Pope Francis has turned the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper into a rather pedestrian affair, quite literally. And the music, well, the music, it is what so many experience throughout the world in the post Vatican II milieu.
Interesting there are no deacons!
I would love to know Msgr. Guido Marini's take on this! Of course, we must give an A for effort and good faith! The sound is very Italian, thus dripping syrupy! (I can say that as an Italian!)
And this is Pope Benedict's last Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper:
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated the Missa in coena Domini on Holy Thursday evening, at the CARA Welcome and Hospitality Centre operated by the Auxilium cooperative. Located a short distance outside the Rome city limits, in Castelnuovo di Porto, the Centre provides temporary lodging and services to nearly 900 asylum seekers from 25 different countries.
In his homily, Pope Francis renewed his condemnation of those who – like Judas Iscariot – sow discord for gain and trade in arms, selling the tools of bloodshed for profit. The Holy Father also spoke of the communicative power of concrete actions, saying that gestures of fraternity, concord and peace among people of different religion and cultural tradition who truly desire peace and resolve to live as brothers and sisters is a powerful witness to a world sorely in need of such signs.
Below, please find Vatican Radio’s English translation of the Holy Father’s remarks
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Gestures speak louder than pictures and words. There are, in the Word of God we read, two gestures: Jesus serving, washing the feet ... He, who was the “head man”, washing the feet of others, of His own, even of the least; one gesture. The second gesture: Judas who goes to the enemies of Jesus, those who do not want peace with Jesus, to take the money that bought His betrayal; the 30 pieces of silver.
Two gestures.
Even today, here, there are two gestures: this, of all of us together, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, Copts, Evangelical [Protestants] brothers and sisters – children of the same God – we want to live in peace, integrated. One gesture. Three days ago, an act of war, of destruction in a European city, by people who do not want to live in peace. Though behind that gesture, as there were behid that of Judas, there were others. Behind Judas there were those who offered money, that Jesus be delivered up to them. Behind that [other] gesture [on Tuesday in Belgium], there are manufacturers, arms dealers who want blood, not peace; they want the war, not fraternity.
Two gestures, just the same: Jesus washes feet, Judas sold Jesus for money. You, we, all of us together, of different religions, different cultures, but children of the same Father, brothers – and there, those poor people, who buy weapons to wreck fraternity. Today, at this time, when I do the same act of Jesus washing the feet of twelve of you, let us all make an gesture of brotherhood, and let us all say: “We are different, we are different, we have different cultures and religions, but we are brothers and we want to live in peace.”
This, then, is the gesture that I make with you. Each of us has a story, each of you has a story you carry with you. Many crosses, many sorrows: but also an open heart that wants brotherhood. Let each, in his religious language, pray the Lord that this brotherhood be contagious in the world, that there be no 30 pieces of silver to purchase a brother’s murder, that there be always brotherhood and goodness. So be it.
7 comments:
IT DOESN'T GET ANY MORE PARISH-LIKE THAN THIS.
Did Pope Francis have ALL the people come up to wash each others feet? if not, then that is not very parish like, is it?
And Europe burns and Islam takes over Europe, Our Lady weeps for her Son Our Lord.
No, just twelve and not all are Christians, some Muslims I believe. I know that some places still thrive on the 1970's literalism when it comes to the liturgy and invite everyone and their brother and sister to have their feet washed. To that I would prefer what I experienced in 1977 at a now closed Jesuit Retreat house in Maryland. We planted seeds in little flower pots instead of having what was called the outdated foot washing that no one understands. I understood less what the seeds were about though!
I'm all for restoring reverence to the sacred liturgy, especially to the Holy Mass, but I don't see anything irreverent about any of this today. The liturgical renewal movement could benefit from making a distinction between reverence and elegance.
I certainly think of myself as traditional and thus prefer the washing of male, Catholic, feet, as symbolic of service to apostles, but I suppose another view would be that including women and non-Christians symbolizes Jesus' service of all, primarily, of course, through his giving up his life for the many.
A bit off topic. I watched the Maundy Thursday Liturgy celebrated at the Basilica in Washington DC and was struck by how traditional it was, with the Roman Canon and how much Latin was employed, including the Per Ipsum! Even a short 10 years ago, this would have been unthinkable. We have Pope Benedict's excellent example to thank for that and it is wonderful that his influence is still being felt. I have to admit, somewhat grudgingly, that Pope Francis has NOT reversed this movement towards traditional liturgy. Now, Pope Francis doesn't wear the elegant and historic vestments Pope Benedict was inclined to wear, but Latin is still present in papal liturgies and the chant, if anything, has gotten better. A far cry from the "Barnum and Bailey specials" during St. John Paul's reign,when Piero Marini was in charge.
It must have been bewildering if not aggravating for the Muslims to watch the pope pray the Mass to God while facing the people. In Islam, everyone faces the same direction as the imam in prayer, Mecca. Otherwise it is uncharitable towards God and them. The Copts were probably used to the corrupt practices of the Latin Church.
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