The season of Advent marks a time of expectancy and new beginnings. In the Church, we begin the new liturgical year. And this Advent offers us the opportunity for an added new beginning in our liturgical prayer life as we begin using the new translation of the Roman Missal.

The first question in many minds is: Why do we now have a new translation? During the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II authorized the third edition of the Roman Missal in Latin and its translation into English as a continuation of the Vatican II’s liturgical renewal. Following the arduous work of translation, a text that more closely follows the ancient Latin has been produced, revealing the beauty of the original language and heightening the sense of Scriptural allusions in the liturgy.

This time of change offers the opportunity to renew our appreciation of the Mass. Vatican II’s document, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, called for people to more actively participate in the Mass. The best way to do this is by going to Mass with a prepared heart, to participate in an active manner during the liturgy, and then to live the Mass by bringing Christ into our everyday life.

A wonderful help to participate better in Mass is to use a missal, and Pauline Books & Media is honored to be able to publish our new Saint Paul Sunday Missal and Saint Paul Daily Missal, which contains the Sunday and weekday Masses in one volume. Both missals contain the Order of the Mass, the prayers and reading for each day, short reflections before the readings, and a Treasury of Prayers.

An excellent way to participate in Mass more fruitfully is to prepare by reading ahead of time the Scripture of the day. With the word already beginning to grow in our hearts, we can benefit more as we listen to the word proclaimed during the liturgy and explained in the homily. And if you’re not able to go to daily Mass, having the Scripture readings available in the missal makes it easier to join your prayers to that of the whole Church.