WELCOMING THE NEW TEXTS OF THE MASS
Comments and Questions
As
we prepare this insert, we’ve received eight comments or questions. With a “Thank you” to those who spoke up,
we’ll try to address all eight points.
1) WHY DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE AT ALL? The simple answer is: because we care about
the quality of our prayer. When the
first translations of the revised Latin text came out in the 1960’s, it was
always envisioned that with time and further study we might want to “sharpen”
the English text. We want to best
reflect the Scriptures and express more accurately the meaning of the normative
Latin text. Part of the work of the
bishops’ committee that supervised the translation was to give guidance to the
church’s prayer life, and their work on these new texts reflects their effort
to be faithful to that responsibility.
2) HOW ARE US OLDER PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO LEARN
ALL THESE NEW PRAYERS? – Gently and slowly.
There will be pew cards with the new texts, and we’ll all be
using those cards for weeks to come.
Little by little, the new texts will become familiar…and we’ll find we
need the cards less and less (if at all!).
3) There was a
comment about fussing with “words”
when there are so many serious problems in our world. The writer said, “Words are man’s invention,
not God’s,” and implied that words don’t matter. But words DO matter—tremendously. The creation story in the Bible begins with
God speaking--speaking words that
bring creation into being. Our
understanding of Jesus as THE WORD God speaks to us is central to Christian
faith. Words are the way we express
what’s in our hearts; they’re the way we relate to one another. The words we use when we speak to God
together in prayer—and the liturgy is our prayer—ought to be the best choice of words we can make.
This is what the Church is trying to do.
4)
Two questions address the tricky issue of gender in the church’s
prayer. One asked: “Why did the church continue to say that Christ came for “us
men”—leaving women out? “Us people”
would be better! The other was: Are we taking the gender out of God? It seems we can’t say “Him” any more. We would have to change the “Our Father”
then.
This issue has several sides. The Latin word homines means both “men” and “human beings.” In the “Glory to God” it’s translated
“people”; in the Creed it’s translated “men.”
Admittedly, this doesn’t seem consistent. In our day we’re much more sensitive to the
way that using words like “men” does NOT make women feel included. The problem comes in trying to be faithful to
the Latin text and not “interpret” as the translation is done.
The “God” language is more
complex. We know that God is beyond
gender; He created both “male and female” in His own likeness. To quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#239): “God
transcends the human distinction between the sexes. He is neither man nor
woman: he is God. He also transcends human fatherhood and motherhood, although
he is their origin and standard: no one is father as God is Father.” When Jesus said, “Whoever has
seen me has seen the Father,” He was not giving God a gender identity. Every human being we know HAS a gender
identity. But remember that Jesus was/is
a divine person with both a human nature and a divine nature. It’s difficult speak about an indescribable God
in the limited, human language which is all we have.
5)
Shouldn’t the “Lamb of God” be sung in
Latin...if we are going back to the Latin ways?
We’re not going back to Latin Masses, although we’re encouraged to
know and occasionally use one or other old Latin texts—like the Agnus Dei. The key point is that the official,
normative text of the Mass is a LATIN text, and always has been. We’re always dealing with translations—and
the balance between translating exactly what the Latin says and what the
Latin means. #4 above illustrates
this: Does homines mean “men”
or “people”? It means both. Striking a balance between a respect for the
Latin roots of the Mass text and using today’s language for today’s people to
pray isn’t always easy.
6)
A comment: “I love the Lord’s Prayer sung by us all. Question: Can the Lord’s Prayer be sung at
every mass?” Simple answer: It can
be sung or recited at each Mass. It’s a
pastoral decision as to which is better at any particular Mass. We recite the Lord’s Prayer at funerals and
weddings because many of people present may not know the melody we use
here. But there is some benefit to
variety in those things we do frequently—and we had a comment a few months ago
from someone who did NOT like our sung Lord’s Prayer because (for him) it
seemed to drag! If the liturgy is the
prayer of the people, all we can do is try to take into consideration the
points of view of as many folks as we can.
7)
Final comment: “I find the phrase “come
under my roof” awkward and confusing. I
understand its meaning in the scriptures it comes from, but I don’t see its
application clearly in the prayer before communion.” Great observation! The phrase seems stiff...but it’s new, and
like anything new, it may sound strange.
Remember that this response of the people follows the priest’s
proclamation: “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.” The exact words
from the Gospel account (Mt. 8:8 and Lk. 7:6) of the Roman centurion is clearly
meant to draw our attention to the spirit of the centurion’s words. He’s just asked Jesus to come and cure his
servant. His words connect us to his
great statement of faith and trust in Jesus!
As a Roman officer, he knew the force of a command. He’s a foreigner, part of the occupying army,
with no claim on Jesus’ generosity. But
he somehow is drawn by grace to acknowledge Jesus’ power and authority. “I don’t deserve to have you come to my
home,” he’s saying-- “just say the word!”
Our familiar, current wording (“I am not worthy to receive you, but only
say the word and I shall be healed”) seems to focus on my unworthiness; the new
wording seems to subtly focus more on Jesus’ power to work IN ME. It invites me into the same disposition of
readiness to welcome Jesus’ work with gratitude as the centurion had, and the
confidence that Jesus CAN and DOES bring me healing. Small, subtle point….but an example of trying
to use language that speaks to our hearts.
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(This is the ninth and last in a series of articles
prepared by Fr. Ritter and Joanne Denyer.
All are on our website: www.stjoesylvania.org)