Saturday, November 26, 2011

Blessing for the new Missal and the Advent wreath

At the beginning of today's liturgy, the newly revised Roman Missal was used for the very first time.  The book, larger and thicker than its immediate predecessor, was processed into the midst of the assembly and then the following blessing was pronounced:
 
Blessing for the New Missal and the Advent wreath

Dear friends in Christ: As we begin a new liturgical year, we bless our Advent wreath and at the same time we receive and put into service a new book to be used at our altar. Books called the Roman Missal has been in use since the year 1570, and many of the prayers contained in this book have been used since at least the fourth century, but while this is a book of tradition, it is also a book for our future, for celebrations that will be held in the Church for years to come. It is right that we should pause for a moment to mark these new beginnings: a new liturgical season, a new year of grace, and the first time that this edition of the Roman Missal is used.



Father of light and wisdom, We praise you for sending your Son to save us from our sins and to be light in our darkness. Bless us + as we gather in his name, bless this wreath as a sign of his light among us, and bless + this Roman Missal; grant that all who use it or hear its words may grow in wisdom and grace before you and all your people.

Father, we praise you through Jesus Christ your Son in the love of your Holy Spirit now and always and for ever. Amen.



The first candle in the Advent wreath was then lit and the Mass began in the usual way.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That was an event that shall remain in my memory for a long time. I found myself listening to the new words and for some reason I felt a certain familiarity, as if I was being taken back in time when those words were first proclaimed. I was more ALERT listening to the new words of our celebration. I believe this is a very welcome change for me.