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Changes in the Missal




In a weekly column in the Texas Catholic Herald, Archdiocesan Director of Worship David Wood discusses the implementation of the third edition of the Roman Missal. Read below for a compilation of his latest columns:

Articles
A New Translation Not A New Mass  Jesus Christ: Incarnate of the Virgin - The Creed
Why the Changes? Concluding the Creed
Who Makes the Translations? We Bring Our Gifts
And With Your Spirit Preface Dialogue - It Is Right And Just
Confiteor: Mea Culpa Pro Multis - For Many  (by Cardinal DiNardo)
Penitential Act - B Mysterium Fidei
Gloria: The Greater Doxology Ecce Agnus Dei
Gospel Dialogue and Response "I Believe" Glorify the Lord By Your Lives
Jesus Christ: Begotten Not Made - The Creed

To down load the entire series as a PDF, please click here.

Roman Missal Third Edition: A New Translation Not A New Mass

"God created us as social beings that interact and learn through our senses. Liturgy and the sacraments are words combined with signs and actions. By means of these signs perceptible to the senses human sanctification is brought about in ways proper to each of the signs. The Liturgy of the Church is not simply a mental exercise. The goal is our entire being, mind and body, engaged in the Liturgy as we offer our praise and worship to God in union with Christ's eternal sacrifice of praise."
It has been more than 40 years since the Second Vatican Council called for a revision of the Liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. This revision included a restoration of the classical shape of the Liturgy, the increase in the sacred scriptures proclaimed during the Liturgy and, of course, the translation of the texts of the Liturgy from Latin to the languages of the people - including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Igbo, French, Italian, Polish, Korean and Chinese, some of the languages in which the Liturgy is regularly celebrated within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
 
Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent in 2011, the English-speaking faithful throughout the world will begin celebrating the Mass with a common, newly-translated, third edition of the Roman Missal, the book containing the prayers and chants for the celebration of the Mass. We are currently using the second edition promulgated in 1975 and published in the United States in 1985.

The shape and structure of the Mass is not changing as it did following Vatican II. However, the new translation of the Roman Missal will require the faithful to learn some revised phrases in our responses, acclamations and prayers. The tone of the prayers and acclamations will be richer and more solemn but the words of the Scriptures proclaimed during the Liturgy of the Word will not change.

The goal of this new translation remains the same as the revision of the Liturgy following Vatican II, which is the full, conscious, active participation of the faithful in the Liturgy. One cannot overstate the importance of this participation. We are gifted with sharing in the divine life of the Holy Trinity through actual participation in the Liturgy. We are united to Christ and made sons and daughters of the Father through the Holy Spirit in Baptism. By the liturgical reception of Baptism and Confirmation we become temples of the Holy Spirit. Through the celebration of the Eucharist we are nourished, strengthened and sustained to lives of holiness to be icons of the presence of God.

God created us as social beings that interact and learn through our senses. Liturgy and the sacraments are words combined with signs and actions. By means of these signs perceptible to the senses human sanctification is brought about in ways proper to each of the signs. The Liturgy of the Church is not simply a mental exercise. The goal is our entire being, mind and body, engaged in the Liturgy as we offer our praise and worship to God in union with Christ's eternal sacrifice of praise. The Liturgy is a living expression of God's love and the Church's faith.

In the coming months, this column will review the revisions in the "faithful's' parts" of the Mass. There will also be numerous Archdiocesan and parish formation opportunities for us to continue to deepen our awareness of the Mass, to nurture our relationship as disciples of Christ, and to celebrate the love and grace God lavishly offers us. (top)
- David Wood
Office of Worship

Why Do We Need a New Translation?

The most common questions asked regarding the new translation of the Roman Missal, is "Why do we need a new translation?" and "What is wrong with what we have?"

Translation is an art and science. Open a dictionary and see the many meanings a single word. Translation is not simply entering a word and receiving its exact equivalent in another language. Language is rooted in culture and experience consequently; the context in which a word is expressed informs its meaning.

For centuries leading up to the Second Vatican Council, the Liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church was printed and prayed only in Latin. The Council called for a vernacular translation as expediently as possible to allow the faithful to enter more fully and fruitfully into the mystery of God's love and grace made present and offered through the Liturgy.

The Church employed a "dynamic equivalence" which attempts to convey the meaning of the Latin without following a word-for-word approach. Occasionally, ideas not in the original Latin were added to the English. The translators also felt simplicity would be more comprehensible so many of the superlatives, adjectives and repetitions were eliminated. The Latin of the Roman Missal is poetic, lyrical, melodic, rich in theological meaning and rooted in history which the translation failed to capture. This resulted in a translation that has served the English-speaking world well but is often more of a paraphrase.

In hindsight, the Church found this approach has been unable to capture the power and beauty of the original text. Nonetheless, because of the prominence of English throughout the World, many regions looked to the English translation when making their own translation. A translation of a paraphrase has posed additional concerns.

In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II issued the Third edition of the Roman Missal which included Mass prayers for the new Saints canonized in the previous decades, including St. Rita of Casia; St. Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein); St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio); Sts. Andrew Dũng-Lạc; and St. Catherine of Alexandria, among others. Other updates included needs based on other rites. For example, the current Missal does not account for the rites of the RCIA completely.

Armed with the experience of several decades of translation experience and greater awareness of the liturgical and Scriptural roots of the Missal texts and facing the need to make a new translation of the 2000 Roman Missal, a new instruction on liturgical translation was issued in 2001 ("Liturgiam Authenticam") which called for a different approach termed "formal equivalence." While not being slavishly literal, each word and phrase in the original Latin is to be accounted for.
 
The result is a translation that brings out more clearly the Scriptural and Patristic allusions. The bulk of future articles will highlight examples of this. The new translation builds upon, corrects and improves the existing texts thus handing on more fruitfully the faith of the Church expressed in the liturgy. What we are currently using is good but we have learned that it can be better. We always strive to offer God our best in the liturgy. (top)

- David Wood
Office of Worship

 Who Makes The Translations?

In the previous article, this column focused on the need for a new translation. For this issue, we will review the process of translation and who is responsible for the translation.
The Liturgy of the Church is the common treasure of the entire Church.
"The Church's faith precedes the faith of the believer who is invited to adhere to it. When the Church celebrates the sacraments, she confesses the faith received from the apostles.The law of prayer is the law of faith: the Church believes as she prays" (CCC, 1124).
 
The bishops are responsible for ensuring the faith of the Church is preserved and handed on accurately. It is the responsibility of a nations' or regions' conference of bishops to prepare and approve the liturgical translation from the official Latin texts, which they then submit to the Vatican for "recognitio" (the approval process, which we'll discuss shortly in more detail).

Following Vatican II a commission was established for preparing translations of liturgical texts. The International Commission on English in the Liturgy is a mixed commission of 11 bishops representing each bishops' conferences where the Liturgy is celebrated in English. The members are: Australia, Canada, England and Wales, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Scotland, South Africa, and the United States. A professional staff assists the ICEL bishops.

The Roman Missal is a large text of approximately 1,500 pages, which necessitated that the translation process described above be conducted in sections over about a 10-year period. This will be the first time a single English Missal will be created which has required a great deal of editorial review due to the combination of texts submitted by each English speaking conference.

The ICEL prepares an initial translation that it sends to the member conferences and to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome along with their advisory group Vox Clara. Each conference of bishops sends a copy to its bishops who review the text and offer comments and recommendations in writing, consulting with their own advisors if they wish (there are more than 250 active bishops in the U.S. alone.) The Bishops discuss and vote upon their final recommendations during their semi-annual meetings. Each bishops' conference forwards their recommendations to ICEL as does the CDW. The 11 bishops of ICEL and their assisting scholars review the proposals. Some recommendations are accepted while others are not. The 11 bishops approve the revised text, which is sent to Rome and the conferences that in turn send to each bishop for their review. Each bishops' conference meets to discuss the revised text and offer any amendments. Each member conference then sends its final text to the CDW for review.

The CDW and Vox Clara review the final texts from each conference, prepare and approve a single final text. This approval is known as a recognitio. Some editorial work still occurs after the recognitio is given. The CDW then sends the final official English translation to the president of each national bishops' conference who sets the date for implementation. Once completed, the final text is released to publishers who produce the liturgical books as well as worship aids, catechetical and study materials. The date set for the U.S. is the First Sunday of Advent, this year. (top)
 
- David Wood
Office of Worship

And With Your Spirit 

"The Lord be with you. And also with your spirit." The response to this familiar liturgical greeting is the first change the faithful will experience in the new translation of the Missal. The present translation, "And also with you" adequately captures the meaning of the ancient phrase but we find that it misses some of the nuance and breaks with centuries of tradition. The options for the Greeting are:
 
Introductory Greeting

Priest

People

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
 
or
The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And with your spirit.
(Et cum spiritu tuo.) 
 
or
The Lord be with you.		 
 
English is the only major international language which does not mention "spirit" in the Greeting. Other languages are Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese and Vietnamese (which, according to Fr. Paul Turner, does not have a word for "spirit" which works in this context).

The Greeting is very Pauline: 2 Corinthians 13:13 for the first option; Romans 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 1:3 are examples of the second. The third form is from the words of the prophet Boaz found in the Book of Ruth 2:4. Our response, "And with your spirit" is also Pauline taken from the ending of several other greetings: Galatians 6:18, Philippians 4:23, Philemon 25, and 2 Timothy 4:22.

This greeting has ancient roots and the use of "spirit" is unique to ancient Christian writing in both Latin and Greek but foreign to the ancient world of the time (Milner, Studies in Pastoral Liturgy, vol. 3).

Historically, the response "Et cum spiritu tuo" is recorded in The Apostolic Tradition dating to the 3rd or 4th century where it is recorded as the response in the dialogue at the opening of the Eucharistic Prayer following the ordination of a bishop. By the fifth century, the great St. John Chrysostom delivered a homily on 2 Timothy in which he linked "spirit" with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit given in ordination through the imposition of hands. This meaning is found in several of the early Church Fathers.

Today the Greeting with the response "Et cum spiritu tuo" continues to occur only between an ordained minister and the participants. If a layperson leads a Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Hours, or a funeral vigil, this dialogue is omitted.

This traditional response has been consistently used in the liturgies of the East and the West which led the Vatican to explicitly mention the translation of this response in its 2001 instruction on translation entitled Liturgicam authenticam, "Certain expressions that belong to the heritage of the whole or of a great part of the ancient Church, as well as others that have become part of the general human patrimony, are to be respected by a translation that is as literal as possible, as for example the words of the people's response Et cum spiritu tuo."

Fr. Paul Turner indicates the Greeting is not like saying, "Good morning." Rather, rooted in Scripture, it expresses a mutual desire that the Lord will be present among the people and with the ordained minister. Fr. Daniel Merz adds the response from the faithful is an affirmation that the ordained minister has received the particular indwelling of the Holy Spirit to make him a leader in sacramental ministry.  (top)
 

- David Wood
Office of Worshop

Confiteor: Mea Culpa

Having been assembled by the Holy Spirit in song, signed with the Cross and greeted in the Lord"s presence, we express our need for God"s forgiveness and grace in the Penitential Act.

Experiencing God's presence calls us to conversion and often leads to sorrow for sinfulness (cf., Gen 3:8; Is 6:5). The start of Mass reminds us that we are members of Christ"s Body and stand as creatures before God, our Creator. We sometimes forget this proper order and may choose wrong rather than follow God's instructions. This is sin. In the Penitential Act we are ritually reminded of the proper order in a non-sacramental way. In other words, the first part of Mass does not replace the Sacrament of Penance.

The first option for the Penitential Act is the Confiteor, which is most commonly used during Penitential seasons. In this prayer we individually acknowledge our sinfulness to one another and to God not only "in what I have done" but also by sins of omission, "what I have failed to do." The prayer's origin is the preparation for sacramental confession and for the celebration of Mass. An early Church document entitled the Didache gives two instructions: "Confess your sins in church, and do not go up to your prayer with an evil conscience". Come together on the Lord's day, break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure" (4:14, 14:1). The ancient Antiochene and Alexandrian Rites of the Eastern Church begin with the celebrant's confession of sin.

The Western Church adopted the Confiteor from the Eastern Church as early as the 6th or 7th century as a prayer of preparation by the priests and ministers in the sacristy prior to Mass. In the Roman Rite it was eventually moved to the start of Mass. In the 1570 Missal of Pius V it was prayed by the priest and then the server at the foot of the altar. With the revision of the liturgy following Vatican II, it became a prayer of the priest and the people together.

The new translation will restore a portion of the prayer that was not translated in the current version. (The graphic displays the new English text.) In the previous article "And with your spirit" was one example given in Liturgiam Authenticam as belonging to the heritage of the ancient Church which is to be retained and translated as literally as possible. The second example given in paragraph 56 is mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa (through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault).

Also restored is of striking the breast. Many Catholics alive before Vatican II and some born after have retained this action called for in the Latin text. The liturgy of the Catholic Church is not a mental exercise but involves the whole person. Symbols, gestures, sights, sounds, smell actions and silence all communicate along with the words of the Mass. Striking the breast is a physical gesture, which expresses interior disposition of humility, repentance and\or sorrow. We find the gesture mentioned in the gospel of Luke by the tax collector who "stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner'" (Lk 18:13) and again by the witnesses of the crucifixion (Lk 23:48). (top)

-David Wood
Office of Worship

Penitential Act - B

The last issue broadly addressed the nature of the Penitential Act in the Mass and specifically Form A, the Confiteor, as a general confession of sin. A correction to the last issue in which I wrote: "The prayer's origin is the preparation for sacramental confession and for the celebration of Mass." I intended to write "preparation for sacramental communion" not confession.

The Penitential Act also includes Form B and Form C. Form C is the most commonly used consisting of a trope directed to Christ and a response. Form C is not changing. It is very likely that many have never experienced Form B as it is rarely used. Therefore, while it is changing, it may be experience as new. All three Forms of the Penitential Act share the same overall four-part structure:
 
1) An invitation to prepare by acknowledging our sins;
2) A period of brief silence;
3) A general confession of sin;
4) A request for forgiveness.
 
Having gathered in God's presence in response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, it is essential that we spend a few moments in silent reflection considering our faithfulness. Too often invitations to prayer are misunderstood as a rhetorical device to get the attention of the faithful. They are not. The Church calls us to interior participation, our hearts attuned to our voices. This brief silent recollection helps to serve this purpose.
 
The general confession of sin for Form B consists of two sets of vesicles. The diagram shows the current and new translations. While brief when compared to the Confiteor, Form B, retains the same structure of confession and prayer for forgiveness. Like much of the Mass, the foundation of Form B is Scripture. The first half is based upon, Baruch 3:2, "Hear, LORD, and have mercy, for you are a merciful God; have mercy on us, who have sinned against you." The second half comes from Psalm 85:8: "Let us see, O LORD, your mercy, and grant us your salvation."

The final element is a prayer for forgiveness:
May almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins
and bring us to everlasting life.
 
Unlike the absolution prayed by the priest in the Sacrament of Penance which pronounces the forgiveness given in the sacrament, this prayer is a petition for God's forgiveness.

The Kyrie eleison is then sung or said. The Kyrie originated in court of the ruler as acclamations to the ruler intoned by a cantor followed by a petition or praise. The Kyrie was introduced to the Roman liturgy in the late 5th century from the East as a response for the petitions at the end of the Liturgy of the Word. The litany with its petition was then transferred to the first part of the Mass. One hundred years later, Pope Gregory the Great reformed the lengthy papal liturgy allowing the petitions to be omitted on certain days. The shortened Kyrie litany became the norm. The shape seems to have been originally directed to God the Father or Trinitarian in nature. Today the Kyrie is addressed to Christ alone. It is occasionally improperly understood as addressing personal or communal sinfulness, e.g., "For the times we have failed to�Kyrie eleison. However, the Kyrie is an acclamation of praise marking our reliance on Christ through whom all graces are given. Our plea, Lord, have mercy" caries the idea, "Lord, remember us." (top)


 
Current TranslationNew Translation
Priest: Lord, we have sinned against you:
  Lord, have mercy.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Priest:  Lord, show us your mercy and love.

People: And grant us your salvation.		Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.


People: For we have sinned against you.

Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.

People: And grant us your salvation.
 
-David Wood
Office of Worship
 

Gloria: The Greater Doxology 

Following the Penitential Act and the Kyrie we sing our praise Gl�ria in exc�lsis Deo et in terra pax hom�nibus bonae volunt�tis. "Glory to God in the highest and peace to people of good will." In this Greater Doxology, also known as the Angelic Hymn, we make our own the song of the angelic chorus glorifying God at the announcement of the birth of our Lord at Bethlehem (see Luke 2:14). We too proclaim the greatness of God in this powerful, though brief ancient hymn. We sing acclamations of praise to the Father, the Son and finally the Holy Spirit in the concluding doxology. Its structure is thus similar to the Creed. We also hear echoes of the acclamations to Christ in the Kyrie.

The Gloria is sung (or recited) on all Sundays outside of Advent and Lent is as well as on solemnities, feasts and solemn celebrations. (The Gloria is omitted when All Soul's Day falls on a Sunday.) Unfortunately, we often diminish the role of song in the liturgy to "travel music." While some chants and hymns do accompany actions such as the entrance procession, the Gloria stands as an independent act meaning it is not used at the entrance procession or as the hymn during the sprinkling rite. The liturgy provides us the opportunity to simply praise God through the Gloria.

The date of the hymn's introduction to the Roman liturgy is uncertain but a version is referenced in the 4th century Syrian Apostolic Constitutions where the hymn is sung at the start of Morning Prayer. However, it is certain that the hymn's origin is earlier. In the late 5th century, the hymn was indicated for Sundays and feasts of martyrs when the bishop was present except on Easter when priests were allowed first to sing it. Eventually this was extended to all Sundays and feasts. In the 9th century, the faithful sang the Gloria as the emperor Charlemagne led Pope Leo III into parliament. Today, the hymn is sung by all the faithful.

We begin in praise of God the Father for the great gift of the incarnation. The opening now more closely reflects the hymn of the angels in Luke 2:14. Following this we magnify our expression of praise through a rhetorical device known as an anaphora in which we repeat the first word of a series of phrases: "we praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give [God] thanks". This is similar to acclamations to the Christ, the Lamb of God further on in the hymn. This repetition adds emphasis helping us to express the magnitude of our praise. These multiple acclamations of praise are common in the ancient prayers of the Church. Already in the prayer of St. Polycarp before his martyrdom in 155 is found a similar phrase: "I praise You for all things, I bless You, I glorify You" (Martyrdom of Polycarp, 14).

We then shift our attention to Christ acclaiming him by a series of titles including Only Begotten Son found in Jn 1:14 and 18, 3:16 and 18. Some translations simply use "only Son." We petition Christ, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (Jn . 1:29). Christ not only removes sin in a generic sense but takes away our actual sins so the plural is used. Christ alone is Holy as we read in the Song of the Lamb found at Rev. 15:3-4. Christ alone is the Lord as we are told in Psalm 83:19 "Let them know that you alone, you whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth."

This magnificently rich hymn of praise ends with a reference to the Holy Spirit and the unity of the Godhead. Our work of praise and worship of God is expressed well in the Gloria. May our lives conform to the liturgy. (top)
 
Gloria
Current TranslationNew Translation
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;


you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.		Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you, we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.


Lord Jesus Christ,
Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

-David Wood
Office of Worship

The Word and Our Response, "I Believe"

The next change in the "people's parts" occurs in the dialogue before the Gospel. A previous article addressed the dialogue: "The Lord be with you. And with your spirit." (link) This dialogue greeting reminds us that the Lord is present and that God has called the deacon or priest through ordination to fulfill this ministry of proclamation of the Gospel. This dialogue only occurs between a bishop, priest or deacon and the faithful.

"The reading of the Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy itself teaches that great reverence is to be shown to it by setting it off from the other readings with special marks of honor: whether the minister appointed to proclaim it prepares himself by a blessing or prayer; or the faithful, standing as they listen to it being read, through their acclamations acknowledge and confess Christ present and speaking to them; or the very marks of reverence are given to the Book of the Gospels" (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 60).

God's Word is never simply an expression of God's past actions but what God continues to do today as well. We hear the first reading and respond to God's Word with God's Word in a Psalm or occasionally a Canticle. In response to each of the proclamations, we give thanks, praise and glory to God. The homily, also a function of the Word, helps us to incorporate God's Word into our lives.

The purpose of the Symbolum or Profession of Faith, or Creed, is that the whole gathered people may respond to the Word of God proclaimed in the readings taken from Sacred Scripture and explained in the homily and that they may also call to mind and confess the great mysteries of the faith by reciting the rule of faith in a formula approved for liturgical use, before these mysteries are celebrated in the Eucharist (GIRM, 67).

For the past forty years our liturgical response to God's Worthrough the Creed has begun, "We believe." In the new translation we will say, "I believe." This change is due to the requirement of a more accurate translation of Latin text. The Creed in Latin begins "Credo in unum Deum."

Precise, fixed, official creedal statements such as the Nicene Creed did not develop until the 4th or 5th century. These flowed out of the declaratory affirmations such as the Shema Yisrael (Dt 6:4-5), Christological Confessions (e,g, Mk 8:29) or even early Liturgical Confessions (Phil 2:6-11). Summaries of faith developed out of the need to catechize and correct false beliefs. The earliest Creeds or Rules of Faith were used as baptismal professions. As the individual went into the water or had water poured over them, they responded to a series of questions about the Persons of the Trinity.

The Nicene Creed has its origins in the Council of Nicea (325), Constantinople (381) and was "ratified" by Chalcedon (451). Originally used in the baptismal liturgy, the Eastern Church incorporated it into the Divine Liturgy in the early 6th century. Later that century the West saw its entrance in Spain where it countered the commonly held false belief that the nature of Christ was not the same as the Father's. It was introduced in the liturgy of Rome in the early 11th century.

Although the new English translation will begin "I believe", it remains the faith of the entire Church that has been handed on to each person. Having received the faith, we individually profess our belief, which unites us with the faith of the Church.

The change, "things visible and invisible" is also a more precise translation as can be seen from the diagram. Things that are unseen are not necessarily invisible. Your lost keys are not seen but they are not invisible. The angels on the other hand, are both unseen and invisible. (top)
 
Current TranslationNew TranslationLatin
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is seen and unseen.		I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.		Credo in unum Deum,
Patrem omnipotentem,
Factorem caeli et terrae,
Visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
-David Wood
Office of Worship

Jesus Christ: Begotten Not Made

In our previous article (link), the profession of the Creed within the liturgy was described as our response to the living Word proclaimed, rooted in the Church's baptismal profession of belief in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19). The Creed summarizes the core of the Church's belief. As such, it is essential to remember that this is a new translation of the Creed not a change in the Creed.

After addressing belief in God the Father, the new translation continues, "I believe." Reviewing the diagram, the reader may note that the Latin in this section does not begin with or even include the word Credo � I believe. In Latin, the Creed begins "I believe" and then continues by listing and describing the Church's core belief without repeating, "I believe". However, the current English translation has included "We believe" at each of the major segments of the Creed; so, the decision was made to retain the practice but change to "I believe" as an echo of Credo. In the new translation, those parts assigned to the faithful are changed if greater accuracy is essential to respect the antiquity of the phrase and to more clearly convey the belief and tradition of the Church.

God's self-revelation is given in time and is perfectly and completely communicated by God's Word, Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit. However, in the early Church, the nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit was not always agreed upon resulting in strong disagreements between bishops and even the faithful. The Council of Nicaea, in 325, sought to address the nature of Jesus Christ and his relationship to the Father.

This second section of the Creed expresses our belief in Jesus Christ beginning with his divinity. This is not a simple proposition. As Christians whose faith is rooted in Judaism, we believe in One God. The early Church struggled to explain how we believe in God, the Abba of Jesus AND believe that Jesus was and is God - not another God but One God.

Some came to believe that Jesus was only human and the presence of God hovered over him and did miraculous deeds. Some thought Jesus was God and only appeared to be human. Some believed that Jesus was the Word of God, the Logos, but that he was created meaning the Logos did not always exist and therefore was a "lesser" created God who acted between God the Father and creation.

There were various words used to describe the relationship of Jesus to the Father such as essence (ousia), substance (hypostasis), nature (physis), and person (hyposopon) but these terms were not precisely defined or free of other meaning given by other religions or philosophies that also used the Greek terms (Catholic Encyclopedia).

In response, the Council of Nicea taught that the Lord Jesus Christ existed with God the Father always and is not just a similar divine substance but of one substance with God the Father. The term in Greek is homoousios and in Latin consubstantialem. When we profess that Jesus Christ is "born of the Father before all ages" the Church is directly correcting the erroneous belief that He was created or even came into being through conception as humans do. Rather, the one Lord Jesus Christ has always existed, was not made or created and is the eternal expression, the Word, the Logos of the Father. We cannot fully comprehend this mystery.

Why is this important? Sin is an offence against God and therefore only God can forgive sin. In salvation history as God has revealed it, human salvation and sanctification are only possible if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, of the same substance of God, true God, one God. Genesis 15 tells us of God's covenant with Abram. Typically, in a covenant, after the sacrifice both parties pass between the slaughtered animal (Jer 34:18). In God's covenant with Abram God alone passes through the sacrifice swearing by Himself to do as he promises. On the cross, God alone acts even as the very sacrifice, the Lamb of God. If Jesus is not God there is no redemption in the Cross. (top)
 
Current TranslationNew TranslationLatin
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
one in Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.		I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.		Et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum,
Filium Dei Unigenitum,
Et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.

Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
Genitum, non factum,
consubstantialem Patri:
Per quem omnia facta sunt. 
-David Wood
Office of Worship

Jesus Christ: Incarnate of the Virgin

Continuing our review of the changes in the Nicene Creed as displayed in the accompanying diagram, one encounters the removal of the word "power" from "by the power of the Holy Spirit." The belief of the Church is that the Holy Spirit himself conceived Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mary. "By the power of the Holy Spirit" could be understood to mean that the Holy Spirit was not directly involved but only caused the incarnation through an outside power.

The next change also provides a subtle but very important nuance. As shown in the diagram, the current translation, "he was born of the Virgin Mary" has changed to "was incarnate of the Virgin Mary." The Latin is: "Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine."

Unlike the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed does not refer to conception by the Holy Spirit and stresses taking on our flesh by becoming human. Fr. Dan Merz writes, "Christ was not simply 'born' of the virgin. He was enfleshed by her, he was 'incarnate' by her. Mary's unique role in our salvation was to provide the humanity, the flesh, for Christ. The new translation makes this more explicit and precise." This precision also prevents a misunderstanding that Christ became human only after birth and was not human in the womb from conception. Human existence in the womb begins with the first cells.

The Incarnation is the central mystery of our faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 460) summarizes this well:
The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pt 1:4): "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God" (St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 3, 19, 1). "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God" (St. Athanasius, De inc. 54, 3). "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods" (St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusc. 57, 1-4).
 

In God's infinite love, He desires that humanity should be restored to unity with the Holy Trinity and receive the gift of sharing in the Divine life of God.

By his passion and death, Christ establishes a new covenant in his own blood, not that of animals, and at the same time provides the ransom or satisfaction that is owed due to our sin and the sin of Adam. St. Thomas taught that salvation and the power of the sacraments comes from Christ's Godhead through Christ's humanity (Summa Theologiae, 62.5)

The next change, "he suffered death," is a matter of changing a word from a verb to a noun but careful attention to the Latin may lead some to realize that unlike the Apostle's Creed, the word death is not in the Latin at all. The Latin literally says, "he suffered and was buried." The addition was made with Rome's approval in the first translation and is retained for clarity.

The final change examined in this article, "fulfillment" is changed to "accordance" as that more closely corresponds to the Scriptural reference in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

The Nicene Creed clearly professes that our Lord is both fully divine and fully human as we have been told in Scripture: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. �And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:1; 14). (top)
 
Current TranslationNew TranslationLatin
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
 		For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
 		Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem
Descendit de caelis.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
Ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato;

Passus, et sepultus est,
Et resurrexit tertia die,
secundum Scripturas,
 
-David Wood
Office of Worship
 

Concluding the Creed

Concluding a review of changes in the translation of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, once again, the by now familiar change to first person pronoun, "I believe". However, another change in pronoun usage also occurs in this section. Where the current translation employs the pronoun "He" in reference to the Holy Spirit, the new translation uses the pronoun "who". This involves no shift in theology but simply a rendering of the Latin "Qui".

Another change in translation occurs with the Latin "adoratur" being translated as adored rather than worshiped. While worship and adore are often used interchangeably, adored is a more accurate transliteration of the Latin. One might propose that "adore" is a particular form of worship which involves a deeper level of interior assent of mind and will.

This latter portion of the Creed was largely added in 381 by the Council of Chalcedon. The significance of this portion of the Creed is to define the Holy Spirit as being one with the Father and the Son as a co-equal person of the Trinity.

The next change not only brings a more accurate translation but also an added nuance. Many may be familiar with the word "Confiteor" in reference to the prayer in the Penitential Act that begins, "I confess." This same Latin word is used in the Creed and was translated in the current addition as "acknowledged." In the new translation the faithful will say, "I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins...." Saying, "I confess" more strongly expresses expectation and confidence in "the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."

 Current Translation New Translation Latin
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son
he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection
of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
 		I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic
and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection
of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen
 		Et in Spiritum Sanctum, D�minum et vivificantem:
Qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.
Qui cum Patre et Filio
simul adoratur et conglorificatur:
Qui locutus est per prophetas.

Et unam, sanctam, catholicam
et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma
in remissionem peccatorum.
Et expecto resurrectionem
mortuorum,
Et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen
 

Apostles' Creed

In the Third Edition of the Roman Missal, there is a change in the instruction regarding the Profession of Faith in Mass which allows greater use of the Apostles' Creed: "Instead of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, especially during Lent and Easter Time, the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church, known as the Apostles' Creed, may be used."

Space does not allow including the entire Apostles' Creed here. The changes in this Creed are very few. As was described in the previous article concerning the Nicene Creed, the word "power" has been removed in reference to the action of the Holy Spirit in the conception of Jesus. Another noticeable change occurs in the translation regarding Jesus' descent to hell after his death. The Latin indicates Jesus descended to "the lower regions" which we refer to as hell. (top)
He descended to the dead.
On the third day
he rose again.		he descended into hell;
on the third day
he rose again from the dead;		descendit ad inferna;
tertia die
resurrexit a mortuis;
-David Wood
Office of Worship
 

We Bring Our Gifts

As we continue this journey through the changes in the "Peoples' Parts" of the new translation of the Roman Missal, we leave the Liturgy of the Word and move to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are so closely connected that they form one single act of worship. This article will offer a summary and introduction. In doing so, we will consider the words of the priest during the preparation of the gifts.

The Gospel of the Third Sunday of Easter this year gives a vivid example of the role of the Liturgy of the Word leading to the Eucharist. The Gospel recounts our Lord's journey with the disappointed and disillusioned disciples on the road to Emmaus. He journeys with us as well and during the liturgy, it is Christ, the Word of the Father, who speaks to us in the proclamation of God's Word. In the homily he helps us to understand His Word in Scripture and the Liturgy. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Christ's encounter with us causes our hearts to burn within us and motivates us to respond to God with love.

Our response occurs in many ways within the liturgy: by our presence, posture, responses, attentive listening, reverence and reception of the sacraments. Even the way we dress for Mass expresses our self-giving to God. Song is also an important way we express our self-giving. In fact, the entire Mass is a primary vehicle of our expression of self-giving, self-sacrifice to God. We offer ourselves and God gives us his himself in the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ.

At the start of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we prepare our gifts of bread and wine along with our financial contribution. These too are expressions of our sacrifice. The bread and wine, and our very selves are gifts from God which we offer back to God. Through the priest, Christ accepts these gifts and together we bless the Father:
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the bread (or wine) we offer you:
fruit of the earth (or vine) and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life (or our spiritual drink).
 

The translation of the words of the blessing over the bread has changed a bit so that it now parallels the blessing over the wine as it does in the Latin. The prayer reminds us that we are to bless God for our lives and all that fills them.

The next prayer the priest says quietly changes quite a bit:

CurrentNew Translation
Lord God, we ask you to
receive us and be pleased with
the sacrifice we offer you with
humble and contrite hearts.		With humble spirit and contrite
heart may we be accepted by
you, O Lord, and may our
sacrifice in your sight this day
be pleasing to you, Lord God.
 
The new translation more closely reflects the text from the Book of Daniel upon which it is based: "But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received.... So let our sacrifice be in your presence today and find favor before you" (Dan 3:39-40).

Another change in the words the priest says may catch our attention. In the invitation to prayer, he will say:
Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father. 
The current translation is "our sacrifice" rather than "my sacrifice and yours." The new translation more faithfully renders the Latin which reminds us that while the liturgy is always a communal action of the entire Body of Christ, Christ its head together with his body the Church, we are individually participating in this action. We are not spectators; rather, each actively offers him or herself as members of the Church. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy instructs that the faithful must learn to offer themselves together with and through the priest (no. 48). In our response to the invitation we pray that the Lord will accept the sacrifice the Church has presented. Not bread and wine alone but our very selves as well.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice
at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name, for our good
and the good of all his holy Church.  (top)
-David Wood
Office of Worship
 

Preface Dialogue - It Is Right And Just

The Eucharistic Prayer is the expression of the Church's great thanksgiving and praise of the Father. While a bishop or priest says the prayer because of his office, the faithful are to unite themselves to him in the prayer. Participation in the dialogues and acclamations not only expresses the unity of the faithful and manifests our active participation in the liturgy, they also "foster and bring about communion between the priest and the people" (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 34-35). The Eucharistic Prayer is also known as the anaphora, meaning "lifting up" or "offering." This expresses the nature of the prayer and the action of Christ and the Church. Here we will review the changes in the Preface Dialogue and the Sanctus. See the diagram for the text.

The dialogue begins with a greeting to which the faithful respond, "And with your spirit". This is the third such response in the liturgy. In his fourth century homily for Pentecost, Saint John Chrysostom offers a clear description of its significance:
If the Holy Spirit were not in our Bishop when he gave the peace to all shortly before ascending to his holy sanctuary, you would not have replied to him all together, And with your spirit. This is why you reply with this expression....reminding yourselves by this reply that he who is here does nothing of his own power, nor are the offered gifts the work of human nature, but it is the grace of the Spirit present and hovering over all things which prepared that mystic sacrifice.
Through this greeting, the liturgical assembly acknowledges Christ's presence in the assembly and his presence in the priest who acts in the person of Christ leading the assembly.

The second element, "Lift up your hearts," directs our attention, our desire, and our thoughts to be on God and with God. This too is ancient. St. Cyprian mentions it in his treatise on the Lord's Prayer written in the mid-third century.

The third element invites the faithful to give thanks to the Lord to which the faithful respond, "It is right and just." Eucharist means "thanksgiving" and the response is a corporate assent, an agreement to the priest's proposal. "It is right and just" also affirms the assembly's unity and participation in the great prayer of thanksgiving offered to the Father through Christ in the Holy Spirit.

"It is right and just" is a new more accurate translation that also connects more smoothly to the Preface that in nearly every instance begins:

"It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God."

What a powerful statement worthy of much reflection and contemplation!

Current TranslationNew TranslationLatin
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.		The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.
Dominus vobiscum.
Et cum spiritu tuo.
Sursum corda.
Habemus ad Dominum.
Gratia agamus Domino Deo nostro.
Dignum et iustum est.

The priest then prays the Preface, which is a brief statement of the Father's action through Christ for which we give thanks. At its conclusion, the Church, united with the celestial choir singing God's glory, acclaims God in the Sanctus also known as the Holy, Holy. This is a powerful hymn. The first part of the hymn from Isaiah 6:1-3 communicates Isaiah's vision of six seraphim that surround God's throne in the temple singing God's holiness and glory. The triple Holy is a form of superlative magnifying the acclamation of holiness. Reviewing the current and new translation in the second diagram reveals a small change in the translation of "Sabaoth." God Sabaoth refers to God as commander of the angel armies, the heavenly hosts (see 1 Sam 17:45, Lk 2:13, Rev 19:19). It is an acclamation of God as the all-powerful. The second half of the hymn echoes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem found in Matthew 21:9 where the people acclaim Jesus with the words of Psalm 118:26. This psalm accompanied a victory procession of the king into the temple. Hosanna in Hebrew means "Grant salvation." Palm branches traditionally greeted conquerors. The Messiah enters as King, commander of the heavenly hosts in fulfillment of Scripture, not wielding his infinite power as a military ruler but as a humble servant riding on a donkey. (top)

Current TranslationNew TranslationLatin
Holy, holy, holy
Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full
of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
 		Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full
of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
 		Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra
gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Hosanna in excelsis.
 
-David Wood
Office of Worship
 

Mysterium Fidei - Mystery of Faith

In this article we will explore the changes in the Mystery of Faith acclamation formerly know as the Memorial Acclamation which follows the Institution Narrative. Please see Cardinal DiNardo's recent article on the change in the Eucharistic Prayer from "For all" to "For many" under the heading "Pro Multis" by clicking here.

The Mystery of Faith is a profession by the priest and the faithful. Prior to the reforms of Vatican II it was an acknowledgement by the priest of the grace of salvation poured forth by the Blood of Christ. In the reform following Vatican II, the statement now includes the acclamation of the faithful who acknowledge the presence of Christ now present in the Eucharistic elements and the salvation offered to all as we await the completion of the Kingdom when Christ will return. Saint Paul teaches that our very eating and drinking of the Eucharist is a proclamation of faith in Christ, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes" (1 Cor 11:26).

Pope John Paul II addressed this great mystery in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia:

With [the institution of the Eucharist, Christ] brought about a mysterious "oneness in time" between that Triduum and the passage of the centuries.

...This amazement should always fill the Church assembled for the celebration of the Eucharist. But in a special way it should fill the minister of the Eucharist. For it is he who, by the authority given him in the sacrament of priestly ordination, effects the consecration. It is he who says with the power coming to him from Christ in the Upper Room: "This is my body which will be given up for you. This is the cup of my blood, poured out for you...". The priest says these words, or rather he puts his voice at the disposal of the One who spoke these words in the Upper Room and who desires that they should be repeated in every generation by all those who in the Church ministerially share in his priesthood (no. 5).

Reviewing the text box one immediately notices that currently there are four acclamations while the new translation offers only three. Option A and Option B of the current translation are both based in the first Latin option. Although Option A was an approved addition for the US Missal following Vatican II, it was decided, "Christ has died, Christ is risen..." would not be included in the new translation of the Missal. This is not simply due to not being in the Latin edition but also because the structure is different from those of the Latin original.

The structure of the acclamations reveals they are not simply statements of fact and belief, as "Christ has died..." conveys, They are also expressions of faith in Christ and the manifestation of Paschal Mystery made present in the Eucharist. These acclamations express our active participation in Christ's Pascal Mystery, as stated in "We proclaim your death..." or "When we eat this bread..." or "...you have set us free."

The new translation of option A (formerly option B) is a major revision. Fr. Paul Turner summarizes:

"You will find the same ideas, but put into a new package. Instead of three brief statements that build in intensity, this translation shows the connection between the dying and the rising of Christ, and the way we proclaim it in anticipation of his coming."

The next option, option B, is taken from 1 Cor 11:26 and shows very little change. It is generally, like many of the changes, a more accurate rendering of the Latin. The final option is mostly a re-ordering of the English to better correspond to the word order of the Latin. Perhaps the translators of the current translation were working to avoid the alliteration of "Save us, Savior." This final acclamation acknowledges the freedom made possible for all through Christ's Cross and Resurrection.

Like a sudden gasp expressed in amazement at the sight of great beauty, the Mystery of Faith acclaims Christ's Eucharistic real presence. (top)

Current Translation
New Translation
Latin
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:

A - Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

B - Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.

C - When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.


D - Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the World.
The mystery of faith.




A - We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

B -When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again.


C - Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free. 
Mysterium fidei




Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, et tuam resurrectionem confitemur, donec venias.

Quotiescumque manducamus panem hunc et calicem bibimus, mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, donec venias.

 Salvator mundi, salva nos, qui per crucem et resurrectionem tuam liberasti nos.
 
-David Wood
Office of Worship

 Ecce Agnus Dei

Catholics are at times accused of not being well rooted in Scripture. It may be true that many or even most Catholics do not quote Scripture by chapter and verse. However, the reality is that Catholics are very rooted in Scripture because of the liturgy. In addition to the proclamations of Scripture, the Mass contains many Scriptural allusions. We pray as we believe and so it is only natural that in praying (as well as living) our belief will find its way onto our lips. Just so, the words of Scripture are part of the Church’s prayer in the liturgy.

As the bishops translated the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal, they sought to make sure these Scriptural allusions would stand out more clearly. The Ecce Agnus Dei is such an example. The diagram shows the current and new translation. The priest will say, “Behold the Lamb of God…” as the host and the chalice are shown to the people. This phrase is an allusion to John 1:29 where we read that as John the Baptist was baptizing he recognized Jesus and exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” “Lamb of God” is a title rooted in the paschal lamb of Exodus 12 and the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 who is described as a lamb led to slaughter for the sins of others. The priest continues, “Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb” which is an allusion to Revelation 19:9: “Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’” The wedding feast of the Lamb is an image used for the heavenly banquet. What a beautiful combination. Recognizing the Lamb and with our sins removed, we are properly clothed to be invited into the heavenly banquet. The Eucharistic liturgy is a foretaste of this banquet.

The response of the faithful may initially sound odd as it is not something we would typically say but it too is an important Scriptural allusion to Luke 7:6-7 and Matthew 8:6-8. Recall the scene in Luke: A centurion has a dying servant and sends word to Jesus asking him to save the servant’s life. Jesus started for the house but the centurion changed his mind recognizing himself to be unworthy. So he sent a friend to stop Jesus from coming, saying:
Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.
The servant was healed and the passage goes on to say that Jesus was amazed at the great faith of the centurion, which was greater than all he had found even in Israel!. The centurion knew that even from a distance whatever Jesus commanded would come about.

Knowing the Scriptural roots helps us to see the profound faith that is expressed in the liturgy as our Lord is presented to us in the Eucharistic elements before Communion. In the liturgical text, rather than asking for healing of a servant, we ask that the Lord would heal our soul. We are expressing our sinfulness and unworthiness but at the same time our trust in the Lord. This is an act of humility, which is not putting ourselves down. Rather, humility is recognizing and acting according to the proper order – living in right relationship. Humility calls us not to pump ourselves up but to recognize that all is gift and our work and effort should be in response to the gifts God has given. Our response in the liturgy is an expression of humility as we recognize that we have missed the mark. This is sin. HOWEVER, we can only know we have missed the mark when the target is seen or known. God is the goal to which every aspect of our lives is to be aimed or directed. Seeing our Lord in the Eucharist, as well as the other ways he meets us, allows us to know and say with confidence that the Lord is able to heal our soul of the damage caused by our sins. Our souls healed, we are able to approach the altar of the Lamb. It is for this reason that when a person is in a state of serious sin, they are to be reconciled through the Sacrament of Penance before receiving Communion.
 


Current Translation
New Translation
Latin
Preist:  This is the Lamb of God
            who takes away
            the sins of the world.
            Happy are those who
            are called to his supper. 

All:       Lord, I am not worthy
            to receive you,
            but only say the word
            and I shall be healed.
 		Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away
the sins of the world.
Blessed are those
called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.
 		Ecce Agnus Dei,
ecce qui tollit
peccata mundi.
Beati qui
ad cenam Agni vocati sunt.

Domini, non sum dignus,
ut intres sub tectum meum,
sed tantum dic verbo,
et sanabitur anima mea
 
-David Wood
Office of Worship

Go In Peace, Glorifying The Lord By Your Life!

The goal of this series has been to help the faithful gain better awareness of the Mass and changes we will encounter in the coming weeks as we prepare for the implementation of the third edition of the Roman Missal on the First Sunday of Advent. A few of these articles have strayed from changes in what the people will say to help us understand a few of the changes in what the priest or deacon will say. This article will explore the new texts for the Dismissal displayed in the diagram.

While the exact meaning of the Latin is debated, Ite, missa est was a common Latin phrase announcing the end of a meeting or gathering. The meaning of the phrase could be as simple as, “Go” or “It has been sent.” The terms missio and dimissio are rooted in this use of missa from which we have “mission” and “dismissal.” The oldest Roman “directions” on the celebration of the Mass indicate one of the deacons gave the dismissal to which the assembly responded Deo gratias (Thanks be to God). So significant was the understanding of this dismissal or sending that missa in time came to refer to the entire rite and so in English we commonly refer to the Eucharistic liturgy as the Mass and the prayers for Mass are contained in the Roman Missal.

Pope Benedict XVI addressed this dismissal for mission in his closing address of the 2005 Synod of Bishops, saying: “Dear brothers and sisters, go in peace! We are aware that this peace of Christ is not a static one, a kind of ‘rest’; rather, it is a dynamic peace that wishes to transform the world so that it is a world of peace enlivened by the presence of the Creator and Redeemer.”

The Latin Edition of the Roman Missal issued in 2002 retained the ancient dismissal, Ite, missa est, but following the Holy Father’s address, the Vatican expanded the dismissal formula. We know the liturgy expresses the faith of the Church and, by participating in the liturgy, we receive the tradition transmitted through its words, gestures and symbols, making them our own. It is very common for the deacon or priest to dismiss the faithful saying: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and your neighbor.” The new dismissal formulae retain this understanding and strengthen it.

Through the Sunday readings, we hear Jesus teach us what it means to be His disciples and the consequences and responsibilities of sharing Peter’s profession, acclaiming Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It is not enough simply to be part of the group. Jesus reminds us that to be his disciple means to follow him on the road to Jerusalem to teach and challenge areas of life contrary to God’s Word, even to die. In response to Peter’s objection and our own, he reminds us that by losing our life for Christ we will find it. The Saints and disciples through the centuries have exemplified this grace-filled imitation of Jesus’ washing of feet at the Last Supper. Jesus calls his disciple to “deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt 16:24).

Through the liturgy and the ministry of the Church, our Lord nurtures his people so that we are able to follow him. Sustained by his Body and Blood we are sent to continue to offer the sacrifice of praise day by day in our words, actions and thoughts. The Mass ritually gives us and reminds us of our Mission journeying with the community in song; keeping our eyes on the Lord rather than other distractions and temptations; living the Word Christ speaks to us; offering praise and thanksgiving to the Father in all we do through lives of self denial; remaining in communion with the Pope, our bishop, and all who hold and teach the Catholic faith. Having been refocused and renewed in the celebration of the Mass and the Eucharist we are sent to announce the Gospel of the Lord, glorifying the Lord by our lives.
 

Current TranslationNew TranslationLatin
Go in the peace of Christ.

or
The Mass is ended, go in peace.

or
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.



 		Go forth, the Mass is ended.

or
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

or
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
or
Go in peace.
 		Ite, missa est.
-David Wood
Office of Worship