A tale of two translations

We're now two weeks in, and everything seems to be running smoothly. No massive hiccups, no hissy fits and no mistakes - what am I talking about? The new mass translation of course. 

new Mass translation/Mazur

At the beginning of September all Masses begun using the new translation in some parts of the Mass, and from Advent the whole Mass will be said using the new translation.


In my parish there seems to be a genuine excitement about saying the Mass and the new responses. It's also provided an ideal opportunity for the priest to explain why we say what we do, and what it all means. There is usually a general assumption that we all understand what we're saying - and maybe we do! - but it's also nice to have someone refresh your memory. 


Our parish priest explained before Mass started what changes we could expect, what would be different and reminded us to keep our eyes on the cards for now as we're bound to get muddled. He was right. Despite his explanation, just a few lines into Mass and he was met with a chorus of 'and also with you' and mixed murmurings of 'and with your spirit'. 


I have to own up and say I wasn't one of those who got it right. 


But calling on some of the Dunkirk spirit we picked ourselves up, shame faced and a little embarrassed, and with a giggle or too we tried again. The rest of Mass we responded correctly. 


Of course, for now, we're all clutching our Mass cards as if they hold the secret to life! It's inevitable that with any big shift from the familiar that we'll all be nervous and unsure, but if tonight's Mass is anything to go by we needn't worry. Apart from some of us making the same automatic responses - again - we did quite well. 


We have until Advent to learn our new responses and ease into the changes so before then it's homework time. Rote learning the prayers.


Alongside the move to a more accurate Mass we're also being treated to homilies explaining what the Mass is all about. Priests are taking the time worn tradition and revealing a trove of theological treasures to parishioners that just wasn't possible before.  


Take 'and with your spirit', for years we've droned 'and also with you' - the equivalent of tipping your cap to our Father as if we were saying 'you too, mate'. We might as well have been greeting a friend in a pub. For some reason I have the image of those Victorian caps being nodded to God...


So how come 'and with your spirit' is better? it doesn't exactly trip off the tongue, but it was the ancient greeting used by Christians: et cum spiritu tuo. It makes an appearances a few times in the Bible: Pauline Epistles: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit brethren. Amen” (Gal 6:18; cf Phil 4:23; Philemon 25); “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you” (2 Tim 4:22).


The Catholic Herald have a great explanation of why 'and with your spirit' is such an important change, it's well worth a read. 


But this isn't the only amendment to the Mass that we'll notice over the next few weeks. Most are fairly obvious: 'Lord I'm not worthy for you to enter under my roof' - the words of the Centurion from the Bible is one of them. 


The switching of 'one body' to consubstantial is one that had left many people scratching their heads. It's an old Latin word used to describe the relationship between the Divine persons of the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - the idea that all three are 'one being'. While we may have said  'and of one body' in the Creed for the last 40 years the use of 'consubstantial' had me puzzled. Isn't it essentially the same thing? It was only after a wonderful sermon by our parish priest and a bit of reading that I came around from the view it was archaic (and a bit of a tongue twister). it goes without saying that everything has been changed for a reason.


Essentially the new Mass translation aims to take us back to the scripture, to reconnect what we say in the Mass with the words of God and the original Christians. There is something truly humbling and overwhelming in thinking that amending a few words in a text that has become so familiar to us could possibly help us gain so much more from the Mass. That in using the same words the early Christians most likely used we are echoing age old tradition and remembering those who have come before us. 


As usual I'm getting carried away in a romantic ideal of what the Mass could achieve. But for once I have the hopeful feeling that this time it's less of a idealistic notion, but something that will actually become a reality. 


As your parish priest takes to the pulpit this weekend listen carefully, take the booklets, guides and explanations of why the changes have been made. Soak it all up, because if we embrace the unfamiliar we can rejuvenate the Mass and take it back to its roots. 


Now wouldn't that be something worth aspiring to?

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