Qua reverentia I

Thumbing through Bona's practical and ascetical treatise on the Sacrifice of the Mass, one chapter heading struck me as of interest and indeed promised contents that might well be of practical benefit: Qua reverentia celebrandum sit. (With what reverence it should be celebrated.) Here is my on-the-fly translation of the first part of the chapter:
Reverence is twofold: internal and external. Internal reverence consists in fear and trembling, in humility and compunction of heart. To external reverence pertains the composition and gravity of the whole man, and the observance of all the ceremonies and the prescribed rites. The priest will easily understand what great care should be used, to celebrate this most august sacrifice with all respect and reverence, if on the one hand he should consider that no work more holy and divine could be handled by the worshippers of Christ, than this tremendous mystery: and if on the other hand, he should ponder that he who does the work of God negligently is called accursed in the sacred scriptures. Indeed, if he were going to speak to a King, he would stand before him with great fear, nor would he dare to avert his eyes from him: with how much greater trepidation, humility and solicitude should he stand in the sight of the divine majesty, with his whole mind intent on God himself, who not only perceives the external appearance but even the most intimate secrets of the soul?

What would be more filthy and worthy of punishment than for a sinner to assist irreverently at the altar where the saints fear, the Angels quake, the Powers tremble, and the highest Spirits veil their faces in shame and confusion? The night approaches to the light, the sick to the almighty, the slave to the Lord, the creature to the Creator: and he does not fear, does not tremble?

The joy which the Holy Trinity and the heavenly powers take from the devout and reverent celebration of the Mass will also be of benefit in exciting our feelings of reverence: both because that sacrifice was left by Christ as a testament, as a pledge of the love by which he loved his own until the end; and because it is the commemoration of his death by whose intercession our sins are blotted out, men are redeemed, saints are saved, and we who are living are loaded with innumerable benefits. Therefore, he who sacrifices should take care lest he admit anything which would diminish this joy of God and the Saints which flows forth from the sweet odour of this sacrifice.

[to be continued]

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

The Church Music Association of America and Jeffrey Tucker of the New Liturgical Movement have made available the 1962 Missal online in pdf format (72Mb). The file is hosted at Musica Sacra , the website of the CMAA, thanks to a generous gift from Fr Robert Skeris While you are at it, take a look at the articles clarifying the rules for music at Low Mass and music at High Mass .
Read more

Plenary indulgences not impossible

Dilexit Prior in Letters from a Young Catholic asked some useful questions today about indulgences. I thought it would be best to do a post here especially to cover the controversial question of detachment from venial sin. But first the other questions: The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence Pope Paul VI set down a number of norms relating to indulgences at the end of Indulgentiarum Doctrina . Norm 7 states: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent. If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial, except for the provisions contained in n.11 for those who are “impeded.” It is worth reading the other norms bec
Read more

Saint Gabriel

Image
The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai
Read more

Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

Image
A priest friend of mine is ill in hospital. He has a special devotion to Blessed Pius IX. Could I ask you, of your charity, to say a Novena for his speedy recovery. Novena In Honour of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you the Patron of the Universal Church. (Glory be...) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Mary, our Hope, and Saint Joseph hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX , granting to us through his merits and intercessions the graces which we ardently desire: that the glory of God be revealed through Father's illness. (Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory be
Read more

Downloadable booklets for Vespers

Image
Gregorian Chant Hymns is a most helpful website that I mentioned in a post just over a year ago. As I said then, the site "[...] promotes the learning of Gregorian Chant by making sheet music, recordings, translations, and instructions. There is a short guide to Gregorian Notation (those square notes) and to Latin pronunciation. Everything is available free of charge, in line with other great traditional music websites." Work has continued at the site and there is now a section which makes available pdf (or .docx format) booklets for Vespers for every Sunday of the Year and a few major feasts. There is the basic booklet for ordinary Sunday Vespers which is supplemented by separate files for the Sundays after Pentecost which contain the Magnificat and Collect. Then there are booklets, for example for Advent and Lent, where the office is different from the regular Sunday Vespers with its antiphons. All of the booklets have texts and notation for Benediction and the Maria
Read more