QUOTE=pnewton;5608865]Likewise, it can only be false if, in some strange twist of irony, or Catholicism ends when Mass begins. Mass is the representation of Calvary. Jesus did not die for Himself. He does not give us His body and blood today for Himself. Mass has always been *communal *worship.
No, it hasn’t. By the seventh century monastic priests began to simply celebrate Private Masses daily. They usually celebrated them at the side altars, in a low voice and regardless of the presence of a congregation or religious community. These Masses were celebrated because the priests were concerned with their own salvation. They regarded the Mass as the most effective means to gain personal sanctity and a guarantee of salvation. IOW., the Mass is an entity in itself. We can neither add anything or in any way make it “better” by our presence.
In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformers expressed opposition to any Mass without a congregation,
preferring to stress the communal character of Christian worship. Luther drew on Scripture to justify this opposition: “The closer and more similar a Mass is to the first Mass which Christ celebrated at the Last Supper, the more Christian it is.”
In turn, the Council of Trent defended the practice of holding Private Masses or concelebrating at another priest’s Mass & this teaching remained up to the time of Vatican II.
Actually, it still remains but has a different title. With the reform of the Roman Missal following Vatican II, a new rite was introduced called** Mass without a Congregation**, replacing that of Private Mass. Some prayers were added, some subtracted. However, since Christ said, "I say to you, if **two of you **agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. “For where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Notice that He didn’t say where 200 or 300 are gathered, though I think a large congregation celebrating together is the best way.
The Mass is a renewal of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross & it is pleasing to Him, with or without a congregation. It is as valid, it’s grace as efficacious whether the priest & server are alone or surrounded by hundreds of people.
The concept of the Mass being the renewal of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross is important if we are to understand why the Mass is called a “memorial.” It is not a memorial in the sense that we commemorate the death of the unknown soldier, or even the death of a loved one. This is the Protestant view, namely, that the Mass is a “memorial” of the historical Crucifixion.
Rather, the mass is a memorial in the sense that it “recalls to mind,” a recollection of something that has **a self-existing, everlasting and eternal reality of its own **in heaven. It is in this manner that the Mass makes present once again what happened at Calvary and what is occurring eternally and perpetually in Heaven.
The idea zero horizontal element to Mass is a backlash against what has been called here the “Me-Church” and elsewhere has been given other names. Names-calling does not make good arguement though. Rejection of communal worship completely is just as wrong as making the focus mosthly on each other.
I have said nothing about a “
zero horizontal element”. I have explained that the **primary **function of the Mass is NOT the “community”, it is the Sacrifice. It’s secondary benefit is the grace received by any & all who assist.
Yes, we are there to adore and worship our saviour as a primary function and to secondarily receive grace. However, this focus should never negate the communal aspect of worship completely just because we see it out of balance.
IMO., the “communal aspect” has been out of balance. It has nothing to do with “how we see it”…& everything to do with the fact that the Sacrifice has been given the secondary spot & the “communal meal” has been relegated to the primary.
Note, if you had paid attention to the author’s emphasis, the issue had nothing to do with the womens’ hairstyles, and everything to do with their desire (albeit a futile one) to intentionally disrupt the Mass.