One Last Article on the New Translations

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Here is my last regular bulletin article on the new translations.

Bulletin Article for 11/27/2011

Appreciating the New Translations

Today, we begin using the new translations.  We may trip up on the words, forgetting to say “And with your spirit” instead of “and also with you.”  It may seem strange at first but we will adjust.  If nothing else, it will make us think.  Sometimes we may say the words without thinking about them.  We need to remember what it means to say that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  That’s what the priest’s says at Communion (The words come from John 1:29).  To which the people have been saying “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed.”  This becomes “Lord, I am not worthy that you should under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”  “Under my roof” may seem strange but it is another scriptural reference lost in the past translation.  It comes from Luke 7:6-7.  Check it out.

Thanksgiving

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Today is a national holiday here in the United States.  Today we celebrate Thanksgiving.  It is a holiday celebrated by many people, religious and atheist alike.  We have much to give thanks for.  While Thanksgiving is considered a secular holiday, it is a day that is in keeping with our Catholic faith.  In fact, the word Eucharist covers from a Greek word that means “thanksgiving.”  Each time we celebrate the Eucharist we give thanks to God.

The story of the “first thanksgiving” is a familiar story to school children.  The Puritans had come from England to establish a new home in the colonies.  They have suffered a long journey and a difficult first year.  They survived with the help of the Native American Indians and at the first harvest they gathered with the Native American Indians to give thanks.  Of course, the Puritans were a religious people who had come to America seeking religious freedom.  They would have understood that God had been with them and given thanks to God.

Scripture contains words of thanksgiving to God.  Often we give thanks with everything is going well.  In the second reading for this coming Sunday (1 Corinthians 1:3-9), Paul gives thanks to God for the grace God has bestowed upon the Corinthians.  In reading some commentaries, some suggest that Paul writes with a sense of sarcasm here.  If you read the read of the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians you will find that Paul is writing to correct them on their many sins and failings such as lust, incest, and failing to care for one another.   

If we think we only give thanks to God when everything is going perfectly, and clearly things are not perfect with the Corinthians, one might think Paul is writing sarcastically.  I propose another possibility.  Paul knows things are not perfect.  That doesn’t mean that God hasn’t given the people the grace they need.  The problem is that the people have not totally opened themselves to that grace and have not lived up to their potential.   Paul gives thanks to God knowing that God has given them the grace they need and that they are “not lacking in anything.”

Perhaps the secular comparison is to ask yourself  ‘do you see the cup as half-full or half-empty?’  If you see the cup as half-empty, then you think about what you are lacking in life.  As such, it can seem like you can never get ahead and it can be very difficult to find something to be thankful for.

If you see the cup as half-full, then you can be thankful for what you do have.  You can live with an attitude of gratitude, thankful for what you do have and using what you have received in gratitude to help all.

God is a god of blessing and abundance.  Let us give thanks for the blessings God has bestowed upon us.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

One Last Time

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Today (November 20, 2011) is the last Sunday we will use the old Sacramentary for the prayers at Mass.  We have used the same translation for over twenty-five years (If you go to daily Mass or Mass on Thanksgiving this week you will still hear the old prayers until Sunday).  Next Sunday we will begin using the new prayers (third edition since the Second Vatican Council).

This new translations have been in development for just over ten years since Pope John Paul II updated the Latin texts.  Some people ask ‘doesn’t the church have more important things to work on that changing the prayers?’  I believe the answer to that is yes the church knows there are more important things.  That’s why it took ten years to develop the new translation.  They knew there were more important things to work on so they didn’t spend all their time on it.  If they had, the new translations would have been done much sooner.

That being said, I believe the new translations are important.  It may not be the most important thing but we should always work to make sure the words we are praying say what we really mean to say.  I also think it is important that we be able to recognize when the prayers we use at Mass come from scripture that we be able to recognize where they come from.  In the translations, we have been using you couldn’t always recognize the biblical verses (for examples see my previous posts on the Roman Missal). 

I hope one of the effects of using the new translations is that it makes us stop and think about the words we pray.  Using the same prayers for twenty-five years they can become pretty routine.  We can recite the words without really thinking about what the words really mean.  We should never just say the words.  We need to pray the words.

Some who have seen the new translations feel there are some words we don’t use so how are we supposed to know what they mean.  The primary example of this is the word consubstantial in the Creed.  It will replace “one in being” with regards to the relationship of Jesus to the Father.  Consubstantial is certainly not a word we use in everyday conversation.  But the relationship between the Father and the Son that we use it to speak of is a unique relationship.  There is nothing like it in this world.  Realizing that, when the Creed was written in the fourth century, the authors actually came up with a new word to describe it.  They felt no existing human word did it justice.  I agree.  Consubstantial is not a common word but I did just find it in the dictionary at www.infoplease.com (click here).  It means of the same substance.  I believe God deserves some unique words.

Are we going to have to look at the written prayers for a while at Mass until we memorize the new translations?  Yes.  Are we going to struggle to remember the changes at times?  Probably.  But I think it will be worth it.  Don’t just say the words.  To truly pray the words, we need to think about what they mean.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

For more reading

My previous Blog Articles on the Roman Missal

My website articles on the New Translations

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on the new Roman Missal.

Anxiety or Distress?

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Bulletin Article for 11/20/2011

Appreciating the New Translations

The words the priest says following the Lord’s Prayer change slightly.  The principal change is “protect us from all anxiety” becomes “and safe from all distress.”  Anxiety and distress?  What is the difference?  If you look up their meaning in a dictionary, the definition for one includes the other.  Perhaps the difference we might see is that we see distress as we what are going through while anxiety is a feeling it creates in us.  We certainly pray that we do not feel anxiety over the difficulties we face in life.  Even more so, we pray for God’s help in facing “distress” in our lives before we ever feel anxious.

What Does It Mean to Trust In God?

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I titled this article “What Does It Mean to Trust in God?” but the thought behind it really is ‘why doesn’t God answer my prayers?’

In my own life, I very much strive to trust in God, knowing that he is the one who is all-knowing and that he has a plan for each of us.  Yet, in times of trouble there is a temptation to tell God how to deal with our troubles.  For example, when someone is ill, we pray that God would immediately heal them.  Now that is a good thing to pray for but maybe a better way to pray is to say to God that our friend is sick and ask God to take care of them according to his will. 

I remember the final week of my mother’s life she was in ICU because of cancer and emphysema.  I could have prayed for the miracle cure.  I did not.  Instead, I just prayed that God take care of her in her suffering.  He did.  He ended her suffering when she died.  If I had just prayed for a miracle, then my prayer would not have been answered.  As was, my prayer was answered, not according to my will, but according to God’s Will.  God’s will is far better than mine and so I trust in him.

Looking at another case, I think a common way that our prayers might not (seem to) get answered is when we think we need to make a change in our lives and we ask God for guidance.  Of course, we would like (at least I would) the answer immediately.  Yet, it seems like we get no answer.  In that case, I think what God might be saying is ‘Yes, I have something different planned for you but it is not yet the time for you to know what you are to do.  Wait.’

Sometimes, I think God just wants us to be open to change if it is his will.  Other times, we have to wait for the answer.  I am not good at waiting.  I like everything to happen as soon as possible.  It doesn’t always happen quickly.  God tells me to trust and wait.

I think we would all like to trust in all God in all things but it is not easy for us.  For me, the difficult part is waiting. 

How do you struggle to trust in God?

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

Introducing the Lord’s Prayer at Mass

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Bulletin Article for 11/13/2011

Appreciating the New Translations

After the Great Amen, we come to the Lord’s Prayer.  Currently, there are various phrases the priest may say to lead us into this awesome prayer that Jesus taught us.  In the new translation there is one, “At the Savior’s command and formed by his divine teaching, we dare to say:” At the Savior’s Command – when Jesus teaches his disciples to pray (Matthew 6:9-14 he says “This how you are to pray.”  The Church has been praying this prayer for 2,000 years based on those words by Jesus and we will continue to do so till the end of the age.  We are formed by ‘his divine teaching’ to believe as Jesus believed and to pray as he prayed.  We dare to say.  Why ‘we dare’?  Because these are challenging words, to seek that God’s will be done (not our own) and to say we ask for forgiveness as ‘we forgive others.’  These are difficult standards to live up to so it is only by Jesus’ command and in faith that we dare to say the prayer.  Lastly, the words of the Our Father itself will not be changing.

Translating the Mystery of Faith

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My next article on the New Translations

Appreciating the New Translations

One of the oddities in the new translation that puzzled me is right after the consecration.  Currently, the priest says, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.”  In the new translation, it is shortened to “the mystery of faith.”  We might think nobody says a sentence like that but at Mass we do.  When the lector finishes readings, they say “The Word of the Lord.”  The people respond ‘Thanks be to God.’  When the priest or deacon finishes the gospel, they say “The Gospel of the Lord” and the people respond ‘Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ.”  Those responses are to God’s Word having been proclaimed.  The words “The Mystery of Faith’ follow the consecration when the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood, with the Crucifixion and Resurrection, that is the mystery of faith.  We don’t need a complete sentence.  ‘The Mystery of Faith’ says what needs to be said.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

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Today (November 2nd) is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.  That’s its official title.   It is more commonly called All Souls’ Day.  Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints honoring all those who are now saints dwelling in the heavenly kingdom with God.  In my blog article yesterday, I spoke about the Communion of Saints in three parts, the saints in Heaven, those in purgatory, and those of us who continue to dwell in this life on Earth.

Some people think that Purgatory has gone by the wayside and that we no longer believe in Purgatory.  We do not talk about Purgatory much.  Some take that to mean we have given up our belief in Purgatory.  We haven’t.  

Why don’t we talk about Purgatory?  In society at large there seems be a theology that just assumes that since God is a merciful and loving God so everyone will get into Heaven.  One might then think if it is easy to get into Heaven, then we really don’ t need Purgatory. 

Others might not like to talk about Purgatory because they see it as punishment.  One of the images of Purgatory is that of a cleansing fire.  When we think of fire, we tend to think of Hell and the punishing fires that burn there.  Purgatory is not punishment.  Purgatory exists to make us worthy to enter into the Heavenly kingdom.  In Purgatory we are not separated from God as those in Hell. 

God wants us all to be in Heaven but we must accept the gift God offers.  To accept the gift offered, we must live according to the teachings of Jesus.  Yet, the fact remains that we are not perfect.  We make mistakes and we sin.  Of course, God is eager to forgive us and the price for our sins was paid by Jesus as he hung upon the Cross for us.  If we genuinely seek the Lord’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God forgives us. 

So, when we die, our sins have already been forgiven.  But while our sins have already been given forgiven, they are part of our past and thus part of who we are.  To be able to enter into Heaven, we need to be “cleansed” of the effect our sins have had on us.  Purgatory does that for us.

So, Purgatory is a good thing.  If you make it to Purgatory, then you will make it to Heaven.  So, we pray for those in Purgatory.  This is the reason that we have Masses said for the dead.  Protestant theology says that there is no benefit in praying for the dead.  They will be judged by who they are at the time of their death.  Catholic theology would agree that our prayers do not get people out of Hell.  We pray for the dead in the hope that they will be welcomed to the heavenly kingdom but first that they may be quickly ‘complete their time’ in Purgatory and enter the Heavenly Kingdom (Praying for the dead is actually found in the Bible in 2 Maccabees 12: 38-46).

And so on this All Souls’ Day and always we pray for the dead that have gone before us.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

The Solemnity of All Saints

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Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints.  It is a holy day of obligation, meaning that we should all gather at Church for Mass today.  It is a solemnity and a holy day of obligation because of the important role that saints have in our Catholic theology.

We probably all know the names of at least a few saints.  Some of the most common include St. Joseph, St. Peter, St. John, St. Mary, and St. Francis.  Today at our school Mass I asked the children the names of the some of the saints.  One, much to my surprise, answered St. Louis.  Now there is a St. Louis but he isn’t one that I would expect children to know.  After Mass, his teacher said he knew the name “St. Louis” because the St. Louis’ Cardinals won the world series last week.  I guess we can hear the name of a saint almost anyplace.

Each saint that we know by name has their own feast or memorial.  To be a saint is to live in the fullness of God’s presence in the Kingdom of Heaven.  So, for every saint we might know by name, there can be countless others who have left this life to be with God in the heavenly kingdom that we don’t know the names of.  Today’s Solemnity of All Saints honors all the saints whether we know their names or not.

Our Catholic theology of saints is misunderstood by many people (both Catholics and non-Catholics).  We do not worship the saints.  That would be idolatry and break the First Commandment to worship only one God.  So, we venerate the saints.  Now, I have to admit the first time I heard the term “venerate” I had to go look it up in a dictionary.  For those who don’t know what it means, it is to have a great respect for the saints.

Another misunderstanding of saints is some people think we pray to the saints, asking the saints to do the miracles.  God, not the saints, is the one who performs miracles.  So we do not pray to the saints.  Instead, we, recognizing their divine place in Heaven, ask them to intercede for us to the Father.

How does one get to be a saint?  By following the model that Jesus gives in today’s gospel (The Beatitudes).  We must be poor in spirit, humble, and meek.  To put it as it appears in the Children’s Lectionary, “Blessed are they who know they need God.”

We need God.  There should be no doubt about that.  We are capable of doing great things but only because God gives us the gifts we need to do them.  We accept these gifts when we realize that we can’t do it all by ourselves.  The saints know that and that is why they followed Jesus.  So, the saints are a role model of good Christian living to us.

Lastly, we should not forget what we Catholics call the Communion of Saints.  In baptism, we all become one family, sharing in the faith Jesus has given us.  There are three groups of people in the Communion of Saints.  First are those who we call saints and live in the heavenly kingdom now.  The second group of people are those in Purgatory (Yes, purgatory still exists).  Lastly, the third category are those of us who are baptized children of God but still living here on other.  We are linked together through baptism.  So, we pray for the souls in Purgatory who are being cleansed of their sins while those in Heaven pray for us.

It is holding all of this in our hearts and souls that we seek the intercession of all the saints.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff

P.S. For more on purgatory read my previous blog, “Is Purgatory Gone?”.

How Many Will Be Saved?

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Here’s my next bulletin article on the new translations

Appreciating the New Translations

In each Eucharistic Prayer we hear the words over the “chalice”, Take this all of you and drink from it, this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.  It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.  Do this in memory of me.  As was discussed previously, the word “cup” will become “chalice.”  The other significant change is from “all” to “many.”  Does this mean Heaven used to be open for “all” and now will be restricted to “many”?  No.  Heaven remains open to all, but not all will accept God but many will.  The prophet Isaiah speaks of how the Lord will justify many (Isaiah 53:11b-12).  Both Matthew and Mark record Jesus’ words of Jesus at the Last Supper as “for many” (Matthew 26:27-28, Mark 14:23-24).  In the Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 605), we read. “The Church, following the apostles, teaches that Christ died for all men without exception: “There is not, never has been, and never will be single human being for whom Christ did not suffer.”  So, we use the word “many” according to Jesus’ own words but we know the gift is offered to all.