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Mass (liturgy): the story on HearLore | HearLore
Mass (liturgy)
The English noun Mass is derived from the Middle Latin word missa, which itself was adopted in Old English as mæsse and sometimes glossed as sendnes, meaning a sending or dismission. This etymology traces back to the concluding formula of the Roman Rite, Ite missa est, which translates to Go; the dismissal is made. The Latin term missa was already in use by the 6th century, appearing in the writings of Caesarius of Arles, who instructed monks to hold six masses every Sunday. Before this, the word appears singularly in a letter attributed to Saint Ambrose, who died in 397, and in a fragment from Pseudo-Ambrose dated around 400. Historical scholars have debated the origin of the word for centuries, with some 16th-century philologists like Reuchlin and Luther favoring a Latinization of the Hebrew word for unleavened bread, while others proposed Greek origins meaning initiation or even Germanic roots meaning assembly. The most widely accepted explanation remains the connection to the dismissal formula, suggesting the liturgy sends the faithful out into the world to live their faith.
The Source And Summit
The Catholic Church views the Mass or Eucharist as the source and summit of the Christian life, to which all other sacraments are oriented. This central act of worship remembers Jesus' life, the Last Supper, and his sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary. The ordained celebrant, whether a priest or bishop, acts in persona Christi, meaning in the person of Christ, as he recalls the words and gestures of Jesus at the Last Supper and leads the congregation in praise of God. The Mass is composed of two main parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Within the fixed structure of the Roman Rite, Scripture readings, antiphons, and certain prayers vary each day according to the liturgical calendar. Traditionalist Catholics refer to the Mass as a salvific sacrifice, emphasizing its role in redemption. The Liturgy of the Word includes three Scripture readings on Sundays and solemnities, with the first reading from the Old Testament or Acts of the Apostles during Eastertide, followed by a psalm and a second reading from the New Testament epistles. The Gospel is proclaimed as the high point of this section, followed by a homily and the profession of the Nicene Creed.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the altar and gifts, while the collection may be taken. The priest then says, Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father, to which the congregation responds, 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. The priest brings to mind the meaning of eucharist, to give thanks to God, concluding with the acclamation Holy, Holy, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. The anaphora, or Eucharistic Prayer, follows, with the oldest of the Roman Rite anaphoras being the Roman Canon, fixed since the Council of Trent, with central elements dating to the fourth century. The Institution Narrative recalls the words and actions of Jesus at his Last Supper, which he told his disciples to do in remembrance of him. An essential part of the Eucharistic prayer has been the epiclesis, the calling down of the Holy Spirit to sanctify the offering, ensuring that the unblemished sacrificial victim to be consumed in Communion may be for the salvation of those who will partake of it. The priest concludes with a doxology in praise of God's work, at which the people give their Amen to the whole Eucharistic prayer.
The English noun Mass is derived from the Middle Latin word missa, which traces back to the concluding formula of the Roman Rite, Ite missa est, meaning Go; the dismissal is made. The Latin term missa was already in use by the 6th century, appearing in the writings of Caesarius of Arles, who instructed monks to hold six masses every Sunday.
What are the two main parts of the Mass?
The Mass is composed of two main parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word includes three Scripture readings on Sundays and solemnities, with the Gospel proclaimed as the high point of this section, followed by a homily and the profession of the Nicene Creed.
When did Martin Luther compose the Formula Missae?
Martin Luther composed a revised Latin-language rite, Formula Missae, in 1523, and the vernacular Deutsche Messe in 1526. The Book of Concord, Article XXIV of the Augsburg Confession of 1530 states that the Mass is retained among Lutherans and celebrated with the highest reverence.
How did the Anglican Communion evolve its Eucharistic liturgies?
The various Eucharistic liturgies used by national churches of the Anglican Communion have continuously evolved from the 1549 and 1552 editions of the Book of Common Prayer, both of which owed their form and contents chiefly to the work of Thomas Cranmer. The 1552 revision made clear the restructuring of the elements of the rite while retaining nearly all the language.
What is the Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory?
The Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory is derived from the Tridentine form of the Roman Rite Mass and includes the Preparation for Mass, Confiteor, Kyrie Eleison, Gloria in excelsis deo, Collect of the Day, Epistle, Gradual, Alleluia, Gospel, Sermon, Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, Offertory, Dialogue, Preface, Sanctus, Canon, Lord's Prayer, Fraction, Agnus Dei, Prayers before Communion, Holy Communion, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Dismissal, Blessing of the Faithful, and Last Gospel.
All together recite or sing the Lord's Prayer, with the priest introducing it and following it with a prayer called the embolism, after which the people respond with another doxology. The sign of peace is exchanged, and then the Lamb of God litany is sung or recited while the priest breaks the host and places a piece in the main chalice, known as the rite of fraction and commingling. The priest then displays the consecrated elements to the congregation, saying, Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world, to which all respond, Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. Communion is given, often with lay ministers assisting with the consecrated wine. According to Catholic teaching, one should be in the state of grace, without mortal sin, to receive Communion. Singing by all the faithful during the Communion procession is encouraged to express the communicants' union in spirit from the bread that makes them one. A silent time for reflection follows, and then the variable concluding prayer of the Mass. The priest imparts a blessing over those present, and the deacon or priest dismisses the people, choosing a formula by which the people are sent forth to spread the good news, to which the congregation responds, Thanks be to God.
The Lutheran Mass
In the Book of Concord, Article XXIV of the Augsburg Confession of 1530 states that the Mass is retained among Lutherans and celebrated with the highest reverence, not abolished but religiously kept and defended. Lutheran churches often celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday, aligning with the Lutheran Confessions and the views promulgated by Martin Luther. Eucharistic Ministers take the sacramental elements to the sick in hospitals and nursing homes, as well as prisons, and the practice of weekly Communion is the norm in most Lutheran parishes throughout the world. Traditionally, in the Lutheran Churches, the Mass is celebrated ad orientem, being oriented to the East from which the Sun of Righteousness will return, though some parishes now celebrate the Mass versus populum. Martin Luther rejected parts of the Roman Rite Mass, specifically the Roman Catholic Canon of the Mass, which he argued did not conform with Scripture. Luther composed a revised Latin-language rite, Formula Missae, in 1523, and the vernacular Deutsche Messe in 1526. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession affirmed the Greek Canon, and the Pfalz-Neuburg Church Order of 1543, modeled by the Lutheran divine Philip Melanchthon, includes an Eucharistic Prayer prior to the Words of Institution. The Order of the Mass produced under the liturgical reforms of the Lutheran divine Olavus Petri expanded the anaphora from the Formula Missae, fostering a church life that was both catholic and evangelical.
Anglican And Methodist Rites
In the Anglican tradition, Mass is one of many terms for the Eucharist, with Holy Communion, Holy Eucharist, or the Lord's Supper being more frequently used. The term Mass is frequently used by Anglo-Catholics, while the sequence of the liturgy is almost identical to the Roman Rite, except the Confession of Sin ends the Liturgy of the Word in the Anglican rites in North America. The various Eucharistic liturgies used by national churches of the Anglican Communion have continuously evolved from the 1549 and 1552 editions of the Book of Common Prayer, both of which owed their form and contents chiefly to the work of Thomas Cranmer, who in about 1547 had rejected the medieval theology of the Mass. The 1552 revision made clear the restructuring of the elements of the rite while retaining nearly all the language. The celebration of the Mass in Methodist churches, commonly known as the Service of the Table, is based on The Sunday Service of 1784, a revision of the liturgy of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer authorized by John Wesley. The use of the term Mass is very rare in Methodism, with Holy Communion, Lord's Supper, and Eucharist being far more typical. Methodist services of worship, post-1992, reflect the ecumenical movement and Liturgical Movement, particularly the Methodist Mass, largely the work of theologian Donald C. Lacy.
Western Rite Orthodoxy
Since most Eastern Orthodox Christians use the Byzantine Rite, most Eastern Orthodox Churches call their Eucharistic service the Divine Liturgy. However, there are a number of parishes within the Eastern Orthodox Church which use an edited version of Latin liturgical rites. Most parishes use the Divine Liturgy of St. Tikhon, which is a revision of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, or the Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory, which is derived from the Tridentine form of the Roman Rite Mass. These rubrics have been revised to reflect the doctrine and dogmas of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Therefore, the filioque clause has been removed, a fuller epiclesis has been added, and the use of leavened bread has been introduced. The Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory includes the Preparation for Mass, Confiteor, Kyrie Eleison, Gloria in excelsis deo, Collect of the Day, Epistle, Gradual, Alleluia, Gospel, Sermon, Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, Offertory, Dialogue, Preface, Sanctus, Canon, Lord's Prayer, Fraction, Agnus Dei, Prayers before Communion, Holy Communion, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Dismissal, Blessing of the Faithful, and Last Gospel.