This is the definition of Paschal Mystery in the glossary of
The Paschal Mystery was abundantly made clear in the mysticism of the Ancient Mass. Although present in the Modern Mass, it is obscured by other factors and disorders in its celebration.
Truly the fuller understanding of the Paschal Mystery must begin before the Incarnation. From all eternity, God so loved the world that He wanted to save all of His creation including the crown of His creation, mankind who had become mired in the disorders of the world and mankind due to the original sin of Adam and Eve which is handed down or inherited by every human being since then except the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Thus we begin with the Most Holy Trinity and recognize that the Paschal Mystery is not completed in “time” until the return of the Lord for the Second Coming, the consummation of the world and the Final Judgement. Only then will all of creation and all of humanity saved by Christ be properly ordered as we were prior to the fall.
The modern Mass obscured all of this through a theology that focuses on merely understanding ritual and doctrine in an intelligble way. What is worshipped unwittingly, is not Christ and His Paschal Mystery but rather intelligibility, participation and understanding. All these things an avowed atheist can do.
And the emphasis on meal rather than the One Sacrifice of the Cross in a gloriously unbloody way distorts the Paschal Mystery and turns it into a fellowship meal, completely horizontal, relational and here and now with little focus on the heavenly banquet where the entire Paschal Mystery is already completed.
How can we recover the Paschal Mystery’s clarity from the ancient Mass and restore it in a more vivid way in the Modern Mass?
More silence leading to awe and wonder as formal liturgical prayer and ritual is taking place. This is not silence for the sake of silence when no liturgical ritual or prayer is taking place but silence pregnant with liturgical ritual and prayer. The highpoint for this is in the Canon of the Mass prayed in a low voice.
A quiet canon, using any of the approved Eucharistic Prayers would lead hearts and souls to acknowledge the complete Paschal Mystery especially ad orientem which makes sure that the Eucharistic Prayer isn’t turned into a reenactment of Holy Thursday and the Last Supper. This is the greatest disorder of the modern Mass that obscures the Paschal Mystery, the acting out of the Eucharistic Prayer by the priest before a congregation that is suppose to be a symbol of the Apostles with Jesus at the Last Supper.
That is nonsensical of course and completely repudiated in the Ancient Mass. But the Modern Mass has led so many clergy and laity to think the apex of the Mass is the reenactment of Holy Thursday’s Last Supper!
Then a reemphasis on Holy Communion received in a state of Grace, with the proper fast and only those who are in full communion with Christ and His Catholic Church will help to recover the Heavenly Banquet where the saved and sinless glory in the completed Paschal Mystery. All are invited to the Sacrifice and its anticipated hope for the completion of the Paschal Mystery, but not all will enter into the Banquet except those who have received the gift of Salvation which Christ does not impose upon us but simply offer it to us. We for our part and by God’s grace must receive it. Many don’t!
6 comments:
I miss the silence that allows one to "hear God". Today, at my church, there is this frantic need to fill the silence in with syrupy "music supplement" songs during and after Communion along with interludes prior to the processional at the beginning of the Mass. It's almost like we are afraid to "hear God" and rather, drown Him out.
In discussing the posture of the priest (liturgical east or towards the people) I have had people complain that they need to see the preparation of the sacred meal. The lack of understanding is stunning and nothing the USCCB is doing with the multi-year (and $$$) focus on the Eucharist is going to change it.
Father McDonald said..."A quiet canon, using any of the approved Eucharistic Prayers would lead hearts and souls to acknowledge the complete Paschal Mystery..."
I recognize/appreciate the spiritual efficacy, as well as powerful holy symbolism, that flows from the quiet Canon. I recognize/appreciate that the audible Canon is a holy, powerful, spiritual force.
I lean toward the audible Canon — Roman Canon. Speaking spiritually, I believe that the Canon's prayers are powerful and deserving to be heard. For me, when I hear the priest proclaim the Canon aloud, I am buoyed in my belief that the Holy Mass is a sacrifice, and that I am in communion with the one Church on earth that is true and holy.
I find the Roman Canon beautiful and uplifting.
One need not hear the Canon to receive the graces that flow from said prayer(s). Deaf people, as well as those with poor hearing, receive the graces in question. But I lean toward an audible Canon.
Thank you.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
sometimes obscuring the priest altogether!
So what!! The priest is speaking to God, not the people.
Timothy, I am thinking of a very tall altar server, standing directly in front of the priest and his body becoming the ad orientem part of the prayer at the Church. It looks silly to say the least.
I suppose the V2 revolutionaries (They overturned the then existing order) could have tried to hide their dislike of The Holy Holocaust - which they ended up calling The Lord's Supper - but they made the mistake of substituting a Jewish Meal pray for the Offertory and even normal Catholics understood what was happening to them; they could no longer worship like their father did, like they grandfather did, like his father did, etc etc back into the mist of time; The Damasian-Gregorian-Tridentine Holy Holocaust is over 1500 years old.
But, feeling triumphant over the Holy Holocaust of Tradition , they couldn't help but rub into our spiritual wounds the meal prayer of the Messias-Deniers.
The Holy Holocaust is the most Holy and important act occurring on earth at any time of day. By their actions, do our authorities, exhibit that understanding?
No.
If they did, they'd restore what was destroyed in the name of ecumenism.
Offertory replaced by a Talmudic Jewish meal prayer
https://tinyurl.com/mr3hr75m
Post a Comment