What Does Mass Mean?
We proudly announce to our non-Catholic relatives and friends that we go to Mass. But do we really know what we are attending when we do go? And why is it important for us to go? In order to correctly answer that question, we should first begin by understanding what the word “Mass” means.
The English word “Mass” is derived from the Latin word, missa, which means dismissal. At the end of the Mass, the priest says, “Go; the Mass is ended” or in Latin, “Ite, missa est”. If “Mass” means to “go” or “be dismissed”, then why is the whole thing called a Mass? Why do we even participate in a “dismissal” ceremony?
Well, fortunately we have the benefit of writings of Church Fathers, who carefully recorded church history from the time of the Apostles. Some of whom actually lived at the time of the last of the Apostles who were still alive after Our Lord’s Ascension to Heaven. For example, there was St. Polycarp (among others) who knew St. John, the Apostle. One of St. Polycarp’s disciples was St. Irenaeus of Lyons. We find extensive writings on the Eucharistic celebration and his writings are authentic, as they came directly from the teachings of the Apostles, through his mentor, St. Polycarp.
In one of St. Irenaeus’ writings, he speaks of the Lord’s Last Supper, also called the Lord’s first Mass – a sacrifice of bread and wine, which was consecrated and became His Body and His Blood. It was at that time that the Lord instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which is the sacrificial portion of the Mass. It is also in the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist that the Lord gave the Apostles the command to offer a bloodless sacrifice in memory of Him.
It is written that after the Resurrection, the Apostles and the Lord were having a conversation concerning the sacrificial offering. They wondered, if He had already paid the ultimate price in the Paschal Sacrifice, did they have to still offer a bloodless one? Jesus replied, “'Yes, it is necessary, until I come again from the Father'” (Epistola Apostolorum 13; A.D. 140). Ethiopian Trans. Envoy Mag.
The central part of the Mass is the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Though there are four parts, the Introduction, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Conclusion, the entire Mass is a sacrifice. So not only are we obligated to fulfill a command from Our Lord. But at the same time, we recognize and participate in the Mass offered by Melchisedec. “Then Melchisedec, the king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; for he was a priest of the Most High God.” Genesis 14:18. The importance of our participation in the Mass is further justified when Our Lord is acknowledged as priest. “Thou art a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech.” Hebrews 7:17
We see now in the Old and New Testaments that God has required priestly sacrifices. We also see that the Mass is an elaborate preparation for us to “Go”. When we have participated, and when the Mass is concluded, we then are armed and fully prepared to fulfill the last instruction of Our Lord before His Ascension, “Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.” St. Mark 16:15 That’s what the Mass means.