The Mass - Advent 2011 - The Roman Missal Third Edition Part 3

The Mass

Advent 2011

Roman Missal Third Edition

Part 3

The Gloria

Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe

Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son

During Advent (as well as during Lent) the Gloria is suppressed, so our first introduction to the new translation of the Gloria will be at Christmas Vigil. This prayer will seem quite different to those (myself included) who learned the Gloria after Vatican II. I will break this down into four parts with four sections each, old version, original Latin version, Latin translation, and new version. (changes in blue)

Old Version

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Original Latin Version
Gloria in excelsis Deo

et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Latin Translation

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth to men of good will.

New Version

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to people of good will.

The Gloria is an ancient hymn of praise to the Trinity that has been in use in the Church since the second century. The opening line of the hymn is taken from Scripture (Luke 2:14), where the angels announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.” (Douay-Rheims) The new translation will be not only a closer translation of the Latin, but also more closely replicates the words of praise used by the angels at the Nativity.

Old Version

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you,

we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

Original Latin Version

Laudamus te, benedicimus te,
adoramus te, lorificamus te,
gratias agimus tibi

propter magnam gloriam tuam,
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis,
Deus Pater omnipotens.

Latin Translation

We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks
for your great glory,

O Lord God, heavenly King,

God the Father Almighty.

New Version

We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks
for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.

The new translation will be almost a direct translation from the Latin and the words replicate Scripture, giving praise and glory to God the Father, calling him Almighty and King. “I am the Lord Almighty.” (Genesis 17:1) “As God the Almighty I appeared to Moses..” (Exodus 6:3) “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:18) “Who is the King of glory?  The Lord of hosts is the king of glory.” (Psalm 24:10) “Shout with joy to the King, the Lord.” (Psalm 98:6) “The Lord is King.” (Psalm 99:1) “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” (Revelation 4:8) “We give thanks to you, Lord God almighty, who are and who were.” (Revelation 11:17) 

Old Version
Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

Original Latin Version

Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe,

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,
Filius Patris,

qui tollis peccata mundi,

miserere nobis;

qui tollis peccata mundi,

suscipe deprecationem nostram.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,

miserere nobis.

Latin Translation

Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father,

You take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us;

You take away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.

New Version

Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us;

you take away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer;

You are seated at the right hand of

the Father, have mercy on us.

Again the new translation is a more direct translation of the Latin than the old version which was using what was considered a more understandable translation or, dynamic equivalence. Of equal importance, the changing of “only Son of the Father,” to “only begotten Son,” more clearly articulates Jesus’ divine Sonship. The second person of the Trinity was the Son of God from/for all eternity.




The prologue of John’s gospel makes this clear, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” (John 1:1) Jesus is the Logos, the eternal Word of God. “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us at his incarnation, but for all eternity he is/was.


In the 4th century Arius taught that Jesus was a creature made by God which caused great confusion in the church. This heresy of Arianism was condemned in 325 at the First Council of Nicaea with the development of the Creed of Nicaea. "We believe . . . in our one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, the only-begotten born of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made .." (First Council of Nicaea 325)

In 381 at the Council of Constantinople, the Nicene Creed was approved, firmly denouncing Arianism and putting an end to any confusion regarding the divinity of Christ. The change in the Gloria from “only son” to “only begotten son” continues to condemn any reprisal of the heresy of Arianism, echoing the Nicene Creed and clearly establishing Jesus as “true God of true God begotten, not made.”

Old Version

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father, Amen

Original Latin Version
Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,

tu solus Dominus,
tu solus Altissimus,
Iesu Christe,
cum Sancto Spiritu
in gloria Dei Patris. Amen

Latin Translation

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen

New Verson
For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father, Amen

The fourth and final portion of the Gloria is a direct translation from the Latin and contains no changes from the old translation we used before Advent.

Next Part Four the Creed

___
Art
Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ - Flinck
Adoration of the Maji - Rubens
Seven Sacraments Altarpiece (portion)  - Rogier van der Weyden