ASK THE LITURGIST (12) – ‘Go’ or ‘Let us go in peace’?

– Enrico Finotti

‘Bless you’ or ‘May God Almighty bless us’; ‘Go’ or ‘Let us go in peace.’ When will we finish discussing this question? Is there an answer?

Behind every liturgical expression there is always a theology and to solve this type of problem it is necessary to identify the theological basis underlying each specific ritual element. The sacred minister (Bishop, Presbyter and Deacon) assumes different roles during the liturgical celebration. When he acts in the person of Christ-Head who associates the Church with him his mystical body, in addressing the Father he says ‘Let us pray’: Christ and the Church, intimately united as the Head to his members, turn in adoring and ascending motion to the Father.

When, instead, Christ-Head turns to the Church, his Bride, to infuse her with divine grace as in the sacraments, he says: ‘I baptize you, I absolve you, take and eat this is my body,’ etc. : it is He alone who can give these gifts of grace to his Church and the Church receives them with faith and love.

Sometimes the sacred minister personifies the Church, who prostrates before Christ, her God and Lord, and for this reason the prayer begins with ‘Lord Jesus Christ who …’, as in the prayer for the rite of peace.

At other times the minister personally prepares himself with silent prayers to dispose himself in a worthy and fruitful celebration: these are the so-called apologies, disseminated in various points of the rite (before the Gospel and in the rites of offertory and communion).

Finally, the sacred minister can give ritual indications or spiritual stimuli to the concrete assembly, through brief monologues at the nodal points of the rite. Various interventions, therefore, with an evident degree of different authority, which goes from the sacramental formula that identifies him absolutely with the Christ-Head, to the free monologue that commits him only as a guide and animator of the contingent and local assembly.

In this context the answer to the question asked is configured. When the minister gives blessing he acts in the role of Christ-Head, who blesses his Church and therefore must say: Bless you …; and so when he gives the Church, gathered here, the missionary mandate must say Go …. In fact, both the blessing and the missionary mandate, the Church cannot give it to herself, but she always receives it from Christ, who fills her with grace and continually sends her to the world to proclaim her Gospel. It is also evident that this form applies only to the sacred ministers, who take the place of the Lord in front of the Church, not for the lay animators of the liturgy, who in the absence of the sacred minister invoke the blessing themselves with specific formulas .

The Tabernacle Veil

Should the tabernacle veil still to be used?

“The presence of the Eucharist in the tabernacle is to be shown by a veil or in another suitable way determined by the competent authority” (Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside the Mass).

Unlike the perennial lamp, the tabernacle veil is not absolutely demanded and this is certainly one of the reasons for its disappearance. But there are also other motivations, such as the value of some tabernacles distinguished by art, which require to be admired, or the new styles of many modern tabernacles, designed without a connection. It is not wise, however, to consider the tabernacle veil to be completely overtaken by now. Today, in fact, we tend not to adequately enhance the use of textile in church liturgical decoration, often creating rather cold environments, due to the exclusive use of stone and metals. The textile, instead, warms up the environment and makes it more habitable and welcoming. A house without curtains and carpets is desolate and almost extinguished. The tabernacle veil, nobly fluent, gives warmth to the tabernacle and best configures it as the dwelling of “God with us.” His absence refers to that austere impression that emanates from our empty and unadorned tabernacles on Holy Saturday. We should not therefore exclude the use of the tabernacle veil in all cases, but reconsider it from the design of a new tabernacle, so that it is well inserted into its structure, avoiding an unexpected overlap and inadequate style. The tabernacle veil also allows to highlight the various liturgical “seasons,” when it should be opportunely varied according to the colors of the feasts and sacred times. In this way it would be a further bridge between the celebrated Eucharist and the preserved Eucharist, between the altar and Eucharistic custody. However, in the historical churches the tabernacle veil should normally be used also to preserve truly remarkable and precious artifacts not rarely packed as part of a complete liturgical apparatus.