12-14-2023, 05:54 AM
POSTCOMMUNION.
All these things being completed, the Priest, after saying Dominus vobiscum, recites the final Prayer, which is now called the Postcommunion, but which, in the Sacramentary of Saint Gregory was designated as: Oratio ad complendum. No mention is there made of the Communion Antiphon being to be said by the Priest, because this being one of the sung parts, has no place in the Sacramentary. It was but the Antiphon of a Psalm, sung during the Communion. We have a vestige of this custom in the Mass of the Dead. It was the same also with the Introit, the chanting of which used to accompany the Priest from the moment of his quitting the Sacrarium till he reached the Altar.
This Prayer called the Postcommunion is an important one: in it, mention is always made of the Communion just received. It is immediately followed by the ordinary good wish of the Priest to the people: Dominus Vobiscum. Then the Deacon, turning towards the assembly of the faithful, intones the following words:
ITE MISSA EST.
These words are usually translated thus: “Go, the Mass is said.” However, we must here observe that this is not their proper sense. This formula, adopted by the Church, was in general use amongst the Romans, in public assemblies, to announce the termination of the meeting. So, these words: Ite, concio missa est, meant “go, the assembly is dismissed.”
In the early ages, the Holy Sacrifice was never called by our word Missa, the Mass. When the Sacrifice was finished, the assembled faithful were dismissed by the Deacon, in the form usual at all public meetings. Later, the word missa having been adopted, the confusion of ideas became complete, when by the putting of a capital M to this formula, it ended in Ite Missa est, being thus translated amiss: Go, the Mass is said. In Masses at penitential times, in Lent, for example, instead of the Ite Missa est, the Deacon says Benedicamus Domino; the faithful are not dismissed, because it is supposed that they would like to remain longer in prayer, during these days of expiation. The Ite Missa est is consequently a sign of joy, and, as such, it is excluded from Requiem masses: a Song of joy would be out of keeping with a Mass breathing only sadness and supplication
The Ite Missa est having been said, the Priest turns again to the Altar, and bowing somewhat, with his hands joined, he says: Placeat tibi Sancta Trinitas obsequium servtutis meae, et praesta ut Sacrificium, quod oculis tuae majestatis indignus obtuli, tibi sit acceptabile, mihique et omnibus, pro quibus illud obtuli, sit, te miserante, propitiabile. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. This prayer is a kind of epitome made by the Priest, reminding the Holy Trinity of all he has just been doing, begging acceptance of this Sacrifice, and that it may be profitable to all those for whom he has been praying.
THE BLESSING.
After this prayer, the Priest kisses the Altar, raises his eyes to heaven, stretches out his hands, and then bows before the Cross, saying: Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, then turning round to the people, he adds, blessing them: Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus; to which they answer: Amen. A simple Priest should only give the blessing once, even in solemn Masses; whereas, Bishops, by way of distinction, give it thrice. Prelates likewise bless three times, when they celebrate pontifically. Some of them are even allowed to do so in a Low Mass; but if so, it is only by privilege. The Blessing is not given in a Requiem Mass, because it is a sign of joy which would ill contrast with the mournfulness pervading the function.
THE LAST GOSPEL.
The Blessing having been given, the Priest goes to the Gospel side of the Altar, and there reads the beginning of the Gospel according to St. John. Formerly, the Priest having no book in front of him, used to make the sign of the cross on the Altar before signing himself. The cards on which are written the prayers of the Ordinary of the Mass, with the exception of the Canon, and which we nevertheless call altar-canons, are of very recent date. Since their introduction, it has become customary to make thereon, at this moment, the sign of the cross; but the Priest is still allowed to make it on the Altar, which is the figure of Christ who died upon the Cross for us, whose twofold Generation this Gospel recounts.
But why is this reading made? The custom originates from the Middle Ages. At that period, as in earlier times also, the faithful had a great devotion to the having a portion of the Gospel read over them, and the commencement of that of St. John was a special favourite. Demands at last became so multiplied, that the number of Priests was insufficient to satisfy all: to simplify the matter, it was decided to recite it over all those assembled, at the end of the Mass. The devotion of the faithful, therefore, alone originated this addition. When a Saint’s feast is kept on Sunday, or on some Feria having a proper Gospel, the Priest substitutes this Gospel for that of St. John. This too is but a consequence of the custom introduced of reading the Gospel at the end of the Mass, and it dates only from the time of St. Pius V. The Pontifical itself has not accepted this change on the ancient usage and hence a Pontiff recites the Gospel of St. John, whilst coming down from the Altar.
Let us here remark that in this phrase of St. John’s Gospel: Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, the Latin Church, up to the time of St. Pius V, followed a mode of punctuation different from that used by the Greeks. St. Augustine and all the Latin Fathers, as well as St. Thomas read it thus Sine ipso factum est nihil. Quod factum est, in ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum; whereas St. John Chrysostom, and, in general, the Greek Fathers read it: sine ipso factum est nihil quod factum est. In ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum. Manuscripts having neither full stops, nor commas, (the use of which was only introduced much later,) this diversity was produced; and St. Pius V, in his edition of the Missal, kept to the Latin punctuation, for this passage. But shortly after him, the custom of reading it according to the manner of the Greeks, was introduced into the West.
When the Priest comes to these words of the Gospel of St. John: Et verbum caro factum est, he genuflects in honour of the annihilation of the Word made flesh, who emptied Himself, taking the form of a Servant (Philipp. ii. 7).
The Gospel being ended, the Priest comes down from the Altar, after bowing to the Cross; and as he retires, he recites the Canticle Benedicite, together with the other Prayers of Thanksgiving marked in the Missal.
All these things being completed, the Priest, after saying Dominus vobiscum, recites the final Prayer, which is now called the Postcommunion, but which, in the Sacramentary of Saint Gregory was designated as: Oratio ad complendum. No mention is there made of the Communion Antiphon being to be said by the Priest, because this being one of the sung parts, has no place in the Sacramentary. It was but the Antiphon of a Psalm, sung during the Communion. We have a vestige of this custom in the Mass of the Dead. It was the same also with the Introit, the chanting of which used to accompany the Priest from the moment of his quitting the Sacrarium till he reached the Altar.
This Prayer called the Postcommunion is an important one: in it, mention is always made of the Communion just received. It is immediately followed by the ordinary good wish of the Priest to the people: Dominus Vobiscum. Then the Deacon, turning towards the assembly of the faithful, intones the following words:
ITE MISSA EST.
These words are usually translated thus: “Go, the Mass is said.” However, we must here observe that this is not their proper sense. This formula, adopted by the Church, was in general use amongst the Romans, in public assemblies, to announce the termination of the meeting. So, these words: Ite, concio missa est, meant “go, the assembly is dismissed.”
In the early ages, the Holy Sacrifice was never called by our word Missa, the Mass. When the Sacrifice was finished, the assembled faithful were dismissed by the Deacon, in the form usual at all public meetings. Later, the word missa having been adopted, the confusion of ideas became complete, when by the putting of a capital M to this formula, it ended in Ite Missa est, being thus translated amiss: Go, the Mass is said. In Masses at penitential times, in Lent, for example, instead of the Ite Missa est, the Deacon says Benedicamus Domino; the faithful are not dismissed, because it is supposed that they would like to remain longer in prayer, during these days of expiation. The Ite Missa est is consequently a sign of joy, and, as such, it is excluded from Requiem masses: a Song of joy would be out of keeping with a Mass breathing only sadness and supplication
The Ite Missa est having been said, the Priest turns again to the Altar, and bowing somewhat, with his hands joined, he says: Placeat tibi Sancta Trinitas obsequium servtutis meae, et praesta ut Sacrificium, quod oculis tuae majestatis indignus obtuli, tibi sit acceptabile, mihique et omnibus, pro quibus illud obtuli, sit, te miserante, propitiabile. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. This prayer is a kind of epitome made by the Priest, reminding the Holy Trinity of all he has just been doing, begging acceptance of this Sacrifice, and that it may be profitable to all those for whom he has been praying.
THE BLESSING.
After this prayer, the Priest kisses the Altar, raises his eyes to heaven, stretches out his hands, and then bows before the Cross, saying: Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, then turning round to the people, he adds, blessing them: Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus; to which they answer: Amen. A simple Priest should only give the blessing once, even in solemn Masses; whereas, Bishops, by way of distinction, give it thrice. Prelates likewise bless three times, when they celebrate pontifically. Some of them are even allowed to do so in a Low Mass; but if so, it is only by privilege. The Blessing is not given in a Requiem Mass, because it is a sign of joy which would ill contrast with the mournfulness pervading the function.
THE LAST GOSPEL.
The Blessing having been given, the Priest goes to the Gospel side of the Altar, and there reads the beginning of the Gospel according to St. John. Formerly, the Priest having no book in front of him, used to make the sign of the cross on the Altar before signing himself. The cards on which are written the prayers of the Ordinary of the Mass, with the exception of the Canon, and which we nevertheless call altar-canons, are of very recent date. Since their introduction, it has become customary to make thereon, at this moment, the sign of the cross; but the Priest is still allowed to make it on the Altar, which is the figure of Christ who died upon the Cross for us, whose twofold Generation this Gospel recounts.
But why is this reading made? The custom originates from the Middle Ages. At that period, as in earlier times also, the faithful had a great devotion to the having a portion of the Gospel read over them, and the commencement of that of St. John was a special favourite. Demands at last became so multiplied, that the number of Priests was insufficient to satisfy all: to simplify the matter, it was decided to recite it over all those assembled, at the end of the Mass. The devotion of the faithful, therefore, alone originated this addition. When a Saint’s feast is kept on Sunday, or on some Feria having a proper Gospel, the Priest substitutes this Gospel for that of St. John. This too is but a consequence of the custom introduced of reading the Gospel at the end of the Mass, and it dates only from the time of St. Pius V. The Pontifical itself has not accepted this change on the ancient usage and hence a Pontiff recites the Gospel of St. John, whilst coming down from the Altar.
Let us here remark that in this phrase of St. John’s Gospel: Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, the Latin Church, up to the time of St. Pius V, followed a mode of punctuation different from that used by the Greeks. St. Augustine and all the Latin Fathers, as well as St. Thomas read it thus Sine ipso factum est nihil. Quod factum est, in ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum; whereas St. John Chrysostom, and, in general, the Greek Fathers read it: sine ipso factum est nihil quod factum est. In ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum. Manuscripts having neither full stops, nor commas, (the use of which was only introduced much later,) this diversity was produced; and St. Pius V, in his edition of the Missal, kept to the Latin punctuation, for this passage. But shortly after him, the custom of reading it according to the manner of the Greeks, was introduced into the West.
When the Priest comes to these words of the Gospel of St. John: Et verbum caro factum est, he genuflects in honour of the annihilation of the Word made flesh, who emptied Himself, taking the form of a Servant (Philipp. ii. 7).
The Gospel being ended, the Priest comes down from the Altar, after bowing to the Cross; and as he retires, he recites the Canticle Benedicite, together with the other Prayers of Thanksgiving marked in the Missal.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre