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WDTPRS: Christ the King (2002MR): the elements will be dissolved with fire, the earth will be...
WDTPRS ^ | 11/23/2013 | Fr John Zuhlsdorf

Posted on 11/24/2013 3:57:25 AM PST by markomalley

We have come back to the last Sunday of the liturgical year.  In the post-Conciliar calendar of the Roman Church this is the Solemnity of Christ the King.  In the older calendar, this is celebrated (with a rather different meaning!) at the end of October.

Each year Holy Church presents to us the history of salvation, from Creation to the Lord’s Coming (the First and also the Final).

Today’s Solemnity is an anticipation of the season of Advent, which  focuses on the different ways in which the Lord comes to us, especially in the Second Coming.

At this time of year (November) we are also considering the Four Last Things: death, judgment, heaven and hell.   We are praying for the Poor Souls in Purgatory in a special way this month.

The Solemnity of Christ the King brings to our attention the fact that the Lord is coming precisely as King and Judge not merely as friend or brother or favorite role-model.

In the great Dies Irae prayed at Requiem Masses for so long (and still today), Christ is identified as “King of Fearful Majesty” and “Just Judge”.

Consider today’s feast in light of what we read in 2 Peter 3: 10-12:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire!”

Not exactly hugs and fluffy lambs for everyone.

Christ Jesus will judge us all, dear friends, and submit all things to the Father (cf. 1 Cor 15:28).  Having excluded some from His presence, our King, Christ Jesus, will reign in majestic glory with the many who accepted His gifts and thereby merited eternal bliss.

COLLECT – (2002MR):

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui in dilecto Filio tuo, universorum Rege, omnia instaurare voluisti, concede propitius, ut tota creatura, a servitute liberata, tuae maiestati deserviat ac te sine fine collaudet.

While this Collect is of new composition for the Novus Ordo, it is similar to what was in the 1962 Missale Romanum for this feast with variations in the second part: Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui dilecto Filio tuo universorum Rege, omnia instaurare voluisti: concede propitius; ut cunctae familiae gentium, peccati vulnere disgregatae, eius suavissimo subdantur imperio… “so that all the families of peoples, torn apart by the wound of sin, may be subject to His most gentle rule.”  That’s a different message by far.  Today’s Collect demonstrates the theological shift in many of the Latin prayers in the Novus Ordo.  But that is the stuff of other posts.

Universus is an adjective and universorum a neuter plural, “all things.”  Since we have another “all things” in omnia I will make universorum into “the whole universe.”  Our Latin ears perk up when we hear compound verbs (verbs with an attached preposition like sub or de or cvm).

In our own copies of A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews’ edition of Freund’s Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. – (aka Lewis & Short or L&S) we find that de-servio expands the meaning of servio to mean “serve zealously, be devoted to, subject to.”  Col-laudo, more emphatic than simple laudo, means “to praise or commend very much, extol highly.”

You veterans of WDTPRS know how maiestas is synonymous with gloria which in early Latin writers such as Hilary of Poitiers, Ambrose and in early liturgical texts, the equivalent of biblical Greek doxa and Hebrew kabod.   This “glory” and “majesty” is God’s own transforming power, a sharing of His life, that transforms us into what He is in an everlasting “deification”.

Instauro is a wonderful word which deserves more attention: “to renew, repeat, celebrate anew; to repair, restore; to erect, make”.  It is synonymous with renovo.  Etymologically instauro is related to Greek stauros. Turning to a different L&S, the immensely valuable Liddell & Scott Greek Dictionary, we find that stauros is “an upright pale or stake.”   Stauros is the word used in the Greek New Testament for the Cross of Jesus.  Also the word immediately makes us think not only of the motto on the coat-of-arms of Pope St. Pius X, but also the origin of that motto Ephesians 1:10: “For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Eph 1:9-10 RSV).  There have been, by the way, some changes in the Latin texts of this passage.  The older Vulgate says “instaurare omnia in Christo” while the New Vulgate says “recapitulare omnia in Christo”.

Recapitulare is related to Latin caput (“head”) and was deemed by the scholars behind the New Vulgate as a better translation of the Greek anakephalaioô, “to sum up the argument.”  This harks to the headship of Christ over the Body of the Church and expresses that He is the Final Statement, the Conclusion of All Things.  At any rate, in 1925 and in the 1960’s when the older version of Vulgate was in use, the Collect had instaurare and not recapitulare.

Why all this about recapitulare?

The phrase, “renew/reinstate all things in Christ” points to the Kingship of Jesus.  In everything that Jesus said or did in His earthly life, He was actively drawing all things and peoples to Himself.  In the time to come, when His Majesty the King returns in gloria and maiestas this act of drawing-to-Himself (cf. John 12:32) will culminate in the exaltation of all creation in a perfect unending paean of praise.  In the meantime, by virtue of baptism and our integration into Christus Venturus (Christ About-To-Come), we all share in His three-fold office of priest, prophet, and also king.  We have the duty to proclaim His Kingship by all that we say and do.  We are to offer all our good works back to Him for the sake of His glory and the expectation of His Coming.  This glorious restoration (instaurare) is possible only through the Lord’s Cross (Greek stauros).  The Cross is found subtly in the midst of this Collect, where it is revealed as the pivot point of all creation (creatura).

LITERAL VERSION:

Almighty eternal God, who desired to renew all things in Your beloved Son, the King of the universe, graciously grant that the whole of creation, having been freed from servitude, may zealously serve Your majesty and praise You greatly without end.

The first objective of our participation in the Church’s sacred rites is to praise God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and give God glory.  This is what we owe by the virtue of religion.

Liturgical and Biblical Latin is rich with words and phrases which exalt and express praise of God.  In fact, the concepts of “glory” and “majesty” are nearly interchangeable in this light.  We, on the one hand, render up honor and glory to God in a way external to God.  On the other hand, glory and majesty are also divine attributes which we in no way give Him, which He has – or rather is – in Himself by His nature.

When we come into His presence, even in the contact we have with Him through the Church’s sacred mysteries, His divine attribute of splendor or glory or majesty, whatever you will, has the power to transform us.  His majestic glory changes us.  This MYSTERY changes us.  So, it is right to translate these lofty sounding attributions for God when we raise our voices in the Church’s official cult.

OBSOLETE ICEL (1973):

Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you.

CURRENT ICEL (2011):

Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise.



TOPICS: Catholic; Worship
KEYWORDS: christtheking; wdtprs
Full title: WDTPRS: Christ the King (2002MR): the elements will be dissolved with fire, the earth will be burned up
1 posted on 11/24/2013 3:57:25 AM PST by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Every Christian should be praying this fervent prayer today, “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.”


2 posted on 11/24/2013 3:59:17 AM PST by txrefugee
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To: markomalley; Tax-chick; GregB; Berlin_Freeper; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; ...

Ping!


3 posted on 11/24/2013 4:15:13 AM PST by NYer ("The wise man is the one who can save his soul. - St. Nimatullah Al-Hardini)
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To: markomalley

ping


4 posted on 11/24/2013 5:41:11 AM PST by Rich21IE
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To: markomalley

**The Solemnity of Christ the King brings to our attention the fact that the Lord is coming precisely as King and Judge not merely as friend or brother or favorite role-model.**

Someone was giving me a bad time the other day for asserting that while we are alive Christ is Perfect Mercy. But at the moment of our death Christ becomes Perfect Justice.

Now I have this quote from Fr. Z to back me up!


5 posted on 11/24/2013 7:49:08 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: markomalley
WDTPRS: Christ the King (2002MR): the elements will be dissolved with fire, the earth will be...
King of the Universe and King of Thieves? A Homily for the Feast of Christ the King
Kingdom of the Son: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Solemnity of Christ the King
Ultimately It Is Christ Who Will Judge Us
Fr. Castellani on the Kingship of Christ (Ecumenical)
The Fe[a]st of Christ the King

The Solemnity of Christ the King in China
Rick Santorum and the Kingship of Christ, [Part Two]
Rick Santorum and the Kingship of Christ, (Part One)
Solemnity of Christ the King: “to sum up…”
World biggest statue of Christ the King welcomes to Poland
The Restoration of the Reign of Christ the King (Catholic Caucus)
Cowardly Relativism, Kingly Truth
Jesus Christ is King: Thanksgiving and Advent
Reflection: Christ the King, Thanksgiving and Advent
Feast of Christ the King

Excerpts from Pope Pius XI's 'Quas Primas' (On the Kingship of Christ)
Poland erects gigantic statue of Christ the King
Christ, The King of the Universe
King of Kings and Lord of Lords [Solemnity of Christ the King]
Christ Our King! Now And Forever!
Christ the King, with images of the Interrogation of Christ by Pilate
Ruling for Christ the King
The Reign of Christ the King
QUAS PRIMAS (On the Feast of Christ the King)
Christ the King

6 posted on 11/24/2013 8:11:53 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
while we are alive Christ is Perfect Mercy. But at the moment of our death Christ becomes Perfect Justice.

Which is why Christians need not fear death.

7 posted on 11/24/2013 10:57:05 AM PST by xone
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To: Salvation
Someone was giving me a bad time the other day for asserting that while we are alive Christ is Perfect Mercy. But at the moment of our death Christ becomes Perfect Justice. Now I have this quote from Fr. Z to back me up!

However, God in the bible doesn't back either one of you up when it come to Christians...

Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Justice has already been served on Christians...By believing, Jesus as the justifier has deemed us just in the sight of God...

When Christians are judged, all of our bad works will be burned up so as not to be visible to God...We are presented to God as HOly...

That's exactly why Jesus died; to become our sacrifice, so that we would not be held accountable for our sins...

8 posted on 11/24/2013 12:35:57 PM PST by Iscool
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