The Mass begins with Introductory Rites that include the Entrance, the Greeting, the Penitential Act, the Gloria and the Collect. Together they create a beginning, an introduction and a preparation. Their purpose is to ensure that the faithful who come together as one establish a communion and are prepared to listen to the word of God and to celebrate the Eucharist. The first words we hear from the priest celebrant are “The Lord be with you.” And, as was described in last week’s bulletin, the new response (to be inaugurated on the first Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011), will be “And with your Spirit.”
The Penitential Act follows the Sign of the Cross and the Greeting. There are several options for the Penitential Act. There is the three part call and response prayer: “Lord, have mercy,” “Christ, have mercy,” and “Lord, have Mercy.”
(In Greek: “Kyrie, eleison.” “Christe, eleison.” and “Kyrie eleison.”) Although these specific words will not be changing, the lead in prayers have some changes.
In some Masses, we collectively pray a longer prayer called the Confiteor (from the Latin for “I confess”). In the forthcoming edition of the Roman Missal, the following (in italics) will replace the opening sentences: I confess to
almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do (striking the breast): Through my fault, through my fault, through my most
grievous fault; This new edition of the Confiteor attempts to provide a translation that is closer to the Latin version of the prayer, from which all vernacular translations come, and follows more closely an early English translation (1966) of the prayer, which was published after the Second Vatican Council.
On the Sundays outside the Seasons of Advent and Lent, on feasts and solemnities, and at special celebrations of a more solemn character, the Gloria is sung or said, following the Penitential Rite. The current version of the Gloria is a
somewhat abbreviated translation of its Latin source. The new translation (in italics), which is closer to the Latin edition of this prayer, is as follows:
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.
One of the goals of the new translation of the Missal was to make clearer the links between the prayers of the Mass and the text of Scripture. A number of biblical verses are integrated into the Gloria, including Luke 2:14, John 1:29,
Revelation 15:3-4, Psalm 83:19, 1 Corinthians 8:6, and Philippians 2:11. When we pray the Gloria, we are praising God with the words of Scripture.
(Reference: From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website www.usccb.org/romanmissal)
This weekend we will be singing this revised translation of the Gloria. Be sure to have the sheet music handed out to actively participate in giving praise and glory to God!
REMINDER: Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend an evening with Fr. Greg Hoppough, CS, on the New Translation of the Roman Missal. It promises to be an informative event presented by a gifted teacher who will address the questions you undoubtedly have. Monday evening, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the upper church.
An article by David Haas (composer of liturgical music) in the June-July 2011 edition of Ministry and Liturgy offers food for thought as we move forward through this time of change; http://rpinet.com/ministry/3805f1html
(David Haas has composed such familiar songs as “You are Mine”, “The Servant Song,” “We Have Been Told” and in his “Mass of Light”, the “Gloria”.)
