Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

This great feast of Our Lady speaks not only to the plan that God had for Mary of Nazareth, daughter of Joachim and Anne, but also to the whole of the human race. Once our first parents had chosen to disobey God and decide for themselves what was good and evil, the consequence was a rupture in relationship with God. This wound to human nature is glaringly evident to anyone who works as a counselor or spiritual director. Instead of becoming Nietzsche's idea of "superman" our first parents knew only fear, nakedness and shame in the presence of God: "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." (Gen 3: 10) This wound is not genetic but it was passed on to every human being subsequently and means we cannot please God or know God's love of our effort alone. In the baptismal rite for infants the prayer the priest says: "We pray or this child: set him (her) free from original sin, make him (her) a temple of your glory, and send your Holy Spirit to dwell with him (her)." We do not commit original sin but we need to be freed from it. I think we can also deduce that Our Lady was from the very moment of her existence free from original sin and a temple of God's glory. This is what we all became at our baptism and what we need to continue to aspire to be. Our Lady was not only immaculately conceived but throughout her life she cooperated perfectly with God's grace: at the Annunciation she consented to bear the Son of God, she was joined to her Son in his sacrifice on the Cross and was at the heart of the community when the Holy Spirit descended to manifest the Church at Pentecost. In this way she was the pioneer and exemplar for all disciples who not only belong to the society of the Church but need to be transformed in our hearts, through obedience and love, to be docile to the Holy Spirit. 

1st Sunday of Advent

Jesus speaks of how the end of time will take place in the Gospel today. He prophesies how fear will grip the world: "People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for he powers of heaven will be shaken." (Lk 21: 26) This is not to be the case for those who believe in Christ: "Now when all these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Lk 21: 28) The Letter to the Hebrews puts it this way: "And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that judgment, so Christ, having been offered once for the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly awaiting him." (Heb 9: 27-28) This begs the question: which group will I be in? Those who are quaking with fear or those who stand erect ready to welcome 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud.' (Lk 21: 27)? Not only that, what influence does fear and anxiety have on my life here and now? We do well to listen to the counsel of the Lord from the Sermon on the Mount: "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. today's trouble is enough for today." (Mtt 6: 33) The antidote to fear and anxiety is, in fact, peace. This peace is not an absence of conflict rather it is the fruit of justice. In its perfect form it is a gift from the Lord: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." (Jn 14: 27) If I am in a state of fear, confusion or anxiety I need to trust in the Lord and pray that his peace will flood my soul knowing and trusting that his power is sufficient for me. As St Paul states: "... but he (the Lord) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12 9-10)

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Jesus tells Pilate: "My kingdom is not from this world." (Jn 18: 36) How often, in history, has much suffered occurred for the Church when its members have thought first of worldly power and influence?! We are in the world but not of the world. An Early Christian document called: "Letter to Diognetus" states:

"Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men. Unlike some other people, they champion no purely human doctrine. With regard to dress, food and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.

And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labour under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children, but they do not expose them. They share their meals, but not their wives."

I think we must take the idea seriously that we are essentially a pilgrim people. We should not get to attached to the things of this world along with all of its blandishments. rather, we look forward to the fulfillment of a new kingdom where"God may be all in all." (1 Cor 15: 27) St Paul tells us: "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14: 17) As we approach the busy season of Advent let us make room for righteousness, peace and joy in our daily lives.

Church as the Bride of Christ and the Holy Eucharist

In my reflections on the Mass it occurs to me that how we engage with this great mystery has a lot to do with our images of Church. For the Mass in the extra-ordinary form the principle image is that of the Body of Christ. In the post-conciliar liturgy it has often been the People of God. I do not intend to elaborate on these images here, however, each has far reaching implications for both celebrant and congregation in terms of their prayer and Eucharistic spirituality. Neither is wrong but then neither is completely correct or exhaustive. In this blog post I would like to look at the image of the Church as is Bride of Christ as it can be used to help understand the dynamics of Mass in the ordinary form.

To start with the image of Church as the Bride of Christ, who identifies himself in the Gospel as the bridegroom, is clearly a significant part of the official teaching of the Church. In Lumen gentium this image occurs prior to and after the exposition on the Body of Christ in article 8 and therefore can be taken to nuance and interpret it. The Fathers wrote:

"The Church, further, 'that Jerusalem which is above' is also called 'our mother.' It is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless Lamb, whom Christ "loved and for whom He delivered Himself up that He might sanctify her,' whom He unites to Himself by an unbreakable covenant, and whom He unceasingly "nourishes and cherishes,' and whom, once purified, He willed to be cleansed and joined to Himself, subject to Him in love and fidelity, and whom, finally, He filled with heavenly gifts for all eternity, in order that we may know the love of God and of Christ for us, a love which surpasses all knowledge. The Church, further, 'that Jerusalem which is above' is also called 'our mother.' It is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless Lamb, whom Christ 'loved and for whom He delivered Himself up that He might sanctify her,' whom He unites to Himself by an unbreakable covenant, and whom He unceasingly 'nourishes and cherishes,' and whom, once purified, He willed to be cleansed and joined to Himself, subject to Him in love and fidelity, and whom, finally, He filled with heavenly gifts for all eternity, in order that we may know the love of God and of Christ for us, a love which surpasses all knowledge." (LG, 6)

"Christ loves the Church as His bride, having become the model of a man loving his wife as his body; the Church, indeed, is subject to its Head. 'Because in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,' He fills the Church, which is His body and His fullness, with His divine gifts (71) so that it may expand and reach all the fullness of God." (LG, 7) 

In the Constitution on the Liturgy, Sacrosanctum concilium the image was applied to the work of the liturgy:

"Christ indeed always associates the Church with Himself in this great work wherein God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified. The Church is His beloved Bride who calls to her Lord, and through Him offers worship to the Eternal Father." (SC, 7)

With this in mind let us imagine the Sunday Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist as a "date" where the Bride spends time apart with her Bridegroom to be renewed, refreshed and reinvigorated in her task of continuing the bridegroom's salvific plan.

1. Gathering: The Bride fasts before Mass to prepare herself for the date. She is prompted by the Holy Spirit and gathers to meet with him on the eighth day, that is, the day of the Resurrection. In the processional song she sings for joy to be in the presence of the Bridegroom.

2. Liturgical Greeting: The priest acting in persona Christi capitis greets the people who respond acknowledging the presence of the Lord.

3. Penitential Act: Mindful of her faults the Bride confesses her sins while praising the Bridegroom for his mercy and love that are never ending.

4. Gloria: This prompts the Bride to glorify the Bridegroom in the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

5. Collect: The opening prayer unites the Bride's desires and aspirations thus opening them up to listen to the Bridegroom.

Liturgy of the Word

This part of the Mass is where the Bridegroom feeds the Bride with his Word. In the Constitution on Revelation, Dei verbum we read:

"The words of the holy fathers witness to the presence of this living tradition, whose wealth is poured into the practice and life of the believing and praying Church. Through the same tradition the Church's full canon of the sacred books is known, and the sacred writings themselves are more profoundly understood and unceasingly made active in her; and thus God, who spoke of old, uninterruptedly converses with the bride of His beloved Son; and the Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel resounds in the Church, and through her, in the world, leads unto all truth those who believe and makes the word of Christ dwell abundantly in them (see Col. 3:16)." (DV, 8)

"The Bride of the Incarnate Word and the Pupil of the Holy Spirit" (DV, 22).

6. First Reading: Taken from the Old Testament the Bride learns how from the beginning of Creation the bridegroom has prepared her for his coming. During Eastertide the readings from the Acts o the Apostles speak of the Bridegroom working in and with the Church through the Holy Spirit until the end of Creation.

7. Psalm: The Bride responds with ancient songs of praise which speak both of God's power but also the history and struggles of the Bride.

8. Second Reading: The Bridegroom teaches the Bride how he is present to the Church and continues to guide her through history.

9. Alleluia: Again the Bride responds with praise at the workings of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of the Bridegroom.

10. Gospel: The Bridegroom feeds the Bride with the Divine Word of the Gospels as the public and objective revelation of the Word made Flesh.

11. Creed: The Bride responds to this revelation of divine truth by affirming her faith in the Bridegroom. 

12. Prayers of the Faithful: The Bride manifests the sincerity of this faith by bringing before the Bridegroom her needs and those of the world trusting that he will provide them as she cooperates with his grace.

Liturgy of the Eucharist:

This part of the Mass is where the Bridegroom feeds the Bride with his Body and Blood under the form of bread and wine. There is one sacrifice offered under two different modes: that of the priest acting in persona Christi capitis and that of the bride in persona Ecclesiae or even, I would say Mariae. The sacrifice of praise offered at the foot of the Cross by the Blessed Virgin joins her to her Son. We gaze on the Host and likewise strive to offer ourselves in imitation of her so that we might share in the fruits of redemption.

13. Offertory: Obedient to his instructions: "Do this in memory of me" the Bride brings forward the bread and wine for the Eucharistic sacrifice and prepares the altar.

14: Oblation: The priest, prepares for the sacrifice and praises God thus initiating the self-offering of the Bridegroom to which the Bride is joined.

15: The Eucharistic Prayer: The Bridegroom makes a living memorial of his Paschal Mystery through which he redeemed humanity and brought about the Bride to be the Second Eve born from his side as he hung in the sleep of death on the Cross. The Bride echoes the liturgy of heaven as she offers herself up in union with the Bridegroom in this act of love, gratitude and joy. This is brought to a climax for the Bride in the Great Amen.

16: The Lord's Prayer: United in their prayer and the sacrifice is makes present the Bride is stirred to pray to God as Father trusting in the words of the Bridegroom and adopted into his filial relationship with the Father in the Holy Spirit.

17: Prayer for Peace: The Bride prepares to receive the Bridegroom in Holy Communion by recalling his gift of peace to the Bride and asking that it be manifested in the Church and in the world.

18: Lamb of God: Mindful again of her imperfections and sins the bride asks of the Bridegroom the fruit of mercy and peace. The Host is broken in the ancient action through which the Bride recognized her Bridegroom "in the breaking of the bread." (Luke 24: 35)

19: Reception of Holy Communion: Coming forward the Bride is nourished by the Bridegroom, in sacrament, and longs for the day when she will be united with him in eternity. Individual members echo the Great Amen as they make an individual act of faith in their Lord and Master.

20: Post-Communion Prayer: The desire for this ultimate union with the Bridegroom is expressed in the brief prayer after Holy Communion which also brings the Eucharistic liturgy to a close.

21. Dismissal: The Bridegroom sends the Bride into the world to continue her mission to make present his Kingdom. The Bride sings rejoicing in the love of the Bridegroom.

22. After Mass Hospitality: The members of the Bride extend the immediate unifying effects of Communion with the Bridegroom by sharing an agape meal which recognizes the Bridegroom as now being present in and mediated through the Bride. 

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Gospel today Jesus says: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Mark 13: 31) We can take this statement in a number of ways. The first is the actual words spoken by Jesus. This divine wisdom, revealed primarily through the Gospels, is true for all time. His words, however, are not simply what is spoken they are also an "enactive utterance," in other words, what they say they simultaneous accomplish. "Then God said: 'Let there be light'; and there was light'." (Gen 1: 3) likewise Jesus said: "Take; this is my body." (Mark 14: 22). Furthermore, Jesus is the "Word made flesh": "And the Word became flesh and lived among us." (John 1: 14) he is not the product of creation rather it is creation that was accomplished through him. Having preceded creation, in his resurrection, he continues for all eternity: But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died... For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death... When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all. (1 Cor 15: 20, 25 & 28) The words of Jesus, therefore, subsist beyond the mere spoken word but resonate for eternity.