We go together or not at all

I sometimes hear people who consider themselves to be very orthodox Catholics disparage other Catholic people whom they judge to be un-Catholic. This seems to mirror the political divisions with the underlying presumption that if you believe something different than me you are un-patriotic or even un-American.

Division such as this is a tough issue for those of us in the Church. There are beliefs that all Catholics are called to profess. These beliefs are meant to shape the very way that we live our lives. If individuals don't accept aspects of the faith or if they don't allow these beliefs to shape their actions, they are not able to live the life to which they have been called.

At the same time we acknowledge that all are sinful and fall short of our call. People who consider themselves very holy often treat others as obstacles to their own salvation. People who feel that creed and dogma are meaningless often lack the foundation to live out their deep and faithful convictions.

So what are we to do?

Yesterday (December 9) the Holy Father appointed one of Detroit's auxiliary bishops, Daniel Flores, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville in Texas. At age 45 he is the second youngest bishop in the U.S. He seems to me wise beyond his years, as witnessed in his opening statement at a press conference yesterday.

...we walk together on the pilgrimage of life and history toward our heavenly homeland. (Hasta que en el cielo descansamos.) God calls us to an unimaginable glory, and we travel this pilgrimage of life together. We journey together with hope. We work so that no one grows too weary on this road we travel. If we leave behind anyone who might be discouraged on this road, if we do not make such a person's interests our very own, then Christ will not let us cross to the heaven he has prepared for us. We go together, or we do not go at all.

This is why unity is so important to Christians. Notice that he didn't say, "Come with me or you will be left behind" or "this is what the Church teaches and if you don't like it, you can go to another church." No. We have a responsibility to help each other.

I believe that St. Paul's metaphor of the body is a key to our understanding this. "If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy" (I Cor. 12:26). We also have the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and, of course, the Prodigal Son (all in Luke 15). We don't ignore what separates us. Rather, we always seek reconciliation. Unity is a reality of the Eucharist.

Christ personally unites himself with each one of us, but Christ himself is also united with the man and the woman who are next to me. And the bread is for me but it is also for the other. Thus Christ unites all of us with himself and all of us with one another. In communion we receive Christ. But Christ is likewise united with my neighbor: Christ and my neighbor are inseparable in the Eucharist. And thus we are all one bread and one body. A Eucharist without solidarity with others is a Eucharist abused.

Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience on December 10, 2008

I certainly don't have all of the answers. However, the concept which I hear more and more that there should be a smaller, more faithful Church seems to deny the Eucharistic reality of unity. More faithful? Yes! Smaller? No!

Unity isn't just about bringing other people with me. It perhaps has less to do with others and more with myself. And unity isn't simply something that would make things nicer. "Unity is the essence of the Church" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 813).

God of power and might,
we praise you through your Son, Jesus Christ,
who comes in your name.

He is the Word that brings salvation.
He is the hand you stretch out to sinners.
He is the way that leads to your peace.

Eucharistic Prayer for Masses of Reconciliation (II)

Christ (and those who bear his imprint and name) does the action. He brings salvation, reaches out to sinners and provides the road to peace. He doesn't point and say, "Salvation is over there." He doesn't look at sinners and say, "When you come over to me I will forgive." He doesn't say, "I'm going ahead, I hope you find the way."

Theologians such as Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas do not consider this understanding of Eucharist as a sacrament of unity something trivial or arbitrary, the fruit of pious exaggeration, something that one might just be permitted to say after dealing with the dogmatic truths of the real presence and the sacrificial character of the Eucharist. On the contrary, this understanding is essential in their eyes; indeed, it is the essential truth about the Eucharist…the unity of the Church is the reason why the Eucharist exists.

Cardinal Walter Kaspar. Sacrament of Unity, pages 119-120.

This Advent would be a great time to reach out to one with whom you need to be reconciled. Be the one to stretch out your hand, to be the way of peace, to live out the reality of the Eucharist!

"This Sacred Council"

Forty six years ago today--December 4, 1963--the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) [CSL] was promulgated during the Second Vatican Council. This was the first document of the Council that was approved and promulgated, and its opening lines establish the goals of the Council in general:

This sacred Council has several aims in view: it desires to impart an ever increasing vigor to the Christian life of the faithful; to adapt more suitably to the needs of our own times those institutions which are subject to change; to foster whatever can promote union among all who believe in Christ; to strengthen whatever can help to call the whole of mankind into the household of the Church. The Council therefore sees particularly cogent reasons for undertaking the reform and promotion of the liturgy.

The CSL was the first of four Constitutions promulgated during the Second Vatican Council. The others were on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), the Church (Lumen Gentium), and the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et spes). Constitutions are the most authoritative documents issued by a Council. The Second Vatican Council also issued three declarations and nine decrees.

There is much division in the Church today over what the Council "really wanted" or what the documents produced by the Council "really said." While it is healthy and good to vigorously debate these important aspects of our faith, I have failed to see a real debate of these issues during the past decade. What I mostly observe is an apologia from this perspective or that, which skewers the opponent and shows the ultimate wisdom and holiness of the "correct" interpretation. In fact, one blog I visited recently referred to those who thought differently as "evil," and said that they want to bring the Church down. While we certainly have issues that must be resolved, I have to say that I have never worked with anyone, regardless of their ideology, who wanted anything less than a flourishing and vital Catholic Church!

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy built upon nearly a century of papal pronouncements. Pope St. Pius X (1903-14) described the necessity of the faithful's "active participation" in his motu proprio on sacred music, Tra le sollecitudine (1903). Pius XII's (1939-58) encyclical Mediator Dei (1947) speaks of the Mystical Body of Christ. During his pontificate the liturgical movement was gaining momentum. While Pope Pius severely discouraged innovation and experimentation at the local level, he allowed for limited use of the vernacular language, outside of Mass and mostly in mission lands, for some of the rites. He reformed the rites of Holy Week (1951, 1954) and reformed the calendar, eliminating all celebrations of the octaves, with the exception of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.

Pope Pius X wrote in Mediator Dei:

The Church is without question a living organism, and as an organism, in respect of the sacred liturgy also, she grows, matures, develops, adapts and accommodates herself to temporal needs and circumstances, provided only that the integrity of her doctrine be safeguarded. (paragraph 59)

This certainly prefigures the opening of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy quoted above. The Constitution goes on to say:

In order that the Christian people may more certainly derive an abundance of graces from the sacred liturgy, holy Mother Church desires to undertake with great care a general restoration of the liturgy itself. For the liturgy is made up of immutable elements divinely instituted, and of elements subject to change. These not only may but ought to be changed with the passage of time if they have suffered from the intrusion of anything out of harmony with the inner nature of the liturgy or have become unsuited to it.

In this restoration, both texts and rites should be drawn up so that they express more clearly the holy things which they signify; the Christian people, so far as possible, should be enabled to understand them with ease and to take part in them fully, actively, and as befits a community. (paragraph 21)

This brings liturgical reform, 60+ years old, to its next level and has set the stage for what has followed. I think that any level-headed person sees that the reforms, though often awkwardly implemented, have been a source of grace for the Church.

In my own mind, I have seen two major issues that all of us who prepare and celebrate liturgy need to address. The first is a rather cavalier attitude toward the liturgical texts, rubrics and rituals of the Roman Rite. There is a sense that if something doesn't work or feel right, I will change it. Conversion requires the exact opposite: If something doesn't work or feel right, I must change. I think that this conversion requires a great deal of humility and trust in the Spirit. While often the most visible infractions in this area occur when a priest omits a part of the Mass or changes words, this often manifests itself quietly in the return to practices which were changed or omitted during the reforms, thus nullifying paragraph 21 of the CSL (above). (In any honest approach we have to first remove the plank from our own eye before helping our neighbor remove the speck of dust from his own!)

The second issue has to do with ongoing catechesis for the congregation regarding their important role in the liturgy.

...in order that the liturgy may be able to produce its full effects, it is necessary that the faithful come to it with proper dispositions, that their minds should be attuned to their voices, and that they should cooperate with divine grace lest they receive it in vain. Pastors of souls must therefore realize that, when the liturgy is celebrated, something more is required than the mere observation of the laws governing valid and licit celebration; it is their duty also to ensure that the faithful take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects. (CSL 11)

Notice that the liturgy's effectiveness doesn't depend on the priest, the organist, the choir, the lector, the environment, or any of the myriad of things that we fuss about. It depends on the people in the pew!

Helping people "take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged...and enriched" is not easy and can't be accomplished with a bulletin article now and then. This type of catechesis requires a full-court press in the schools and religious education programs, in adult education, through homilies and, most importantly, through well-celebrated liturgy. It has been my experience that people want to know more about the liturgy and about their faith. We don't want to sell them short.

Finally, I think that we have to acknowledge some inherent tensions in liturgical norms and documents. For example, we know that the Council confirmed Latin as the language of the Roman Rite (CSL 36). At the same time it said that the people should be able to understand the liturgy with ease (CSL 21) and take part fully aware of what they are doing (CSL 11). This creates a tension and no sentence trumps another. We have to reflect on ways to reconcile these two seemingly different approaches.

So happy anniversary. Much has been accomplished but much more lies ahead.

You may want to check out this blog sent to me by a colleague: http://www.liturgicalleaders.blogspot.com/

Making Time

Christians used to express their relationship with Jesus. ... The meaning of the expression advent also includes that of 'vistatio', ... a visit, which in this case means a visit from God: He enters my life and wishes to address Himself to me...

In daily life we all know the experience of having little time for the Lord, and little time for ourselves. We end up becoming absorbed by 'doing'. Is it not often true that it is activity itself that possesses us, society with its multiple distractions that monopolises our attention? Is it not true that we dedicate a lot of time to entertainment and leisure activities of various kinds?

Advent, this potent liturgical period we are entering, invites us to remain silent as we come to appreciate a presence. It is an invitation to understand that the individual events of the day are signs God addresses to us, signs of the care He has for each of us. How often does God make us aware of some aspect of His love! To maintain what we might call an 'inner diary' of this love would be a beautiful and rewarding task in our lives. Advent invites us and encourages us to contemplate the living Lord. Should not the certainty of His presence help us to see the world with different eyes?

Homily of Pope Benedict XVI
First Vespers for the First
Sunday of Advent
November 28, 2009
Translation from Vatican News Service

It's not too early to think about......Easter!

The Liturgical Institute, housed on the grounds of Mundelein Seminary outside of Chicago is hosting a one day conference, Treasures of the Triduum, on Friday, January 22, 2010. Registration materials and workshop descriptions are available by clicking on the link above.

Advent Online

The U. S. Bishops have a nice page devoted to Advent, including an online Advent Calendar. Check it out at www.usccb.org/advent.

Giving Thanks

Tomorrow our nation celebrates Thanksgiving, a day that, unfortunately, is in danger of being overshadowed by the shopping frenzy of "Black Friday." In the United States most consider the celebration of pilgrims together with native Americans as the origin. It seems that our ancestors had a real sense gratitude to God for the blessings received.

Giving thanks to God lies at the heart of prayer in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In fact, our word Eucharist comes from a Greek word, eucharistein, which means "to give thanks and praise." It grew out of the Jewish prayer of blessing, often used during meals, recounting God's great works of creation, redemption and sanctification. (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1328).

When people speak to me about their participation in the Mass, they often speak of in terms of the many graces that they receive from God--spiritual refreshment, peace, forgiveness, etc. These are excellent things, but I think what we receive is only part of the story. The other part is what we give back to God.

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy says,

the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows. (paragraph 10)

Font and summit.

This, to me, is a reminder that we are not simply there to receive, but to give back to God the things we have (that he has given us). We give back our lives, our hearts, our work and our joys with the realization that everything that is good comes from him because he loves us (not because we deserve it!). We also give back our pain, suffering, sadness, and troubles. It was through pain, suffering and humility that God saved the world through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we give the challenges of our lives back to God, he can transform them into something magnificent as well (if not in this world, in the next).

Gratitude also needs to be part of our daily prayer. In my own prayer life I feel much more centered when I am able to thank God for creation, life, family, work, Church and the countless blessings seen every day. When I do so, I find that there seems to be less for which to ask.

I often find myself focusing on what I "need" rather than the great blessings God has bestowed on me. I have a wonderful wife and children, loving and generous parents, a nice home, meaningful work, and plenty of food (to name a few of the most important blessings). Many, many fathers go to sleep every night wondering if their children will have a meal the next day or if they will be safe from community or ethnic violence. Many women and children are abused and don't know where to turn. Many elderly are abandoned. Many children are starving. My "needs" certainly are insignificant in comparison.

My wife--the real liturgist in the family--began a practice in our family as part of our dinnertime prayer. Each person needs to say something for which they are thankful. When I am being terrorized by my children or am disappointed with my work, it's always good to give thanks for these things. The terror or disappointment will pass, but God's great gifts remain for ever!

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praise to your name, Most High,
To proclaim your love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the night,
With the ten-stringed harp, with melody upon the lyre.
For you make me jubilant, LORD, by your deeds;
at the works of your hands I shout for joy.
How great are your works, LORD!
How profound your purpose!

The just shall flourish like the palm tree,
shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon.
Planted in the house of the LORD,
they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall bear fruit even in old age,
always vigorous and sturdy,
As they proclaim:
"The LORD is just; our rock,
in whom there is no wrong."

Psalm 92:2-6, 13-16 (NAB)

Appear and Inspire

Blessed Cecilia, appear in visions
To all musicians, appear and inspire:
Translated Daughter, come down and startle
Composing mortals with immortal fire. W. H. Auden (1907-73)

November 22 is the annual day to honor Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians and sacred music. Unfortunately, this will not be celebrated liturgically this year, but we can still remember and feast in honor of this holy saint!

Saint Cecilia lived in the second or third century in Rome. As with many early Christian saints there is relatively little known about her life. It is thought that she came from a noble Roman family and that she was given in marriage, against her will, to a non-Christian named Valerian. After evangelizing Valerian and his brother, the two were baptized and were soon martyred. While trying to bury their bodies, Cecilia was captured and condemned to death. According to legend, her persecutors first tried to kill her by suffocating her with steam, but that failed. They eventually cut her throat with an axe. Legends say that she still sang a hymn of praise to God as she lingered on for three days.

Devotion to St. Cecilia began quickly thereafter (she is one of the women mentioned in the Roman Canon). She had founded a house-church, and Pope Paschal I erected a church above her house in the Trastevere region of Rome in the ninth century. Her body, along with her husband and his brother and another man martyred with them were exhumed from the catecombs and were buried in the church.

The photo above is of one of my favorite pieces of art. Stefano Maderno (1576-1636) carved this emotional portrayal of the saint after her body was moved in 1599 to its current place under the main altar. This is how her incorrupt body was found lying before it was moved. The axe marks were visible in her neck and her arm was outstretched with three fingers extended (which was, of course, explained as a testimony to her faith in the Triune God). While at first glance the statue is graceful and flowing, a longer examination reveals the awkwardness of her position. Carved into the floor in front of the altar is this statement:

Behold the body of the most holy virgin Cecilia,
whom I myself saw lying incorrupt in the tomb.
I have in this marble expressed for you the same saint
in the very same posture.

A nice description of the church is available by clicking here.

While there is absolutely no evidence supporting it, legend claims that St. Cecilia invented the organ. In honor of the Saint I thought that you might appreciate the clip below--the last two movements of Handel's Ode for Saint Cecilia's Day, HWV 76, led by the great Baroque interpreter Ton Koopman.

But bright Cecilia raised the wonder higher:
When to her Organ vocal breath was given
An Angel heard, and straight appeared
–Mistaking Earth for Heaven.