WELCOMING THE NEW TEXTS OF THE MASS

Introductory Rites

 

          This week we’ll begin to look at the specific changes in the Mass texts that we’ll be using when Advent begins this fall.  There will be cards in the pews indicating the changed Mass prayers and responses.  Advent seems a long way off, but some of the changes--especially in the “Glory to God” and the Creed—are more extensive and we want to spend time explaining them.  (Significant parts of the following inserts come from material prepared by Nathan Bockrath, a seminarian for our diocese, who’s been interning at Holy Trinity parish in Assumption.)

 

          The first change is in a phrase repeated several times at Mass: the dialog between priest and people as we say “The Lord be with you/And also with you.”  Older parishioners may remember the Latin version: “Dominus vobiscum/Et cum spiritu tuo.”  That is still the wording of the “official” Latin text of the Missal.  The priest’s greeting to the people may have some variations: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is one of them. The familiar “The Lord be with you,” which is an ancient biblical greeting, will also remain.  But the people’s response will change to: “And with your spirit.”

         

          Why the change?  Well, reflecting the official Latin text more accurately is surely one, clear answer.  But there are other reasons too.  When the translations were being done in the 1970’s, most other languages kept that pattern: “E con il tuo spiritu” in Italian…”Und mit deinem Geiste” in German...”Y con tu espiritu” in Spanish…and so on.  The English wording sort of side-stepped…and no longer sounded like the way the rest of the church across the world prayed.  Our unity in prayer is a very important element of the Liturgy.  But the wording also reflects several places in the New Testament (Gal. 6:18…II Tim. 4:22…Phil. 4:23…) where St. Paul greets the community to which he is writing: “The Lord be with your spirit.”  Using this scriptural language also shifts from an informal, “Have a good day/You too!” mood to one that highlights our connectedness with one another “in the spirit.”  We’re entering “special space” as we pray together in the Liturgy; using special language is appropriate.

 

          This response “and with your spirit” is only given in the Liturgy to an ordained presider (priest, deacon or bishop).  There is some recognition here of a special role given by the sacrament of Holy Orders.  We know that Jesus is THE priest present in every sacrament we celebrate.  He is present in every member of the baptized community, but present in a distinctive way through ordination as well.  As we begin the Liturgy, this “hint” at the presence of Jesus the Priest among us is worth noting.  It says: We’re here to do something very special.  Jesus is present among us as God’s Word to us and as the One in whom we powerfully speak back to God our words of praise and thanksgiving—our “eucharist.”

          There are also a couple of changes in the Penitential Rite.  The familiar “Lord, have mercy...Christ have mercy” responses are unchanged.  There is a change in the longer prayer we call the “Confiteor,” a Latin word that means, “I confess.”  This makes sense since this is the prayer that begins with “I confess to almighty God.”    Here is what has changed:

 

            Current Text                                                                        New Text

 

I confess to almighty God,                                                   I confess to almighty God,

and to you, my brothers and sisters,                                    and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have sinned through my own fault                            that I have greatly sinned,

in my thoughts and in my words,                                          in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done,                                                               in what I have done, and in what I

and in what I have failed to do;                                             have failed to do, through my fault,

and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,                                    through my fault, through my most

all the angels and saints,                                                       grievous fault; therefore I ask  

and you, my brothers and sisters,                                         blessed Mary, ever virgin,

to pray for me to the Lord, our God.                                   all the angels and saints,

                                                                                                and you, my brothers and sisters,    

                                                                                                to pray for me to the Lord, our God.

 

          The changes with the Confiteor may look as though we’re a lot more sinful! However, the new translation stays closer to the words in the Latin text.  The new translation expresses more clearly the seriousness of our sin and the sincerity of our contrition before continuing with our prayer.

 

          A final optional form, rarely used, has undergone a rather complete retranslation:

 

             Current Text                                                                                   New Text

Priest: Lord, we have sinned against                                  Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.

                        you: Lord, have mercy.

 

People: Lord, have mercy.                                                 People: For we have sinned against

                                                                                                                        You.

 

Priest: Lord, show us your mercy and love.                     Priest: Show us, O Lord,

                                                                                                                        Your mercy.

 

People: And grant us your salvation.                                  People: And grant us your salvation.

 

            These changes capture more clearly references from the Psalms asking for God’s mercy on His people.

 

          Next week, we’ll look at the “Glory to God.”

 

(This is the third in a series of ten articles prepared by Fr. Ritter and Joanne Denyer.  You may wish to save them all.)

All ten articles will be on our parish website: www.stjoesylvania.org