Liturgical Cogitations - VIII
Importance
Pope Benedict XVI recently wrote, “What we previously knew only in theory
has become for us a practical experience. The Church stands and falls with
the liturgy. When the adoration of the divine Trinity declines, when faith
no longer appears in its fullness in the liturgy of the Church, when man’s
words, his thoughts, his intentions are suffocating him, then faith will
have lost the place where it is expressed and where it dwells. For that
reason, the true celebration of the sacred liturgy is at the center of any
renewal of the Church whatever.”
The Second Vatican Council teaches, “The liturgy in its turn moves the
faithful, filled with the paschal sacraments, to be one in holiness. It
prays that they may hold fast in their lives to what they have grasped by
their faith. The renewal in the Eucharist of the covenant between the Lord
and mankind draws the faithful into the compelling love of Christ and sets
them afire. From the liturgy, therefore, and especially from the Eucharist,
as from a fount, grace is poured forth upon us, and the sanctification of
men in Christ and the glorification of God, to which all other activities of
the Church are directed as toward their end, is achieved in the most
efficacious way possible. Mother Church earnestly desires that all the
faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in
the liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the
liturgy. Such participation by the Chosen People as “a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people” (1 Peter 2-9) is their right
and duty by reason of their Baptism.”
The Council goes on to instruct us, “Christ is always present in His Church.
Christ indeed always associates the Church with Himself in the great work
wherein God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified. The Church is His
beloved Bride who calls to her Lord and through Him offers worship to the
eternal Father. Rightly, then, the liturgy is considered as an exercise of
the priestly office of Jesus Christ. In the liturgy, the sanctification of
men is signified by signs perceptible to the senses, and is effected in a
way which corresponds with each of these signs. In the liturgy the whole
public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is,
by the Head and members.”
Great Care
Because of the sublime importance of the liturgy, it is not surprising that
those whom the Holy Spirit has raised up to guard and shepherd the Church
are deeply concerned about the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, the
sacraments, the Liturgy of the Hours, the sacramentals, and all other things
that are involved in the sacred liturgy. Celebrating the liturgy with the
highest beauty and the most exact correctness possible is absolutely
necessary because the liturgy of the Catholic Church on earth is a shadow
and pale reflection of the glorious and eternal liturgy going on in heaven.
As the Second Vatican Council states, “In the earthly liturgy we take part
in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the holy city
of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at
the right hand of God, a minister of the holies and of the true tabernacle
(Revelation 21:2; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 8:2). We sing a hymn to the Lord’s
glory with all the warriors of the heavenly army. Venerating the memory of
the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them. We eagerly await
the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until He, our Life, shall appear and we
too will appear with Him in glory (Philippians 3:20; Colossians 3:4).”
After the Council concluded forty years ago, the translations into
vernacular languages from the Latin language, which had been used almost
exclusively in the Roman Rite for more than the 1800 previous years, were
sometimes done hurriedly and carried out under some defective rules
permitting a freer system of translation, which often resulted in inaccuracy
and linguistic omissions. This why the Holy See noted in 2001, that
“translations of liturgical texts in various localities stand in need of
improvement through correction or through a new draft. The omissions or
errors, which affect certain existing vernacular translations, especially in
the case of certain languages, have impeded the progress of inculturation
that actually should have taken place. Consequently, the Church has been
prevented from laying the foundation for a fuller, healthier, and more
authentic renewal. It seems necessary to consider anew the true notion of
liturgical translation in order that the translations of the sacred liturgy
into the vernacular languages may stand secure as the authentic voice of the
Church of God.”
The issuance of the newly revised Roman Missal has provided the opportunity
for this to be done for the English speaking part of the world. Probably
next year, either at the beginning of Lent or Advent, the new English
translation of the Missal will come into use in our country.
Changes
Most of the changes in the English translation of the Mass texts will affect
and involve the priest-celebrant of the Mass, but there will be some that
also will touch the faithful in their participation in the sacred liturgy.
For instance, the one that will be most immediately noted will most likely
be the response given by the congregation to the priest’s greeting: “The
Lord be with you.” Instead of saying “And also with you”, the response will
be changed to a correct translation of the Latin: “And with your spirit”.
Saint John Chrysostom preached and wrote about how this response of the
people in the liturgy has reference to a special presence of God the Holy
Spirit in those who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, that is,
Bishops, priests, and deacons. That special presence is particularly actual
and real when the greeting and response is undertaken in the course of any
sacred liturgical action, when the Bishop, priest, or deacon is using the
power and authority received in Holy Orders and is a acting “in the person
of Christ, the High Priest, Whose priesthood is the only one in the New
Testament.”
Another change will be noted in the words of the “confiteor” in the
penitential rite of the Mass. “that I have sinned” will become “that I have
greatly sinned” , and “through my own fault” will become “through my fault,
through my fault, through my most grievous fault”. The “and I ask” following
will be replaced by “therefore I ask etc.”
While some of these changes will not be immediately understood by all, may
be misunderstood as trivial or frivolous, and may be somewhat annoying to
carry out initially, they should be seen as having significance and
importance so that, as the Holy See puts it, we might better find in the
sacred liturgy as abundant source of graces and a means for our own
continual formation in the Christian mystery. They are the means by which
“the indefectible faith of the Church is efficaciously transmitted by way of
human language to prayer and becomes worthy worship offered to God, the Most
High!”