#hope I didn't accidentally detract from the point of the post

[completewannabe]

gonna add my two (or three or four or five) cents here:

The one thing for me about the TLM is the Last Gospel. In the original Latin text (and the TLM), the dismissal is "Ite, Missa est." This is translated in the NO as "Go forth, the Mass has ended," but it really means something more akin to "Go, she [the Church] is sending or is being sent." And then the Last Gospel reminds you of what you're being sent for.

For those of you who don't happen to have a Bible on hand, let me put it into perspective (John 1:1-14, NAB RE translation, I'm italicizing, bolding and spacing for emphasis so bear with me).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be.

What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came to be through Him, but the world did not know Him.

He came to what was His own, but His own people did not accept Him.

But to those who did accept Him, He gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,

who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us,

and we saw His glory

the glory as of the Father's only Son,

full of grace and truth."

Uh, yeah. Read that again for me.

So basically, they tell you to go out and spread the Good News, and then they tell you exactly what the Good News is!!!!!!

You have been given the power to become CHILDREN OF GOD!!! Why wouldn't you want to tell everyone??

YOU WERE MADE NOT BY NATURAL CIRCUMSTANCE NOR BY HUMAN CHOICE NOR BY A MAN'S DECISION BUT OF GOD!!! How many people need to hear that these days?? You are not a mistake, you were CHOSEN you were FORMED you were CREATED by God in this wonderful mystic unknown fantastical mystery because he LOVES you and he WANTS you!!!! And you've just been given the most precious Body and Blood of His Son, the most perfect unity and intimacy with God!! How wonderful amazing powerful is that??

The light spreads in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it!!! EVIL CANNOT PREVAIL OVER THE LORD!!!

Jesus is the Messiah, He was in the beginning with God! THIS IS AFFIRMING JESUS' DIVINITY AND HIS GLORY AND DOMINION AND POWER! AND JOHN SAYS "WE SAW THIS GLORY" AND YOU JUST DID BECAUSE YOU SAW THE LORD IN THE MASS IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST!!!!

And we bow at the bit where it says "And the Word became flesh," just as we bowed at the Nicene Creed, "And the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man." Because we are reminded that He came down for us!! We profess it again as we hear it proclaimed that Jesus came down in the flesh!!!

In conclusion, the Last Gospel is important because it tells us exactly what we're supposed to say and how we're supposed to profess the Gospel. It is a very very powerful reading. That is my favorite part of the TLM and the thing I miss the most when I go to an NO Mass.

tbh now that I have this essay I might ask my parish priest if we can start saying the Last Gospel at my local (NO) church because I go to a college church (it's Campus Ministry) and we could really really use that.

A brief comparison of the liturgical prayers of the TLM (traditional Latin Mass) and the Novus Ordo.

Most practicing Catholics know that major revisions were made to Roman Catholic Mass in 1969, but aside from the language of the liturgy, what has changed?

The Latin Mass has nearly twice as many prayers as the New Mass.

Orations

Of all the rotating prayers (orations) 83% are unique to the TLM. In the new missal, 669 of the original 1,273 orations have been removed, and of the remaining, only 13% were left unchanged.

Reverence

Even the number of times the priest kisses the altar, genuflects, and makes the sign of the cross, has been severely reduced

A Different Cycle of Scripture Readings

The new Roman missal has a three year cycle - a well intentioned attempt to expose the laity to more scripture in the Mass. However given the nature of the three year cycle, it's inevitable that the readings will not align as appropriately and succinctly as the specially chosen readings of the older one year cycle when it comes to specific feasts and the liturgical seasons, a choice of quantity over quality unfortunately.

I leave it to the reader to decide for his or herself whether the older one year or newer three year cycle is preferable.

The Last Gospel

Catholics who have never attended a Latin Mass may be surprised to learn that following communion and dismissal, there is a lengthy gospel reading called The Last Gospel (John 1:1-14).

Why the last Gospel?

From the notations of the 1962 Roman Daily Missal:

The Mass began with the longing cry of the Old Testament: "Send forth Thy light and Thy truth!" It could not be concluded in a more worthy and more sublime manner than with the words of St. John: "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

And according to Catholic author Msgr. George J. Moorman, in his book, The Latin Mass Explained:

This reading, in the course of time, was added to the Eucharistic service on account of the great reverence the early Christians entertained for this portion of the Gospel and because it contains a summary of the benefits of which we are made partakers through Christ’s Sacrifice. The service was introduced by the prayer of the priest: ‘Send forth Thy Light and Thy Truth!’ It could not be concluded in a more becoming manner than with the words, ‘AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.’ At the words ‘AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH’, the priest and the people kneel on one knee in token of adoration of the mystery of the Incarnation, which is expressed in these words, and to indicate that the Son of God came from Heaven to earth. When the priest has finished the reading of this Gospel, the server answers, ‘Deo Gratias’—‘Thanks Be To God.’ These are the last words of the Mass.

Unfortunately this beautiful gospel passage and it's place of honor have been completely removed in the New Mass, and it's omission may even (as a matter of personal opinion) have contributed to the enormous number of people who leave Mass early immediately following Holy Communion.

Conclusion

Dearest Reader, I have attempted to be objective and only present facts in the above, however it may be clear to those of you who are familiar with my blog, where my biases lay. I am a Latin Mass Catholic, I love the traditional liturgy and will never stop advocating for the timeless Mass of ages that has brought untold numbers of faithful to the Lord for over a millennia. However, I make no judgment on the faithful who prefer the New Mass, nor do I mean to suggest that the Novus Ordo is in any way invalid. I only ask that all consider the information I have compiled and do your own research, that you may come to your own well informed conclusions. God Love You!

If any have questions or further interest in the topic of the Traditional Latin Mass my DMs are open or you may send an 'ask', I will answer or redirect you to the best of my ability.

(Credit to The Mass of the Ages project for images above)