New English Translation of the Roman Missal: Part5 from St. John Neumann on Vimeo.
Monday, December 26, 2011
New Translation Monday: Audio Presentation V
New English Translation of the Roman Missal: Part5 from St. John Neumann on Vimeo.
Friday, December 23, 2011
O Emmanuel
Latin: O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.
Literal Translation: O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.
Translation in the Breviary: O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.
There are several Scriptural references that prompt this antiphon and its understanding:
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.
Isaiah 8:7-8
therefore, the Lord is bringing up against it the mighty flood waters of the River, the king of Assyria and all his glory; it will rise above all its channels and overflow all its banks; it will sweep on into Judah as a flood, and, pouring over, it will reach up to the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Haggai 2:7
And I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 1:23
"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."
The relevant verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is
O come, o come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Tonight, perhaps before dinner or before retiring to bed, pray the antiphon as a family and/or sing the verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Vader, Did You Know?
With all of the discussion resulting from a previous post on the song, "Mary, Did You Know?", I thought this would be a stupendous Christmas gift for all of you. We may not agree on the merits or lack thereof in the song about the Blessed Mother, but I think we can all attest to the humor in the following rendition.*
Hat tip to Darwin Catholic for this.
* Of course, I better not hear this version at Midnight Mass!
Hat tip to Darwin Catholic for this.
* Of course, I better not hear this version at Midnight Mass!
O Rex Gentium
The O Antiphon for December 22 is O Rex Gentium.
Latin: O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.
Literal Translation: O King of the gentiles and their desired One, the cornerstone that makes both one: come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.
Translation in the Breviary: O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.
There are several Scriptural references that prompt this antiphon and its understanding:
Isaiah 9:7
His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 2:4
He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation: "One who trusts will not panic."
Psalm 118:22
The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
Matthew 21:42
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'?
Mark 12:10
Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
Luke 20:17
But he looked at them and said, "What then does this text mean: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?
Acts 4:11
This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.'
Ephesians 2:19-20
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
1 Peter 2:6
For it stands in scripture: "See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, King of the nations!
The relevant verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is
O come, Desire of nations, bind,
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of peace.
Tonight, perhaps before dinner or before retiring to bed, pray the antiphon as a family and/or sing the verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
George Bailey and Saint Joseph
No other movie is associated with the pre-Christmas ramp-up like Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life. The timelessness of the film is due in large part to its wholesomeness and projection of quality Christian values, two attributes missing from the vast majority of contemporary cinematic features. Often over looked, however, is the striking resemblance that the main character, George Bailey, has with the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph. Let’s examine several parallels.
To save the Christ child from Herod’s massacre of the Holy Innocents, St. Joseph took his family out of harm’s way. While not directly related, there is a heroism of sorts in the character of George Bailey. As a young boy, he rescues his brother Harry from drowning, suffering an injury to his ear in the process. In his part-time job in the local drugstore, George suffers a beating from his employer rather than delivering the wrong medicine that had inadvertently been filled with poison. Much like St. Joseph was a quiet figure in the New Testament, it is Harry that receives the renowned fame of a hero rather than his brother George.
Perhaps the most obvious parallel is that St. Joseph and George Bailey are both in love with a woman named Mary. George is a man filled with plans, hopes, and dreams. At one point he tells his wife, “I know what I’m going to do tomorrow and the next day and the next year and the year after that.” But things do not work out the way the George plans. He never fills his suitcase, never travels the globe, and in reality never makes it out of Bedford Falls. It is not unreasonable to think that Joseph felt the same. Engaged to Mary, he finds her pregnant with a child that is not her own. Certainly his situation is far from ideal in the life of any Jewish man. The same desperate plea form George Bailey when crisis hits, “I wish I had never been born”, very well could be put on the lips of St. Joseph as he wrestles to cope with his own situation. After all, Joseph’s initial reaction was to “divorce Mary quietly.”
At the height of personal crisis, both Joseph and George are visited by an angel sent by God. The angel, in both cases, reveals to the men the crucial role they have played and must continue to play in the lives of those around them, a role that can only be fulfilled by abandonment of personal ambitions and preconceptions. Clarence, the angel sent to George Bailey, says, “Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole.” Not only is this a perfect description of God’s providence, it also leads us to recognize the essential role that Joseph played in the plan of salvation. What would have happened had Joseph decided to divorce Mary in spite of the angel’s plea? The “hole” left would have had cosmic consequences.
In the revelation given to George, he comes to realize not only the direct impact that he has on his friends and family, but also the “butterfly effect” so to speak. In other words, critical decisions made by people in George’s life could only have been made because of George’s influence. Likewise, while Mary’s fiat came before Joseph’s, we cannot overlook the fact that his decision to take her into his home must have influenced the behavior of the Blessed Mother and her role in the life of Jesus.
Finally, the movie opens with the offering of a prayer, “I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father. Joseph, Jesus, and Mary. Help my friend Mr. Bailey.” The usual order of intercession is, “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary.” The script seems to give added importance to the intercession of St. Joseph. The prayer is heard by the foster father of Jesus, for it is Joseph who approaches God, who asks, “Trouble, Joseph?” Joseph tells God of George Bailey, and because of his intercession, the angel Clarence is sent to earth to save Mr. Bailey from himself. Not only does this add to the parallels between St. Joseph and George, but it also gives a beautiful witness to the Catholic teaching on intercessory prayer.
After reading Fr. Cameron’s editorial, I can no longer watch It’s A Wonderful Life without thinking about St. Joseph. For this reason, the most watched Christmas movie of all time provides a tremendous opportunity for Advent preparation.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
NB. The above is inspired by an editorial written by Peter John Cameron, O.P., in the publication Magnificat some years ago. For the life of me, I cannot locate the piece either in print or online. The observations are based on my own notes from Fr. Cameron's article. If someone has a link to his original text, please send it my way, and I am happy to give credit where credit is due.
NB. The above is inspired by an editorial written by Peter John Cameron, O.P., in the publication Magnificat some years ago. For the life of me, I cannot locate the piece either in print or online. The observations are based on my own notes from Fr. Cameron's article. If someone has a link to his original text, please send it my way, and I am happy to give credit where credit is due.
O Oriens
The O Antiphon for December 21 is O Oriens.
Latin: O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol iustitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.
Literal Translation: O dawn of the east, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice: come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Translation in the Breviary: O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
There are several Scriptural references that prompt this antiphon and its understanding:
Isaiah 9:2
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined.
Malachi 4:2
But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
Luke 1:78-79
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
The relevant verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is
O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer,
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Tonight, perhaps before dinner or before retiring to bed, pray the antiphon as a family and/or sing the verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
O Clavis David
The O Antiphon for December 20 is O Clavis David.
Latin: O clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris.
Literal Translation: O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: come, and bring forth the captive from his prison, he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Translation in the Breviary: O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.
There are several Scriptural references that prompt this antiphon and its understanding:
Isaiah 22:22
I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open.
Isaiah 9:6
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Revelation 3:7
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”
The relevant verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is
O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Tonight, perhaps before dinner or before retiring to bed, pray the antiphon as a family and/or sing the verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Jarring Secular Santa
There is a local radio station that plays Christmas music twenty-four-seven this time of year. In the space between songs, they interview children regarding their favorite thing about Christmas. The response that has been playing for the past couple days is a young boy who answers, “If I lived a long time ago, I would say Jesus, but since I don’t, my favorite thing is the presents.” Of course, there are numerous problems with this, too many to dive into really, but the main point is that the idea of gift giving has not only ceased to be connected with the Christ Child, but has also usurped Him altogether. It is one thing for the secular to supplant the sacred, but in the case of Christmas, the secular has secularized the sacred. That is, it has taken actions and symbols that are historically religious in origin and has removed the religion form them. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the case of Santa Claus.
Of course, everyone knows that the image of Santa comes from a Catholic Saint: Saint Nicholas. Yet somehow the person of Santa has been disassociated from his proper history: the humble Bishop who gave away his belongings to help the townspeople. He now comes complete with the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, elves, and reindeer. I have been searching for sometime for the proper adjective to describe this phenomenon. The other day, I read an article from the homeschooling magazine Mater et Magistra and found my long sought after adjective. This juxtaposition of the secular Santa with anything authentically Christmas is jarring:
“Not only is it difficult to fully appreciate what God has done in becoming man, it’s also hard to focus on Christ during this time of the year because of all the unavoidable distractions. No matter how non-existent Santa is in your home, he’s absolutely everywhere else. Lately they’ve even got him kneeling next to the manger. That’s a good thing, I know, but when you were trying to transport your mind and heart to the incredible night when Christ was born, seeing Santa there is jarring. The kings, the camels, the cow, donkey and sheep all help. Santa does not. He distracts us.” (“Mary and the Church” by Maria Rioux, Mater et Magistra Volume 3, Number 3)
The kings, the camels, the cow, donkey, and sheep were all part of the original Nativity scene. Santa was not.
I even know a priest who pulled a stunt one year at the Christmas Eve Mass. After the homily, he arranged for Santa Claus to visit the church. Santa quietly entered from the Sacristy, and he and the priest walk over to the creche set and prayed in front of the infant Jesus. The point, I gather, was that Santa should somehow lead us to Jesus, and admittedly the intention was good. The problem is, it didn’t work. The children, rather than focussing on the Christ Child, remembered only one thing: Santa was at Church tonight. Of course, many parents thought it was a greatest homily ever preached, though few could remember the actual homily. For my own part, it was simply jarring. On the second most solemn night of the entire liturgical year, when our hearts and minds are supposed to be wrapped, like swaddling clothes, around the infant Jesus, they were instead lost in the secular image of the man from the North Pole.
What is to be done? Is the image of Saint Nicholas lost forever? I don’t think so, but I think it would take radical steps in order to rescue the saintly bishop from the jolly old elf. The first step is to associate the man not with Christmas Day, but rather with his feast day on December 6. Feast days are give to us by the Church for a reason - celebrate them!
The second step brings us back full circle to the quote form the radio. Santa and presents go hand in hand. Rescuing Saint Nicholas from his secular self will necessarily involve rescuing gift-giving from the clutches of commercialism. We give gifts to express the gift of the Christ Child, not to satisfy our deepest longings for the latest fashions, technologies, and toys. Simplify your Christmas. Our family gives three gifts to each child to represent the three gifts of the Magi.
Above all, keep the Liturgy at the center of the Solemnity. Don’t fall into the temptation to go to Christmas Eve Mass so that Christmas Day is “free from distraction.” Midnight Mass is brilliant, and it is well worth the late hours, yet not feasible for all ages. Yet Mass on Christmas Day is unique in itself and can go a long way in setting the tone for the celebration. Our family wakes up on Christmas morning bright and early for the first available Mass. After Mass we come home for a formal breakfast, and after breakfast we pray Lauds together. Only after that do we even consider opening a gift.
Have the children open gifts one at a time. The worst thing a child can do is to tear into one gift after another, always looking for something “better”. In fact, I’ll go one step further. The solemnity of Christmas lasts through the entire octave (and the season of Christmas long past that). Spread the gift giving out to emphasize that the Christmas Season did not begin the day after Thanksgiving and end on the 25th of December, but rather begins on Christmas Day and lasts throughout the next several weeks.
Simplify your Christmas, and keep it about the infant Jesus, not about Santa. At the very least, keep the Creche about Christ - no jarring Santas.
O Radix Jesse
The O Antiphon for December 19 is O Radix Jesse.
Latin: O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.
Literal Translation: O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: come, to deliver us, and tarry not.
Translation in the Breviary: O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.
There are several Scriptural references that prompt this antiphon and its understanding:
Isaiah 11:1
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
Isaiah 11:10
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Micah 5:1
Now you are walled around with a wall; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel upon the cheek.
Romans 15:8-13
For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name"; and again he says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people"; and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him"; and again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope." May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Revelation 5:1-5
Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."
The relevant verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is
O come, O Rod of Jesse free,
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
Tonight, perhaps before dinner or before retiring to bed, pray the antiphon as a family and/or sing the verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
New Translation Monday: Audio Presentation IV
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Bulletin Blurbs: A Bizarre Take on the Annunciation
There was a very bizarre reflection on the Sunday Gospel in our bulletin today. Like many parishes, we use the “pre-packaged” OCP reflections. (This is not the first time that I have written about these “added bonuses” from our dear friends at OCP.) The author this time is Deacon Owen Cummings. Here is his reflection:
Luke 1:26-38By Deacon Owen CummingsWe are so familiar with this story that perhaps we miss something of its depth and profundity and novelty. First, Mary’s condition: she is in love; she is betrothed, that is, she has consented to be Joseph’s wife but has not yet been taken to live with him, “she does not know man.” Second, the angel says to her, “The Lord is with you.” Actually, the Greek says, “The Lord with you,” that is, there is no verb. The fact that there is no verb suggests a powerful and certain presence of the Lord with Mary. This powerful and certain presence will become yet even more intense and intimate when she “conceives and bears a son,” and God becomes Mary’s baby. This happens through the power of the Holy Spirit “overshadowing” Mary. This word “overshadow,” in Greek episkiazein trails with it images of God’s presence in the sanctuary of the Temple, and at the Transfiguration. God is indeed very present to, with and in Mary. There is, however, no element of compulsion in God’s presence. One commentator, Tina Beattie, says: “God waited while Mary deliberated. The history of the world hung in the balance as a young girl considered the options before her.” God’s gracious presence is invitational and persuasive, never coercive. Finally, we notice that no man is present in the narrative. The angel Gabriel is a spirit, not a man, and, while Joseph is mentioned as Mary’s betrothed, he plays no role in the narrative. As Tina Beattie says, “Man has claimed the right to silence every voice but his, but when God speaks to Mary, he restores the power of speech to women by explicitly excluding man from the event.” Truly something/ One new is incarnating here.
It should be noted that the quoted author, Tina Beattie, is dangerously close to disobedience on magisterial teachings. if not blatantly over the line: teachings such as abortion, contraception, women’s ordination, and valid baptismal formula’s. At the very least, she is certainly on the fringe of “Catholic theology”*, with a conception of God and Church that does not find support in Church documents nor in the Tradition of our Faith. (Actually, Beattie acknowledges this fact, and laments that it is the case.) Her musings are novel, or rather examples of novelty, and therefore are cause for treading lightly. In fact, her magna carta of sorts contains language and imagery that borders on pornographic and was certainly too graphic to replicate here.
With regards to her interpretation of the Annunciation, it is obviously loaded with ideology rather than grounded in actual reason. While is is true that Mary was alone for the event, I hardly think it was because of God’s desire to exclude men. Rather, it seems more likely that God wanted to exclude all others, both men and women, from this scene. Why? It is the same reason that the Creed, properly translated, must begin with an I. While salvation will be offered to all, our response is always individual. We stand before God alone, now and at the end of our life for judgement. Communion is created by the Eucharist, but only because of the personal act of faith on the part of individual believers. Mary, who gave a singular response at a hinge moment in salvation history, does so with a personal fiat.
With regards to the exclusion of men, we should remember that the Gospel passage names at least three men: Joseph, Jacob, and David. We should also point out that at least one man was present, albeit after the fiat: Jesus Incarnate. The Church, in her teaching that life begins at conception, acknowledges the presence of Jesus’ humanity, a humanity that is decisively male, at the moment of conception.
Lest I be misunderstood, this is not to say that the Church, both past and present, fails to acknowledge the importance of the woman in salvation history, particularly at the moment of the Annunciation. The Catholic Church elevates the status of Mary, more often than not to the chagrin of our Protestant brother’s and sisters, with doctrines such as the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, etc. The Church is, and always has been, remarkably pro-woman.
Returning the Beattie’s interpretation, I tried to find some basis in early Church history, to see if the “absence of man” has any basis in the writings of the early days of the Faith. I read through the corresponding commentary in Thomas’ Catena Aurea to get a broad sampling of early writings on Luke’s account. Not surprisingly, there is nothing to the found that even remotely supports Beattie’s ideas. Rather, we find a variety of far more reasonable thoughts.
Ambrose indicates that the solitude of Mary during the Annunciation is related to her inviolability. He says, “Mark the virgin by her manner of life. Alone in an inner chamber, unseen by the eyes of men, discovered only by an angel; as it is said, And the angel came in to her. That she might not be dishonored by any ignoble address, she is saluted by an angel.”
Gregory of Nyssa draws a connection between the failed response of Eve and the Fiat of Mary: “Far different then to the news formerly addressed to the woman, is the announcement now made to the Virgin. In the former, the cause of sin was punished by the pains of childbirth; In the latter, through gladness, sorrow is driven away. Hence the angel not unaptly proclaims joy to the Virgin, saying, Hail.”
Finally, under the title “Greek Ex,” Thomas says, “But this is the sum of the whole message. The Word of God, as the Bridegroom, effecting an incomprehensible union, Himself, as it were, the same both planting, and being planted, has molded the whole nature of man into Himself. But comes last the most perfect and comprehensive salutation; Blessed are you among women. i.e. Alone, far before all other women; that women also should be blessed in you, as men are in your Son; but rather both in both. For as by one man and one woman came at once both sin and sorrow, so now also by one woman and one man has both blessing and joy been restored, and poured forth upon all.”
Mary’s solitude is given as a solitude among women, an “antidote to Eve” so to speak, just as Christ Jesus enjoyed a solitude among men, as the “New Adam.”
The charge that “when God speaks to Mary, he restores the power of speech to women by explicitly excluding man from the event” is simply unfounded and the result of an ideology rather than actual fact.
* I didn’t know whether to place “Catholic” or “theology” in quotes, for Beattie’s work seems to be neither Catholic, nor theology.
The Dating of Christmas
In his book The Spirit of the Liturgy, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger argues against the thesis of the pagan festival. “The claim used to be made that December 25 developed in opposition to the Mithras myth, or as a Christian response to the cult of the unconquered sun promoted by Roman emperors in the third century in their efforts to establish a new imperial religion. However, these old theories can no longer be sustained. The decisive factor was the connection of creation and Cross, of creation and Christ’s conception” (Ratzinger, 108).
Earlier, Ratzinger shows that the African ecclesiastical author Tertullian (c. 150 – c. 207) discussed a well-known tradition that Christ suffered death on March 25, a day that was cosmically associated with the creation of the world. March 25 was taken as the spring equinox (which we now know to be off by a few days), and hence the date after which light definitively conquers darkness. March 25 would be fully appropriate for not only the day of Creation, but also the day of the New Creation (the Incarnation or Annunciation) as well as Christ’s Passion. It is by this historical development, and not that of the Mithras myth, that “the feast of Christ’s birth on December 25 – nine months after March 25 – developed in the West in the course of the third century” (Ratzinger, 107).
In the Catena Aurea of St. Thomas Aquinas, we find the following quotation of Theophilus in regards to Luke's Nativity:
In the Catena Aurea of St. Thomas Aquinas, we find the following quotation of Theophilus in regards to Luke's Nativity:
"Because either the Incarnation of Christ was to be in the sixth age of the world, or because it was to serve to the fulfilling of the law, rightly in the sixth month of John's conception was an angel sent to Mary, to tell her that a Savior should be born. Hence it is said, 'And in the sixth month.' We must understand the sixth month to be March, on the twenty-fifth day of which our Lord is reported to have been conceived, and to have suffered, as also to have been born on the twenty-fifth day of December. But if either the one day we believe to be the vernal equinox, or the other the winter solstice, it happens that with the increase of light He was conceived or born Who lightens every man that comes into the world. But if any one shall prove, that before the time of our Lord's nativity or conception, light began either to increase, or supersede the darkness, we then say, that it was because John, before the appearance of His coming, began to preach the kingdom of heaven."
Ratzinger cites St. Jerome in support of this cosmic significance, “Even creation approves of our preaching. The universe itself bears witness to the truth of our words. Up to this day [December 25, the approximate date of the winter solstice] the dark days increase, but from this day the darkness decreases … The light advances, while the night retreats” (quoted in Ratzinger, page 108).
Finally, the Cardinal discusses another important cosmic event, the summer solstice. “Between the two dates of March 25 and December 25 comes the feast of the Forerunner, St. John the Baptist, on June 24, at the time of the summer solstice. The link between the dates can now be seen as a liturgical and cosmic expression of the Baptist’s words: ‘He [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease’ (Jn 3:30). The birthday of St. John the Baptist takes place on the date when the days begin to shorten, just as the birthday of Christ takes place when they begin to lengthen” (Ratzinger, 109).
Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, has long been trying to recover the cosmic significance of the Sacred Liturgy. The dating of Christmas is one of many profound insights in his magnificent work, The Spirit of the Liturgy. Certainly the text would provide a valuable Advent reflection.
O Adonai
The O Antiphon for December 18 is O Adonai
Latin: O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.
Literal Translation:O Lord and Ruler the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come, and redeem us with outstretched arms.
Translation in the Breviary: O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.
There are several Scriptural references that prompt this antiphon and its understanding:
Isaiah 11:4-5
[B]ut with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
Isaiah 33:22
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our ruler, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
Exodus 3
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up." When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the LORD said, "I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain." But Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations. Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days' journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.' I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go. I will bring this people into such favor with the Egyptians that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed; each woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman living in the neighbor's house for jewelry of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; and so you shall plunder the Egyptians."
Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
Matthew 2:6
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
The relevant verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is
O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty, and awe.
Tonight, perhaps before dinner or before retiring to bed, pray the antiphon as a family and/or sing the verse from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Catholic Identity and the New Translation
The Collect for this Sunday should give us pause and a moment to think about Catholic identity. Before giving you the new text, let’s take a gander at what we heard this past year:
Lord,fill our hearts with your love,and as you revealed to us by an angelthe coming of your Son as man,so lead us through his suffering and deathto the glory of his resurrection,for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Now, we could go through the Latin and point out the deficiencies in this translation, but there is something larger at stake here. To see it, let’s look at the Latin, but more importantly the new translation. The Latin text reads,
Gratiam tuam, quaesumus Domine,mentibus nostris infunde,ut qui, Angelo nuntiante,Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus,per passionem eius et crucemad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur.
Some people may already see the connection I am hinting at. For the rest of us, myself included, reading the new translation brought the whole thing to light:
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,your grace into our hearts,that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Sonwas made known by the message of an Angel,may by his Passion and Crossbe brought to the glory of his Resurrection.Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.
_001.jpg/240px-Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Millet_(II)_001.jpg) |
| The Angelus (1857–59) by Jean-François Millet |
The above is the familiar prayer from the close of the Angelus. The Angelus is the prayer of the Incarnation that has been recited by Catholics throughout the centuries three times daily: 6:00 am, noon, and 6:00 pm. The prayer itself goes back at least 700 years, but probably even to the eleventh century or earlier. In times past, it was one of the most familiar and celebrated prayers in our Catholic heritage, and as such it provided a distinctive mark of Catholic identity. A priest friend of mine has often recalled the story of his family’s restaurant/bar on the east side of Columbus. Growing up, every day when the noontime bells rang out from the Catholic Church across the street, everyone in the bar dropped what they were doing and said the Angelus. Even those who were not Catholic sat in silence during the recitation of the prayer because they know if they didn’t, they would not be served. This story is an illustration of Catholic identity. If the same bells were to ring today, how many Catholics would know why, let alone be able to rattle off the words to the Angelus?
Having the Collect from the last Sunday of Advent taken from this timeless prayer is important for establishing the link between the ritual liturgy and the lived liturgy. In the spirit of lex orandi, lex credendi, if congregations were to hear the Angelus Collect in the context of Mass, those familiar with it would be immediately placed in the presence of the three-times-daily ritual. Conversely, if the Collect were to be used, more people would become familiar with the Angelus prayer itself.
Unfortunately, until now, the prayer has been disguised beneath a mistranslation. I am someone who is very familiar with the Angelus, yet I never realized that the Advent Collect was one and the same. Of course, there are others who have. It only took a quick Google search to turn up and article from Fr. Zuhlsdorf written in 2004 (and reprinted in 2006) on precisely this issue.
I am not one to debate these chicken-and-egg questions. Has the mistranslation led to an abandonment of the Angelus, or was the Angelus abandoned long before, and therefore the “retranslating” of the traditional words for the purpose of the Mass Collect was not seen as such a big deal? Quite frankly, it is probably both. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the loss of the Angelus is both a symptom and a cause of the loss of Catholic identity, and recovering the translation in the Roman Missal can go a long way towards the process of its restoration. At the very least, it provides an impetus for a stellar homily. (Imagine, actually, if the priest on this Sunday were to give a homily that begins with the Angelus and ends with an explanation of the term “consubstantial.”)
Let’s put it this way. When I read the words for the corrected translation of the Collect from the First Sunday of Advent, my eyes “perked” up from line one: “Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord...” Imagine how much more will my ears do the same when, blessed be God, they hear the glorious recitation of this prayer this Sunday. Who knows, maybe they’ll even hear the ever faint echo of the Angelus bells accompanying the text.
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