THE LAST GOSPEL

Our friends will wonder why in the Extra Ordinary form of the Roman Rite after the dismissal of the priest or by the deacon, the celebrant proceeds to the Gospel side to read the last gospel (John 1-14). This portion of the liturgy is actually not an original part of the celebration but grew as part of tradition. In ancient times it was said that the early Christians have this devotion of reading the first chapter of the Gospel according to John. And in many parts of Europe prior to the Council of Trent, there were several variants of the Roman Liturgy depending on the custom of the locality. It was said that some Bishops would recite this last gospel by heart while processing from the altar and while removing the vestments as a form of devotional prayer after the mass. There are variant practices of this custom from place to place. But during the time of Pope St. Pius V when he reformed the Roman Rite he made the recitation of the last Gospel mandatory and part of the Ordinary of the Mass. Thus we have the custom of reading the last gospel after the dismissal. Prior to the Council of Trent there were variations in the liturgy pretty much the same way we have now. These are what we call enculturated liturgies. But the council of Trent found out that this trend was detrimental for the welfare of the Church. Especially with the spread of Protestantism and various heresies like Jansenism which posed serious threat to the belief of the Church. Various Bishoprics have their own missals and how easy it is for discrepancies and even heresy to creep inside these texts and influence the faith of the people. Believing that the Liturgy is the Church’s Law of Prayer and that the Law of Prayer becomes the Law of Belief, Pius V by authority of the Council of Trent codified the Roman Liturgy and made it mandatory in perpetuity by a papal Bull Quo Primum. An indult was given for Liturgies that has reached the age of 200 years. Those with less than 200 years of existence have to be abandoned in favor of the Tridentine Rite. The Tridentine Rite is actually not a new rite. It was the existing liturgy in Rome that was codified by Pius V. Its ultimate source is the Liturgy of St. Gregory the Great. In much the same way as the ancient Liturgies of the East had their origin from the Liturgy of St. Chrysostom and St. Basil.