Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Lenten reflection: Ite missa est

"Ite missa est" is the dismissal from the Catholic mass in Latin. And it says something that you cannot even say the English word "dismissal" without recalling it. It is the same root we find in other English words such as missive and missile.

Literally, it means to send, to let go, to hurl, to emit or to utter. Because the priest says these words to a group of individuals who are about to go in different directions, the phrase in context means "be scattered".

Naturally, the dignity and power that comes from such simplicity could not be left alone. Nowadays the dismissal consists of the phrase "go in peace ..." plus some added on stuff. At least one priest I know can never say this without adding a short sermon so it becomes "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord by ...." and here follows a list of directions and injunctions.

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