In light of the controversy provoked by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s Declaration Fiducia Supplicans On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings, I don’t think anyone can deny that the theology of blessings needs more elaboration.
In this sense I would like to point out a particular aspect of blessings that I believe could benefit from more reflection. This is a very minor point and there are many more important issues that could be considered. But readers might bear with me during this summer period when we often take a rest from the most serious matters.
Over the past few months, I have noticed that the solemn blessing at the end of some Masses, and particularly ritual Masses, could be helped by a little clarification on exactly how to use them and maybe even receive some revisions in future editions of the Roman Missal.
In the Roman liturgy there seems to be a historical preference for a simple blessing at the end of the celebration. But in some Gallican areas a three-fold episcopal blessing became common. This eventually found its way into the Paul VI edition of the Roman Missal as an option that the priest can use to bless the assembly at the end of the Mass. There are 14 different formulae in the current Roman Missal. The most familiar of thee is based on the Blessing of Aaron (Nm 6:22-27). An additional challenge that makes it a little hard to use is the invitation to the assembly before the three-fold blessing. The Latin text says “Inclinate vos ad benedictionem.” A little liberty was taken in the 1973 ICEL translation which rendered the invitation as “Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing.” The current 2010 ICEL translates it as “Bow down for the blessing.” In my experience this can be a little awkward, although I think many older Catholic will understand that it is an invitation to bow their heads and not their full bodies as they remember the older translation.
Another challenge in using this form of blessing is that there is no verbal cue for the assembly’s “amen.” In my experience most assemblies are hesitant to respond, even after half a century of this option.
But the subject of this post is the use of this solemn blessing during ritual Masses. Here the three petitions of the solemn blessings are sometimes prayed over the whole assembly, yet they only mention some members of that assembly. We can find examples of this in Nuptial Masses, Ordinations and Institution of Ministries.
To take the example of the Nuptial Mass, the newly married couple is at the center of the prayers throughout the celebration. The ancient practice of the Nuptial Blessing gives a beautiful blessing to the couple at the ancient place of after the Eucharistic Prayer. It is probable that this blessing took place within the Eucharistic Prayer itself in the earliest practice. However, the current Missal has an option to mention the couple by name during the Eucharistic Prayer, with commemorations for Eucharistic Prayers 1, 2 and 3 being provided as part of the ritual Mass. This is the example for incorporation into Eucharistic Prayer 1:
Therefore, Lord, we pray:
graciously accept this oblation of our service,
the offering of your servants N. and N.
and of your whole family,
who entreat your majesty on their behalf;
and as you have brought them to their wedding day,
so (gladden them with your gift of the children they desire and)
bring them in your kindness
to the length of days for which they hope.
(Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)
Although it is not absolutely necessary to mention them, I cannot imagine a nuptial Mass where the couple does not feature during at least one of the petitions of the Prayer of the Faithful.
Then, when we get to the end of the Mass, there is a formula for a solemn blessing. After inviting the assembly to bow their heads and pray for God’s blessing the presider blesses the newlyweds with these words:
May God the eternal Father
keep you of one heart in love for one another,
that the peace of Christ may dwell in you
and abide always in your home.
R. Amen.
May you be blessed in your children,
have solace in your friends
and enjoy true peace with everyone.
R. Amen.
May you be witnesses in the world to God’s charity,
so that the afflicted and needy who have known your kindness
may one day receive you thankfully
into the eternal dwelling of God.
R. Amen.
While I imagine that nobody begrudges the couple their prominence in the liturgy and the prayers are beautiful in and of themselves, I am wondering if this is often too much of a good thing? Again, a similar point could be made about an Ordination Mass or other ritual Masses.
I know that these prayers are optional and the presider is not obliged to use these prayers, but I wonder if future editions of the Roman Missal might revise these prayers so that the whole assembly features here. Maybe they could pray for all those who are married in the assembly and for the growth of Christian marriage and family life in the assembly as a whole (or for the ordained members there present in an Ordination Mass and the promotion of vocations). Another possibility could be to invite the whole assembly to stretch their hands over the newly married couple and impart the solemn blessing at the end of the Mass.
Perhaps we could look at the example of Pope Francis during his first greetings on the day of his election when he surprised church-watchers by asking the people gathered in St Peter’s Square to bless him in silence before he gave his blessing. We could also consider the cases when lay people can perform blesings according to the Book of Blessings. The custom of parents blessing their children is beautiful. Number 18 of the General Introduction of the Book of Blessings says that lay people can celebrate blessings “in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation.” Admittedly a little later on it suggests that “whenever a priest or a deacon is present, the office of presiding should be left to him.”