After the dismissal at the traditional Mass, the liturgy does not simply stop. It concludes with two beautiful customs that send the faithful out strengthened: the Last Gospel and, at Low Mass, the prayers after Mass.
The Last Gospel
As the Mass draws to a close, the priest reads the Last Gospel — the soaring opening of the Gospel of St. John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” At the words “and the Word was made flesh,” all genuflect, adoring the mystery of the Incarnation.
It is a fitting close: having just received the Word made flesh in Holy Communion, we hear proclaimed the great truth of who He is. The Last Gospel sends us back into the world with that mystery ringing in our ears — God has come among us, and dwells with us still.
The prayers after Low Mass
Following a Low Mass, it is traditional for the priest and people to kneel and pray together a short set of prayers — often called the Leonine Prayers. These include three Hail Marys, the Hail Holy Queen, a prayer for the Church, and the well-loved Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, asking his protection in the spiritual battle. They are a humble, powerful way to commend ourselves and the whole Church to God’s care as we depart.
Going forth strengthened
Together, these customs form a gentle “threshold” between the holy time of the Mass and the daily life to which we return. We do not rush out; we pause, we adore, we ask for protection, and only then do we go — carrying the grace of the Mass into the week. For families especially, these final prayers can be a treasured moment of stillness together before the day resumes.
To walk through the Mass from the beginning, see The Structure of the Mass.