Episode 3099: The New Mass: The Fracturing of the end of Mass and the Plumb-Line - Morning Episode

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Book Recommendation of the Day
St. John Chrysostom
Homilies on the Ascension: Chrysostom reflects on the transformative power of the Ascension, noting that humanity, once deemed unworthy, is now exalted to the heavenly realms through Christ.
Okay so before getting into this mornings episode I want to continue with the juxtaposing the Traditional Mass to the Novus Ordo Mass. I spoke to you about the following at the beginning of each morning episode:
• The beginning of the mass procession to the foot of the altar and the prayers at the foot of the altar.
• The Scripture readings
• The Offertory
• The Consecration (Canon Prayers)
• The Sign of Peace
• The Distribution of Holy Communion
And today I will discuss the end of the Mass. The Final Rupture: How Changes to the Closing of the Mass Undermined the Sacred and Violated the Plumb Line
From a traditional Catholic perspective, the closing rites of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass were not an afterthought they were a culmination of deep theological meaning, reverence, and continuity with the apostolic tradition. However, the liturgical revisions introduced in the Novus Ordo Missae brought sweeping changes, especially to the concluding moments of the Mass. These seemingly small omissions and rewordings in fact signify a rupture with the Catholic liturgy’s spiritual and doctrinal integrity.
In the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), the priest offers the Final Blessing, followed by the proclamation “Ite, Missa est” a powerful, mysterious phrase often misunderstood. The literal meaning is “Go, the [sacrificial] Victim has been sent,” referring to the sending forth of the Sacrifice of Christ into the world, both through the grace imparted to the faithful and the enduring presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It is not simply a dismissal, as rendered in the Novus Ordo translation, “The Mass is ended, go in peace.” That modern phrase empties the original of its sacrificial theology, reducing the Mass to a service now concluded, rather than the sending of a divine action into the souls and lives of the faithful.
The Council of Trent affirmed this sacrificial understanding when it declared:
“In this divine sacrifice… the same Christ who offered Himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the Cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner.” (Session 22, Chapter 2)
That reality is diminished almost erased when Ite, Missa est is reduced to a polite farewell. We must ask: what are we really being sent out with?
Furthermore, the Last Gospel John 1:1–14 was recited by the priest at the end of every Mass in the TLM, a solemn return to the mystery of the Incarnation: “And the Word was made flesh.” This was not mere repetition, but a final act of adoration and theological sealing of the Mass. To remove it as the Novus Ordo did is to break the liturgical arc, ending not with a return to the Logos, but with casual departure. It signals a shift in emphasis from the divine to the human.
Also omitted in the Novus Ordo are the Leonine Prayers, instituted by Pope Leo XIII and later prescribed by Pope Pius XI to be said after Low Mass. These prayers included the three Hail Mary’s, the Salve Regina, and the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel a powerful spiritual armor in a time of growing darkness. Their removal came at a time when the Church and the world needed them most, and many traditional Catholics rightly interpret their suppression as a loss of vigilance, and worse, a silencing of the Church Militant.
Even more alarming is the loss of thanksgiving after Mass, both by the priest and the people. For centuries, faithful Catholics remained after Mass to make acts of thanksgiving, recognizing the infinite gift they had just received. Today, many leave immediately, chatting in pews or rushing out as if the sacred encounter has ended. This reflects not only a liturgical change but a catechetical failure. When the liturgy no longer points explicitly to the Real Presence and the ongoing effects of grace, the faithful no longer know how to respond.
All of these changes represent a falling away from the plumb line of Catholic liturgy. In Amos 7:8, the Lord declares, “Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel.” The plumb line is a symbol of divine measure it reveals where we have deviated from vertical truth, where the spiritual structure has leaned into error, compromise, or indifference.
By altering the conclusion of the Mass its theological signposts, its words, its prayers of protection and thanksgiving the Novus Ordo has tilted away from that divine standard. Instead of reinforcing the identity of the Mass as sacrifice, Incarnation, protection, and mission, it now concludes as a communal event that has wrapped up. The vertical dimension has given way to the horizontal.
Restoring the sacred means more than reviving Latin or bringing back the Last Gospel. It means realigning the entire liturgy to the eternal plumb line of tradition, which for centuries built up saints, martyrs, and doctors of the Church. It is not nostalgia it is fidelity. And it is time to return.

"He Ascended into Heaven: The Glory and Mission of the Ascension"
Scripture Readings
Epistle – Acts of the Apostles 1:1–11
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
Reflection on the Epistle – Acts 1:1–11
In this passage, St. Luke recounts the Ascension of Jesus, highlighting His final instructions to the apostles and His departure into heaven. The Ascension marks the culmination of Christ's earthly ministry and the beginning of the Church's mission.
From a Traditional Catholic perspective, the Ascension is not merely a departure but an exaltation. Christ's return to the Father signifies the glorification of His human nature and the opening of heaven to humanity. The angels' message serves as a reminder that, while Christ has ascended, He will return, and in the meantime, the faithful are called to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Gospel – Mark 16:14–20
"So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it."
Reflection on the Gospel – Mark 16:14–20
The Gospel of Mark presents the Ascension as the final affirmation of Christ's authority and the commissioning of the apostles to preach the Gospel. Despite initial doubts, the apostles are entrusted with the mission to evangelize, with the assurance that Christ will work through them.
This passage underscores the Church's apostolic foundation and the enduring presence of Christ in her mission. The signs accompanying the apostles' preaching attest to the divine origin of their message. For the Traditional Catholic, this reinforces the importance of fidelity to apostolic teaching and the confidence that Christ continues to guide and sanctify His Church.

Traditional Feast Day – St. Maximinus of Trier
On May 29, the Church commemorates St. Maximinus of Trier, a 4th-century bishop known for his defense of orthodoxy and hospitality to exiled bishops, including St. Athanasius. His steadfastness in faith and commitment to the Church's unity serve as an example for all Christians.
Thematic Insights
• Christ's Exaltation: The Ascension celebrates Jesus' return to the Father and His enthronement at the right hand of God, affirming His divinity and kingship.
• Mission of the Church: The apostles are commissioned to continue Christ's work, emphasizing the Church's role in salvation history.
• Promise of the Holy Spirit: The Ascension sets the stage for Pentecost, highlighting the necessity of the Holy Spirit in guiding and empowering the Church.
• Hope of Christ's Return: The faithful are reminded to live in anticipation of Christ's second coming, maintaining vigilance and fidelity.

Conclusionary Prayer
Collect for the Ascension of Our Lord:
O Almighty and everlasting God, grant us both to dwell on high in mind and heart, and to seek always the things that are above; that we may be worthy to be partakers of His glory, who ascended into heaven, Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.