Concluding Rites - Dismissal

The congregation stands for the closing rites of the Mass, which mirrors how the Mass began with the words “The Lord be with you” and the sign of the cross. This time the sign of the cross is made while the priest blesses the people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In the ancient world, it was customary to close an assembly with a formal dismissal. The early Christians felt the need to do the same. From the fourth century on, the phrase “Go, you are dismissed” was used. In the new translation of the Mass, the priest now says, “Go forth, the Mass is ended.” What is most significant about this dismissal is that the whole Liturgy receives its name, "the Mass”, from the word “Missa” or dismissal/sending in this closing line. This illustrates how the Mass should be seen as a sending forth. In the Catechism, it explains that the celebration of the Eucharist is called “Holy Mass” because the liturgy in which the mystery of salvation is accomplished concludes with the sending forth of the faithful, so that they may fulfill God’s will in their daily lives.

Jesus told the apostles, “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” The Father has sent the Son into the world to die for our sins and give us a share in his divine life. As we have seen throughout this study, the entire paschal mystery of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection is made present to us in the Eucharistic liturgy so that we can be more deeply incorporated into Jesus’ life and mission. The more deeply the Eucharist unites us to Jesus, the more we will radiate his life and his love in the world around us. The closing line of the liturgy...Go forth the Mass is ended... is not an aimless dismissal. It is a dismissal with a mission. It is sending us forth as God’s people to bring the mysteries of Christ into the world.