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| Encountering Christ in the Mass
Patrick Gorman |
First in a series.
“The Mass is ended. Go in peace.” I have to admit that when I was a child, I used to find our response to the dismissal, “Thanks be to God!” a little funny.
Rather than thanking God for this celebration of the Eucharist, I thought it was a comment on the length of Mass, as in “It’s finally over, thanks be to God!”
Origin of the word ‘Mass’
A little known fact about the origin of the word “Mass” is that it comes from the dismissal — the final spoken words of Mass.
In Latin, “The Mass is ended,” is rendered Ite, missa est.
When this phrase was first used in the Mass in the sixth or seventh century it was purely utilitarian, as the deacon told the people, “You are dismissed.”
Over time, the Church took on the word missa to mean Mass. Because of its similarity with the Latin word for “mission” it also has an evangelical flare.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote a beautiful passage that sums up what these words mean to us today.
“These words help us to grasp the relationship between the Mass just celebrated and the mission of Christians in the world. In antiquity, missa simply meant ‘dismissal.’ However, in Christian usage, it gradually took on a deeper meaning. The word ‘dismissal’ has come to imply a ‘mission.’ These few words succinctly express the missionary nature of the Church. The People of God might be helped to understand more clearly this essential dimension of the Church’s life, taking the dismissal as a starting point.” (Sacramentum Caritatis, 57)
The mission of the Church
The last words of the Mass, the Dismissal, become a starting point for living out our faith all week long!
I once visited a church that had signs on the doors as you left church saying, “You Are Now Entering the Mission Fields.” It was a wonderful reminder that we don’t put away our faith until next Sunday, rather we are just beginning to proclaim our faith in Christ to the world.
This doesn’t mean we all become street preachers! It means we joyfully live out our faith. It means that we pray every day, pass our faith on to our children and grandchildren, and live as one who treats others with dignity.
It means that we forgive others even if they don’t ask to be forgiven. And it means that we love our neighbor as God loves us (which is the tallest order of all). Ultimately, it means that week by week and day by day we allow God to form us into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Your work in the mission fields
This week as you leave church, think about your work in the mission fields. Is there someone you need to forgive? A relative or friend living alone who desperately needs company?
More regular prayer that isn’t just asking God for things but giving him thanks and praise for the countless blessings of our lives? Do I ask for strength to turn away from my sins?
Don’t try to overdo it. Simply consider one thing each week, adding others as time passes. You’ll find that Christ’s love grows in your heart more and more with each passing day.
Patrick Gorman is the director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Madison.