How did the Roman Missal originate?
In the early Christian Church, many of the prayers that were said at Eucharist were memorized and handed down by word of mouth. Eventually the prayers were collected and written down in books known as sacramentaries (book of sacraments). Scripture readings were recorded in other books and the Psalms were written in a book called the Psalter. Throughout the ages, as these manuscripts were passed down, modifications and additions were made. Eventually, all the chants, prayers, instructions and scriptures were organized into one book. It was written in Latin and as the texts contained in it continued to evolve over the next five centuries it became quite large. After the Second Vatican Council, the Mass was translated into many different languages (the vernacular).
|
|
A Walk through the New Mass
|
| Former: |
New: |
Before he was given up to death,
a death he freely accepted |
At the time he was betrayed
and entered willingly into his Passion |
The new form is a more accurate translation of the original Latin. In particular, the original makes Christ more active, entering willingly into his Passion, not merely accepting it. The new translation respects this nuance.
|
he took bread and gave you thanks.
He broke the bread,
gave it to his disciples, and said |
he took bread and, giving thanks,
broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying: |
By not dividing this into two sentences, the new translation reflects the structure of the Latin more closely.
|
| When supper was ended, |
In a similar way, when supper was ended, |
This translation of the Latin phrase simili modo (in a similar way) is an addition to the new translation, having been omitted in the 1973 version. It links the consecration of the wine more closely to that of the bread.
|
he took the cup.
Again he gave you thanks and praise,
gave the cup to his disciples, and said: |
he took the chalice
and, once more giving thanks,
he gave it to his disciples, saying |
Once again the two sentences have been joined.
The word ‘chalice’ has been reintroduced because some scholars say that the difference between a chalice and a cup is that a chalice was a drinking vessel, passed around and shared on social occasions – unlike a cup, which is designed to be used by an individual.
|
| Take this all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. |
Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, |
Here ‘everlasting’ has been changed to ‘eternal’. This is because the word ‘everlasting’ sounds very similar to ‘long-lasting’, which refers to something within time, whereas anything eternal must exist outside of time. God’s covenant is timeless; it is not just ever-lasting but eternal.
|
It will be shed for you and for all
So that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in memory of me. |
Which will be poured out for you
And for the many
For the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me. |
The translators have chosen ‘poured out’ rather than ‘shed’ because both blood and a chalice (a liquid or a vessel) can be ‘poured out’, but only blood can be shed. In the Latin it is unclear whether the chalice or the blood is the subject of the verb.
The use of ‘many’ – replacing ‘all’ – is found in Jesus’ words, as recorded in the gospels – Matthew 26:28 and Mark 14:24. This is perhaps easier to understand if two commas are added, so that it reads: “…which will be poured out for you, and for the many, for the forgiveness of sins”. The ‘many’ are the ‘multitude’.
Based mainly on the DVD ‘Become One Body, One Spirit, in Christ’.
©2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. |
|
|