Posted on 12/04/2007 6:46:20 AM PST by maryz
In a previous post I endeavored to make the point that both forms of the Roman Rite (Traditional and Novus Ordo) share the same structure, and that the difference between the two lay in the presentation of the "ceremonies," the "little rites" that give texture to the Mass as a whole.
In his Motu Propio, Summorum Pontificum, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI expressed a certain hope that the two forms or usages of the Roman Rite would "mutually enrich" each other. What exactly the Holy Father meant by this will be a point of much speculation until we see first hand the unfolding of the mind of the Church in this regard. However, I can only say that for me personally I have experienced how the Traditional Latin Mass has "enriched" the way in which I approach and offer the Novus Ordo.
Not all hybrids are environmentally friendly
First, let me start with a point of necessary clarification. By "mutual enrichment" we should never think in terms of cutting and pasting the rubrics of one usage of the Mass and applying them to the other, and visa-versa. The rubrics of each usage of the Mass are proper to each, and one can never take the authority upon themselves to change them, no matter how noble and well intentioned the individual may be. In each usage one must conform to and observe the rubrics of the particular usage avoiding the creation of a "hybrid" Mass to suit individual tastes.
The point of discussion I have in mind regarding the way in which the usages of the Mass mutually enrich each other centers around the relationship between the liturgy and the personality; priest and laity alike.
In my study of the Traditional Latin Mass over the past several years, and in the many "dry runs" I have walked through in order to prepare to say this Mass "for real," one thing became strikingly obvious, there is no provision for the public or social personality of the priest.
Heeeeere's Johnny!
Let me phrase it this way. When I was in the seminary one of my professors of liturgy used to lament from time to time with these words, "why is it that whenever you give a microphone to a priest he suddenly thinks he is Bob Hope?" His point was that when you take a priest, give him a sound system, orient him towards the congregation, the temptation to consider the sanctuary as a "stage" becomes very compelling and difficult to resist. The worst case scenario, and one I have personally witnessed, is the priest who uses his "presidential" role during the liturgy to indulge in certain types of approval seeking behavior that provides him with a kind of public affirmation that props up his own sense of inadequacy and weakness.
I do not say this as if we are not all inadequate and weak. And this is one of the points I wish to make. The strength of our worth, the reference point of our personality, should be Jesus Christ.
The Rock who saves us
In the Traditional Latin Mass the priest has no choice, so to speak, than to step into his proper role; in persona Christi Capitis...in the person of Christ the Head. The rubrics of the Mass really do not give the individual priest provisions for his personal tastes, but rather shapes and provides for his public role as one who offers sacrifice.
Even though the priest offering Mass steps into the role of Christ the Head, the Mass recognizes that this same priest is all too human and beset by weakness, and reminds him of this fact and brings him back frequently to Christ as the source of his strength and the master of his personality. This is accomplished in the priest's relationship with the altar during Mass.
The altar of sacrifice is a symbol of Christ, the Rock of our salvation. During the Mass the priest frequently kisses the altar, and with some exceptions, one or another of his hands is always resting on the altar. Whenever the priest genuflects at the altar, his hands are always resting upon it. These are not insignificant gestures, but rather ones that are rich with meaning especially for the priest offering Mass. Let me describe them briefly.
Before the priest greets the people, "Dominus vobiscum," or blesses them, "Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus..." the priest kisses the altar with his hands resting upon it. What this tells the priest is that he does not greet or bless the people as an "MC" at a "public gathering," but as "Christ," and this gesture reminds the priest of who he is in this particular role and where his "power" to do these things comes from. In a similar way the priest rests his hands on the altar when he genuflects as a potent reminder that he is indeed beset by human weakness and needs the strength of the Rock to support him in his role.
The gestures of closeness with the altar in a general way suggest the necessary intimacy of the priest with Christ, and this intimacy is really brought to the priest's attention during the Mass when bowing deeply he rests his forearms on the altar and speaks of the words of consecration over the host and the chalice filled with wine.
Authentic enrichment
I have written a bit more than I have initially intended, and so I am going to close here with one final thought and take up considerations of the role of the laity during liturgy at another time.
In my estimation the enrichment between the two usages of the Roman Rite must ultimately be authentic, never consisting of an arbitrary attitude towards the rubrics that are proper to each. Each usage must be shown the respect due to each as the re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ.
However, I can only speak for myself when I say that the Traditional Latin Mass has taught me a lot, or rather reminded me of things I already knew, but were not always obvious in the rubrics of the Novus Ordo. As I say both usages now I am grateful for what each has to offer, and as I receive from one, the other benefits and I believe that this is precisely what the Church has in mind.
The TLM would also discourage the unfortunate practice of the priest thanking the servers, the lectors, the EMs for their “service” as if it were an awards banquet — and thanking everyone else for coming as if it were an informal social gathering!
One hopes it would discourage the people from bursting into applause every few moments, too. I HATE that!
Me, too! Time for my favorite Miss Manners quote again: “If God wishes to applaud in church, He may. From anyone else, it’s inappropriate.”
I think we are all familiar with the priest as emcee.
The most egregious one I ever witnessed was a Franciscan who was an associate pastor of a church in Queens, who was celebrating his 70th birthday one Sunday.
I watched in amazement as he not only made various asides and comments during the liturgy as to how many and what kind of presents he would find acceptable. He not only skipped (on a Sunday) the Confiteor and the Creed, he (of course) used the Hippolytan canon after, and raced through the readings before, just so he could spend more than a half hour on a "homily."
And it wasn't a homily - it was a tribute to this priest, consisting of testimonials by friends of his, interspersed with a comedy monologue by himself as he accepted presents.
The three or four "guest homilists" - only one of whom was in orders - spoke at length about this priest's fondness for practical jokes, luxury travel packages and his penchant for gourmet delicacies at high-end Manhattan and Milan restaurants. What would St. Francis, il poverello, think of this Franciscan?
The day's Gospel went entirely unmentioned, as did the Lord himself. He basically threw himself a birthday party in the middle of Mass, and the consecration was an afterthought.
The Mass went over the allotted time limit, but he delivered another lecture about himself and his feelings and his plans for the day while he held us hostage waiting for the final blessing.
I don't think he even noticed how tired of these shenanigans most of us were, because the crew of blue-haired ladies in the front pews who loved this guy were still cackling and clapping.
I was ashamed for him, and I needed to be because he certainly was shameless.
My own understaning of the "sense of community" proper to the Mass (formed in grammar school, I guess, though I don't have a specific memory) is of the unity of the whole Church -- Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, at the foot of the Cross, not a neighborhood block party!
I went to 9 a.m. mass on Sunday. I usually try to go on Sat at 5 or 7:30 since the 9 and 10:30 services have more junk but I just couldn’t this weekend. Father Tony (I also hate calling priests by their first name) gave one of the longest sermons ever and since I’ve heard all of them over the past 25 years, I admit that I got restless but then, when they usually do the politically correct special prayers to God, Father Tony called the children up to the altar to do the “Jesse tree.” arrrgggg. I let it go on for another 15 minutes with no end in sight and then I left.
Sounds awful (though I don't exactly know what a "Jesse tree" is)! When I was a kid, the "children's Mass" meant the sermon would be about something like obeying your parents -- otherwise, just a regulation Mass! Oh, those were better days!
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