A line in the current translation of the Roman Canon has always struck me as strange. “You know how firmly we believe in you…” Something is odd about it, almost infantilized in its expression, and also introducing an affirmation of some vague belief in God that one does not expect to be even be up in the air at all at this point in the Mass. I can’t entirely put my finger on it but there’s something about it that seems peculiar.
In any case, starting next year, this line is gone and replaced with a phrase that strikes me as much more dignified: “and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you.”
And that’s just the beginning of the changes. What we will hear from the sanctuary, starting next year, is firmer, more dignified, more theologically robust, more mature, more elegant. The effects of this will not be immediate but it could be very profound over the long term.
This is my own comparison between the current (old) and future (new) translation. By comparison, the old seems like it was edited by a copyeditor at Newsweek with its pervasive and affectedly active voice, wheres the new sound serious and authentic, more like prayer. Again, this is just my ear talking here. For my part, I’m thrilled. P.S. Traditionalists can remove your “pro multis” lapel pins now.
(This is my own comparison; please alert me to any typos)
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OLD TRANSLATION
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NEW TRANSLATION
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We come to you, Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son.
Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice. We offer them for your holy catholic Church, watch over it, Lord, and guide it; grant it peace and unity throughout the world. We offer them for N. our Pope, for N. our bishop, and for all who hold and teach the catholic faith that comes to us from the apostles.
Remember, Lord, your people, especially those for whom we now pray, N. et N. Remember all of us gathered here before you. You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves to you. We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves and those who are dear to us. We pray to you, our living and true God, for our well-being and redemption.
In union with the whole Church we honor Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We honor Joseph, her husband, the apostles and martyrs Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; we honor Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all the saints. May their merits and prayers grant us your constant help and protection.
Father, accept this offering from your whole family. Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen.
Bless and approve our offering; make it acceptable to you, an offering in spirit and in truth. Let it become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.
The day before he suffered he took bread in his sacred hands and looking up to heaven, to you, his almighty Father, he gave you thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you.
When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said: Take this all of you and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.
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To you, therefore, most merciful Father,we make humble prayer and petitionthrough Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord: that you accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for your holy catholic Church. Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard, unite and govern her throughout the whole world,together with your servant N. our Pope and N. our Bishop,* and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on the catholic and apostolic faith.
Remember, Lord, your servants N. and N. and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them, for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true. In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude: Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all your Saints: we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help. Therefore, Lord, we pray: graciously accept this oblation of our service, that of your whole family; order our days in your peace, and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation and counted among the flock of those you have chosen.
Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
On the day before he was to suffer, he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying: take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you. In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands, and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying: take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. do this in memory of me.
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The line has always struck me, (even as a child,) as an echo of St. Peter's whining when Christ repeatedly asks him if he love Him.
(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
"loveS"
Jeff: I don't know if you've seen it, but there's a couple of great charts on the USCCB's website that has the old version and the new version side-by-side with the parts that are changing bolded in both texts:
For the faithful:
http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/samples-people.shtml
For priests:
http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/samples-priest-intro.shtml
You might consider updating your post to include links to these.
Yes, I saw those but they don't give much information and don't highlight the significant and massive improvements we find in the Eucharistic prayers. This is why I made this chart above.
It is striking, isn't it?
no comparison. The new translation is much better than the puerile one from the 1970s
I wish they would put the traditional signs of the cross back were they are in the EF. Even if they just made it an option like the (through Christ Our Lord) at the end of some sections of the prayer. It just seems to make more sense.
They are there. I just took out anything non-text.