I have a question. Why are the readings in the Tridentine Mass read a) in Latin and b) facing away fom the people?
Now I have a fair idea of the theological reasons for the orientation of the altar why the priest faces the altar and away from the people during the Offerertory, Canon and consecration of the Tidentine Rite, and it makes plenty sense. However, the readings puzzle me.
Surely the readings are the Word of God and are addressed to the people. That being the case, they should be read facing the people and in a language which they can understand, yes? If I open my Bible and read the Gospels, I do so in my own language. I don't read them in Latin. Surely the same should apply at Mass and moreover, they should be proclaimed towards those to whom they are directed.
This is one of my main problems with the Tridentine Rite. Only one Epistle, in Latin and "mumblemumblemumble"....back wall of Church.
In my opinion, the way the readings were/are treated at Tridentine Masses had a lot to do with the widespread Catholic indifference and almost illiteracy with regard to the Scriptures and the common cliche among Protestants and even many Catholics that we don't bother ourselves with that "Scripture stuff."
So......when the appropriate Vatican Curia calls me........y'all are going to be getting a hybrid Mass, with Novus Ordo Liturgy of the Word including two readings plus a Gospel and Traditional Eucharistic Liturgy, with altar rails and Latin and stuff......
That is all. Carry on.
I could live with that. And that, by the way, is all that Vatican II called for.
I have seen some interest in the Missal of 1965 as the true reform Mass of Vatican II. I think that this, with the new Lectionary, should be explored by those in authority in the Church.
Just as the official Novus Ordo differs from its actual application, a similar, but less obvious, distinction can be made between the Official TLM vs. the actual TLM.
The normative form of the TLM is the Solemn High Mass. However, the Low Mass and to a lesser extent, the Missa Cantata, make up 99% of all TLMs celebrated in actuality.
As for the proclamation of readings, there is a reasoning behind where they are done. The Epistle side of the altar (right side) faces South if the Church is correctly facing East. The South symbolizes the faithful, those to be instructed. The Gospel side, on the other hand, faces North, a symbolic direction of the pagans, the ones in need of conversion (i.e. the Gospel).
At a Solemn High Mass, the Deacon sings the Gospel facing North, but either at the foot of the Sanctuary or in the midst of the faithful from the center aisle.
The mumble-mumble Low Mass was something that the great pre-V2 Liturgical Movement was slowly but surely eradicating. A goodly number of TLMs today have moved well past that, whereby the Masses are audible and there is vocal participation on the part of the people.
Furthermore, it would be an ideal that today's "educated" Catholics be able to follow and understand the readings in the Latin language. The devout Jews can do the same for Hebrew, so why not the Catholics for Latin?
My issues with the N.O. mass are too many too count, but I'm with you on the Tridentine. I just don't like the redundancy of reading the epistle and gospel in Latin and then in English. One or the other would suit me fine, but not both!
Also "Ita missa est." I understand that. So what's the priest carrying on for? :o)
My understanding is that the reason the priest faces away... is that he is facing in the SAME direction as the people and thus is in solidarity with them. If the priest faces the people, then the priest becomes the face of the church and takes the focus away from paying attention to Jesus.