Why is it called the "Mass"?

[quiet52]

What I have taught people in more simple terms – that the word “Mass” is derived from a Latin phrase which loosely means being sent or dismissed.
We attend the liturgy because it is our obligation to worship as a community. Hearing the Word and celebrating the Paschal Mystery nourishes and strengthens us so that we may better work at accomplishing the mission of the Church, which is to evangelize. In other words during the Dismissal Rite at the end of the Mass we are sent to tend to the Church’s mission.

 

[ProVobis]

What I have taught people in more simple terms – that the word “Mass” is derived from a Latin phrase which loosely means being sent or dismissed.

That’s a reasonable conclusion given the many languages which use the term in some form.

 

[dnar]

What I have taught people in more simple terms – that the word “Mass” is derived from a Latin phrase which loosely means being sent or dismissed.
We attend the liturgy because it is our obligation to worship as a community. Hearing the Word and celebrating the Paschal Mystery nourishes and strengthens us so that we may better work at accomplishing the mission of the Church, which is to evangelize. In other words during the Dismissal Rite at the end of the Mass we are sent to tend to the Church’s mission.

This seems like a response that a Protestant may consider a good answer. Thanks.

 

[patrick457]

Indulging in a little geekiness here.

Arabic: قُدّاس (ar) (quddās) m

Quddās literally means ‘hallowing’ or ‘sanctification’. The Syriac quddasha (ܩܘܕܫܐ) is a related term.

Armenian: պատարագ (hy) (patarag)

The Armenian պատարագ (badarak/patarag/patarak) literally means ‘sacrifice’. Hence, Սուրբ Պատարագ (Surb Badarak) “the Holy Sacrifice.”

Breton: Oferenn (br) f
Irish: Aifreann (ga) m
Scottish Gaelic: Aifreann (gd) m and f

All three Celtic languages derive their term for the liturgy from the late Latin offerenda (‘offering’), via the Old Irish oifrend. Interestingly, the Offertory is called the offerenda in Milan (Ambrosian Rite).

Vietnamese: thánh lễ (vi), lễ mét (vi)

Thánh lễ is ‘ritual’ (cf. 典禮/典礼 Mandarin diǎnlǐ, Japanese tenrei).

All the others, of course, derive their term from the Latin missa. (Hungarian szentmise is from sancta missa ‘holy Mass’!)

 

[ProVobis]

FWIW, the Polish Mass has Ite Missa est translated as Idźcie, ofiara spełniona, “Go, the sacrifice/offering has been fulfilled/completed.”