More from Pope John Paul II’s encyclical ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA

"19. The eschatological tension kindled by the Eucharist expresses and reinforces our communion with the Church in heaven. It is not by chance that the Eastern Anaphoras and the Latin Eucharistic Prayers honour Mary, the ever-Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God, the angels, the holy apostles, the glorious martyrs and all the saints. This is an aspect of the Eucharist which merits greater attention: in celebrating the sacrifice of the Lamb, we are united to the heavenly “liturgy” and become part of that great multitude which cries out: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:10). The Eucharist is truly a glimpse of heaven appearing on earth. It is a glorious ray of the heavenly Jerusalem which pierces the clouds of our history and lights up our journey."

This is most clear in Eucharistic Prayer I which is the one closest to the prayer one hears at the traditional latin mass. At my parish, this prayer is used mostly at Triduum and at Midnight Mass. My favorite priest will use Eucharistic Prayer I on Solemnities and major Feast days. Most of the time Eucharistic Prayer II is used since it is the shortest. Thus, I very rarely get a sense of this “communion with the Church in heaven”.