The question for me is; which language is most helpful, latin or the vernacular, when full participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the desired goal?
Bishop Sheen has quoted Thomas Aquinas in matters of faith and goodness many times. I like this one, heard yesterday on EWTN. “People come by faith thru REASON. It is never the other way around.” And the bishop said this; "Always begin a persuasive argument on a positive, noting the good in the other’s account. I would like to try that here.
I remember the Mass changes clearly. I was a sailor stationed on Okinawa and at times assisted the chaplain in setting up and serving for father. I had heard vague references to “big changes coming to your local chapel”, and we are going to pray the mass in english". Then one day, while I was setting up, father entered the chapel and said; “hold everything Bob. I have a letter from the military ordinariate’s office”. Things happened rapidly and have never been the same for me since. Well, the Military Ordinariate is our chaplain’s bishop, and so it was given to us as a mandate.
You all know these changes, so I will not list them. Even so, I have never spoken latin at mass since 1962.
The consistency of it all for an english speaker is a good thing. My comfort level for english and the other changes that ultimately came down the pike came very quickly. Consequently, for many years I had been happy. There were things reported in some venues that made me uncomfortable. The good people here and others would certainly call these abuses. I am tempted to describe the guitar playing and folk singing of new songs, and mass on the beach, but I am lengthy here already and that problem does not answer my question; which is better, latin or the vernacular?
So far it would appear that change is good and mass in english has served me to participate more fully. Well there has been a pull in the opposite direction. As I have matured down through the years, I have been exposed to bits and pieces of the “old way”. Recently, with commentary of Pope Benedict XVI’s letter regarding the tridentine mass, I learned that we were taken advantage of in several areas.
- The “new way” of saying mass was never mandated. People have had a choice in the matter all along. This really hurt me since now I feel cheated. The latin is missed and the mystery of the celebration, as our priests would face the tabernacle and the crucifix and really prayed to someone. I hate it when the priest stares off into space, trying to visualize the invisible. They are uncomfortable I think, and I am uncomfortable. The opposite would be true. Looking at the Divine Sacrificial Lamb on the cross of our salvation and having the tabernacle representing the Torah within touching distance makes it easy to get into the true spirit of the last supper.
- Latin or no: If I could recount another recent experience to make my point about the benefits of saying the mass in latin. Sunday I attended, in honor of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, a spanish aspeaking mass. These celebrations are always lively, singing is beautiful and the costumes are striking in their color. But, my friends, I do not speak spanish at all. Maybe I need to learn the language. At least get familiar with some conversational phrases.
I had an epiphaney Sunday
The mass, said in the vernacular, is not a good thing. This change, said to be a uniter has been a divider of Christians. To this day our catholic people who, world wide, are the body of Christ, have been mortally divided by language. Language is a spin off from Adam’s sin. The miracles that would happen in our world if Christians were united around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass would astound! This would bring the coming of God’s Kingdom. Defeating once for all Satan and his minions. I will end this thesis considering how unity will be attained.
It is so simple for me. I know it is the primary solution, an answer, sitting right in front of me, that is missed. WE MUST RETURN SOON TO THE TRIDENTINE MASS. Latin is the thing that will unite us. As I sat in the spanish mass, not understanding, divided from the Latino community, divided from God in a way, really disturbed, the words came to me. Bishop Sheen has said; "faith never comes first. Faith requires reason. Thinking and understanding must be present before salvation. Here is the bottom line. We must come to Faith and the Holy Eucharist together, understanding our mutual gift of love. God is a big thinker. His “coming together in faith” encompasses all people acting and praying together. I can never learn 115 different languages, or however many there are. I can come to all my Christian brothers in learning, thinking and understanding the latin of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
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