ABOUT THE MASS SERIES VOL 2
 |
| The Mass: About the Mass Series Vol 2 Icon. |
‘FINAL BLESSING-SOLEMN BLESSING’.
The Concluding Rite consists of: (a) the priests greeting ( the Lord be
with you etc), (b) the blessing, which on certain days or feast days is
expanded (c ) the dismissal which sends the congregation back to doing good
works while praising and blessing the Lord and(d) recessional hymn.
Before sending his disciples into the world to bear witness to His
resurrection before all the nations, we are told in Scripture that ‘Jesus
lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he was taken
up into heaven’. (Luke 24:50-51).
Before sending the congregation back into the world to announce the Good
News to others, the priest likewise lifts up his hands over us, and marks us
with the sign of the cross, and invokes the blessing Father, Son and Holy
Spirit upon us.
On certain feast days such as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and other
important liturgical moments, the priest uses a more solemn form of blessing
known as the solemn blessing. First he invites us
to ‘bow our heads and pray for God’s blessing’. Then
there are usually three invocations to which the congregation reply AMEN.
Then the priest gives the blessing as he blesses us with the sign of the cross.
It is important to note that as he gives the blessing, he is
representing Christ in our midst and he is bringing us the blessing on the part
of God by marking us with the cross of Christ. In this sense, he does not bless
himself. He does not say ‘may almighty God bless US’. The words therefore ‘May
almighty God bless YOU are significant’. It also expresses
something of the humility of the ordained priestly ministry.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES
The final blessing in the concluding rite at Mass underwent notable
changes in the 2010 translation, reflecting a shift towards a more formal and
literal translation of the Latin original. Here are the key differences:
1. Language Style: The new translation adopted a more elevated and
formal style, moving away from the simpler, more conversational tone of the
previous translation. This aligns with the overall goal of the new translation
to better capture the theological depth of the liturgical texts.
2. Specific Wording
In the previous translation, the
final blessing often included phrases like "May Almighty God bless all of
you who are gathered here" or similar variations.
The new translation emphasizes a
more direct connection to the traditional Latin wording. For example, it uses
phrases such as “The Lord be with you” and responds with “And with your
spirit,” reinforcing the relationship between the priest and the congregation.
3. Blessing Formula: The new translation employs a more structured
formula for the blessing. For instance, the new blessing typically includes
three distinct invocations: “May almighty God bless all of you who are gathered
here, and always be with you,” followed by a closing invocation. The previous
translation often combined elements in a less structured way.
4. Theological Emphasis: The new translation seeks to reflect the
theological significance of the blessing more profoundly. The blessings are
intended to convey not just a wish for good fortune but a deeper invocation of
God's grace upon the people.
These changes aim to enhance the liturgical experience by making it more
reverent and reflective of the tradition, while also aiming for a closer
adherence to the original Latin text of the Roman Missal.
All this can be academic in
one sense but if we are aware of these subtle changes, we can attune our ears
to them. What is important of course is
that we do not become distracted at this point of the Mass perhaps thinking ‘Yeah
it is almost over’.
We need to tune in as best we
can to receive God’s blessing for our day, our week and perhaps even think of
one other person in your life that needs that blessing also.
No comments:
Post a Comment