, the constant Catholic belief that all Christ's redemptive works, His Sacrifice above all, are done in conjunction with the Holy Spirit as His operating agent. A l l these are questions still offering a fertile field for scientific enquiry, in which it is more than likely that a key to the epiclesis puzzle will be found. W M D