Christmas Midnight Mass: Christ the Priest, the Victim, the Bread of Life

CHRISTMAS MASS AT MIDNIGHT 2017

YEAR OF THE CLERGY AND CONSECRATED PERSONS

DECEMBER 25, 2017

Jesus, I trust in you!

Our Parish Belen for 2017

Tonight we return to Bethlehem as Joseph and Mary did as they sought to comply with the worldwide census declared by Augustus Caesar. They had to return to the city of David because Joseph was of the House of David. It was necessary for the Messiah to be born in the city of David because he is Son of David, the legitimate heir to the throne of his royal ancestor. But there is another reason for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The name “Bethlehem” means “house of bread.” Bethlehem is the fitting birth place for Jesus who is the Bread of Life. In fact the sign which the angels gave the shepherds was that of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying on a manger. The manger is the receptacle of animal food. On it is placed the hay for the feeding of the ox and the donkey and even of the sheep. The new-born baby of Mary was laid on a manger not because the hay was soft but because Mary’s child is our food: “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. The food that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

It is rather remarkable that we celebrate today the birth of the Son of God in the flesh. And later on, he shall give his flesh as food for the life of the world. We cannot deny the Eucharistic character of this Holy Day that we are celebrating tonight. It is called “Christmas” and its name is derived from two words: Christ and Mass. The Church, even from ancient times, has understood the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation in the mystery of the Eucharist. In fact, St. John Paul II himself said that the Eucharist is the continuation of the mystery of the Incarnation to our times.

And it is in this light that we have a renewed appreciation of the mystery of the Priesthood. We are celebrating this Christmas in the Year of the Clergy and the Consecrated People. As Mary brought forth the birth in the flesh of God the Son, so also the priest, by the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of the words of Christ, brings about the transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus. The Mass, presided by the priest, is not only our encounter with the Paschal Mystery. It is also our encounter with the mystery of the Incarnation: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. The Incarnation took place in Mary’s womb. The Transubstantiation takes place in the hands of the priest. The priest may not be as pure and sinless as the Virgin Mary. But nevertheless, the Son of God humbles himself to take flesh in the bread and wine offered on the altar during Mass.

In fact, we cannot miss the fact that the angels appeared to shepherds who were keeping watch over their flock at night. The sheep they were tending were the Awassi sheep, the only breed of sheep that is indigenous in Israel. The Awassi sheep breed in the summer and drop lambs in the winter. Thus, in Israel, the principal lambing season runs from December to January. These shepherds to whom the angels appeared were Levitical shepherds who were tasked to keep watch over the temple flock. The reason why the shepherds kept watch at night was that they were attending to the dropping of the lambs. Once a lamb is dropped, they bring it into the cave where it is wrapped in swaddling clothes to keep it from being injured at birth. The lambs they watch over were destined to be the Passover lambs that are supposed to be unblemished. Thus, the shepherds understood what the angel’s message meant: the one born on this night is the unblemished Lamb of God who would be sacrificed on Passover. Christ born today is not only the Bread of Life. He is also the Paschal Lamb, the Victim who would render God the most perfect and the highest act of worship. This Lamb of God is also the High Priest of the new covenant. Being the first-born of creation, he is the head of the household who offers the sacrifice of the family of humankind. He will offer not the blood of animals or of other human beings. He will offer his own flesh and his own blood for the redemption of the world.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us not look at him simply as a cute new-born infant. The one who rests on the manger is the Bread of Life. The one who is wrapped in swaddling clothes is the unblemished Lamb of God. The first-born of Mary is the first-born of creation, the High Priest of the new covenant. This great mystery is renewed every day during Mass. In the Mass, the priest acts in the person of Christ the High Priest. In his hands the incarnation takes place so that the Lamb of God may be offered to the Father and he be returned to us as the Bread of Life that we must eat to enter into communion with God and so receive access to the Divine Life. Truly, this is Christ’s Mass where Jesus comes both as Priest and Victim. Come, let us adore him.   

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Simbang Gabi 4: The Priest and the Sacrifice

SIMBANG GABI 2017 4

YEAR OF THE CLERGY AND THE CONSECRATED PERSONS

DECEMBER 19, 2017

Jesus I trust in you!

The calculation of the date of the birth of the Lord is really based on the story told by the Gospel today. The Angel Gabriel announced the birth of St. John the Baptist to Zechariah as he was fulfilling his temple duties during the evening sacrifice on Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement, which normally is offered in the month of September. Zechariah was serving in the temple because he was a priest. He came from the tribe of Levi which was the priestly tribe of Israel. Because he was a priest, Zechariah performed duties related to worship.

This is basically the work of a priest. In every religion, there are priests tasked to offer the highest act of worship, and that would be the offering of a sacrifice to the deity. The offering of the sacrifice was a sublime task because it was and continues to be the highest act of worship. The sacrifice is the highest act of worship because it involves the killing of an animal or a human victim in acknowledgment of the deity’s dominion over life and death.

Before the Levites were appointed as the priestly tribe, the offering of the sacrifice was the work of the head of the household, a work that was later passed on to the first-born son. After the worship of the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai, the offering of the sacrifice was given as the task of the sons of Levi who were the only tribe that did not take part in the idolatrous worship.  And so the sons of Levi took turns in their temple duties and that was what Zechariah was doing when the angel appeared to him.

Christ’s offering of himself on the wood of the Cross is the most perfect sacrifice because what was offered to God was not the blood of any animal nor that of any human being but that of God’s only begotten Son. This perfect sacrifice of Jesus nullified all other sacrifices because nothing else will be as worthy of Divine Majesty as the offering of God’s Son. Thus, at the death of Jesus, the temple curtains were rent into two, marking the end of all sacrifices to give way to the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

Jesus perpetuated his sacrifice by establishing the Holy Mass during the Last Supper. On Holy Thursday, he established the Holy Eucharist and in order to perpetuate it, he ordained his apostles as priests. He had to ordain priests because only priests can offer the sacrifice. “God, who alone is the holy one and sanctifier, has willed to take men as allies and helpers to become humble servants in his work of sanctification. The purpose for which priests are consecrated by God through the ministry of the bishop is that they should be made sharers in a special way in Christ’s priesthood and, by carrying out sacred functions, act as his ministers who, through his Spirit, continually exercise his priestly function for our benefit in the liturgy.” (Presbyterorum Ordinis, 5.)

The offering of the Eucharist is the center of the life of the Church. “The other sacraments and all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate are bound up with the Eucharist and are directed towards it. For in the most blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself our Pasch and the living Bread which gives life to men through his flesh – that flesh which is given life and gives life through the Holy Spirit.” (PO, 5.)

Because of the supreme importance of the Mass in the life of the Church, the work of the priests is so important. Without priests, the sacrifice cannot be offered. Without the sacrifice, God cannot be worship in a way he rightfully deserves. “The Eucharistic celebration is the center of the assembly of the faithful over which the priest presides.” (PO, 5.) Let us assist at the most perfect Sacrifice. Let us teach our children to love the Mass. Loving the Mass, we will love God all the more because through the hands of the priest, we offer God the one whom he loves the most: Jesus Christ his Son.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Terrorism and the Fear of the Lord

He who destroys both body and soul in Gehenna

JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!

The Marawi incident is truly an eye opener. It made us realize that terrorism is real and not only does it happen in distant Europe and in the Middle East. It also happens to us. It also opens our eyes to the depth of our own Christianity. The news of how Christians escaped death by wearing Muslim apparel and by memorizing Arabic verses has gone viral. And their creativeness was justified. They had to do it in order to survive.

However, the Word of God today reminds us: “Do not fear those who deprive the body of life but cannot destroy the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna.” The readings today are timely inasmuch as we are living in a time when Christian witnessing will be demanded of us. Contrary to the belief that martyrdom is a thing of the past, we are actually living in a time of martyrs. Not only are we required to live out our faith in Jesus. The possibility of dying for him is very much real. Christians are made hostages and killed. Christian women are sold, indoctrinated, and then sent as suicide bombers. Churches are desecrated and burned. These are repeatedly reported every day. The threat of terrorism is real. The prophet Jeremiah speaks well on our behalf: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” Pope John Paul II wrote: “The Church has once again become a Church of martyrs. The persecution of believers – priests, religious, and laity – has caused a great sowing of martyrdom in different parts of the world…In our own century, the martyrs have returned, many of them nameless, ‘unknown soldiers’ as it were of God’s cause.” (Tertio Millenio Adveniente, 37.)

And yet, Jesus strengthens us for times like this. He reminds us of the limitation of what the enemies can do: they can deprive the body of life but cannot destroy the soul. Our fear of God must be greater than our fear of men because God can destroy both body and soul in hell. The Word of God assures us that we are not alone: “The Lord is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting unforgettable confusion.” The true God whom we serve loves us: “Every hair of your head has been counted; so do not be afraid of anything. You are worth more than an entire flock of sparrows.” His love will sustain us through persecution and suffering.

Therefore, let us not allow terrorism to intimidate us. As we have said in the past, the zealous proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus is our response to terror. “What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light. What you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops.” God is more powerful than terrorists. If we entrust ourselves to him, he will not allow us to fall. Instead, he will send us the Spirit of Truth who will teach us what to say in the face of our persecutors. His Holy Spirit will sustain us and help us give witness to Jesus. Knowing that we are loved, let us not be afraid to give witness to him. Even when faced with the threat of death, let us not hesitate to say, “I am a Christian!” Jesus says: “Whoever acknowledges me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. Whoever disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

The False Prophet

The Good Tree

He is perhaps the most famous prophet today because no one dares malign his revered name. Christians who wished to be saved from execution have to declare him as god's only prophet. And yet, is he a true prophet or a false one?

Jesus said: Any sound tree bears good fruit, while a decayed tree bears bad fruit. Therefore, let us look at the fruit to determine the tree. The obvious fruit is terrorism. His followers kill in the name of the god he preaches. He taught his followers to enslave and sell women. He even allows them to take many wives. Are these fruits good or bad?

Jesus tells us: I am the Vine and you are the branches. As long as the branches are attached to the vine, they bear fruit. Once, a young man approached Jesus and said to him: Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life. Jesus did not tell him: Kill the infidels. Instead, he said: Do not kill. Jesus did not say: Sell women and take many wives. Instead he said: Do not commit adultery. Obviously, his fruits are good. Therefore Jesus is the Good Tree.

Let us therefore sow the good seeds of the Good Tree. The seed is the Word of God. Let us allow the Light of Christ to spread throughout the world. The Light of Jesus should expose the evil fruits of the false prophet.

Eternal Life is this: To know the One True God and Jesus Christ he sent! Beware of the False Prophet! 

The Temple of God is Holy

Praised be Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

The Lord Jesus was greatly displeased when he saw the merchants who sold animals for sacrifice and the money changers in the temple area. So displeased was he that he made a whip out of cords and drove away the merchants with their animals and overturned the tables of the money changers. This part of the life of Christ is called the cleansing of the temple. The Lord cleansed the temple of everything which does not belong to it. Consumed by zeal for the house of God, Jesus cleansed the temple of the things that hid its real identity. For many people, the temple was the place they fulfilled their religious obligations. For others, it was a venue for trade and profit, literally a marketplace. But for Christ, the temple was the House of his Father: “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” Jesus loved the temple on account of the One who dwelt there: his heavenly Father. When he was a young 12 year old boy, unknown to Mary and Joseph, Jesus remained in the temple because “I have to go about doing my Father’s business.” Thus, by cleansing the temple of the merchants and moneychangers, Jesus showed all people that the real splendor of the temple is not in the precious stones that adorned its walls. The real splendor of the temple is its holiness which is derived from the One who dwells in it: God himself. “The temple of God is holy,” said St. Paul in the 2^nd reading.

This is what it means when we celebrate the consecration of a temple. When a temple is consecrated, it becomes a building set apart exclusively for divine service. To consecrate a temple is to offer a building to the Lord. Thus, the temple becomes holy because the God who dwells in it is holy. When we say that God is holy, we mean that God is unlike any of his creatures. Thus, when we say that the temple of God is holy, we mean that this building is unlike any other buildings. This is not a place for socials. We do not come here to meet people. We do not come here to meet the priest. We come here to meet the Lord and to enter into communion with him. Thus, at the beginning of the Mass, we are greeted with: the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you!

In this temple, the center of everybody’s attention is the Lord. The object of worship done in this place is the Lord. The orientation of this building and everyone who enters here is the presence of the Lord. Here, we cease looking at ourselves. Here, we cease looking at one another. Here, we look at the Lord who in turn, looks at us. Here, we do not talk to ourselves. Here, we do not converse with each other. Here, we engage in a loving conversation with the Lord. This loving conversation is called “prayer.” Thus, as the Lord Jesus purified the temple of everything that does not belong to God, so also we must purify this temple of everything that hinders us from being absolutely oriented to the presence of God. We must rid ourselves of everything that defiles the holiness of this house of God: all thoughts, conversations, and behaviors that do not speak of God nor reflect the holiness of the Lord. Unfortunately, we behave only between the start of the Mass and its end. Outside the Mass, we move about in this church as if it were an ordinary building. If the priest is not looking, we act as if we ignore the abiding presence of the Lord in this place. We talk and talk and talk as if the owner of this house were not here. And remember, the owner of this house is not the priest. Nor are the people who built this temple. Because this place is consecrated to the Lord, it now belongs to the Lord. Let us keep it this way. Perhaps, we should always listen to the word of the Lord as being addressed to us: “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” Let us be consumed by zeal for the house of the Lord. The temple of God us holy! 

Jesus, I trust in you! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

A Prayer to Mary, Help of Christians

Mary, Help of Christians, when thou dost arise
to protect the Church, her victory is sure!

VIRGIN MOST POWERFUL, loving helper of the Christian people, how great thanks do we owe thee for the assistance thou didst give our fathers, who, when they were threatened by the Turkish infidels, invoked thy maternal help by the devout recitation of the Rosary! From heaven thou didst see their deadly peril; thou didst hear their voices imploring thy compassion; and their humble prayers, enjoined by the great Pope, Saint Pius the fifth, were acceptable unto thee, and thou camest quickly to deliver them. Grant, dear Mother, that in like manner the prolonged sighs of the holy Bride of Christ in these our days may come to thy throne and engage thy pity; do thou, moved anew to compassion for her, rise once again to deliver her from the many foes who encompass her from every side.

Even now from the four quarters of the earth there arises to thy throne that loved prayer, to win thy mercy in these troubled times even as of old. Unhappily our sins hinder, or at least, retard its effect. Wherefore, dear Mother, obtain for us true sorrow for our sins and a firm resolution to face death itself rather than return to our former iniquities; we are sore distressed that, through our fault, thy help, of which we stand in such extreme need, should be denied or come too late.

Rise, then, O Mary, incline thyself to hear the prayers of the whole Catholic world, and beat flat to the ground the pride of those wretched men, who in their insolence blaspheme Almighty God and would destroy His Church, against which, according to the infallible words of Christ, the gates of hell shall never prevail. Let it be seen once more that when thou dost arise to protect the Church, her victory is sure.

Amen.

(from the Raccolta)

Prayer of St. Francis Xavier

St. Francis Xavier, Patron of the Missions

At the end of the Ramadan, I would like to invite you to pray this prayer by St. Francis Xavier, Patron of the Missions:

O God, the everlasting Creator of all things, remember that the souls of unbelievers we made by Thee and formed in Thine own image and likeness.

Remember that Jesus, Thy Son, endured a most bitter death for their salvation.

Permit not, I beseech Thee, O Lord, that Thy Son should be any longer despised by unbelievers, but do Thou graciously accept the prayers of holy men and of the Church, the Spouse of Thy most holy Son, and be mindful of Thy mercy.

Forget their idolatry and unbelief, and grant that they too may some day know Him whom Thou hast sent, even the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Salvation, our Life and Resurrection, by whom we have been saved and delivered, to whom be glory for endless ages. Amen.

From Bethlehem to Jerusalem

Praised be Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

Every first born male in the Jewish society was consecrated to the Lord and was redeemed at the price of a sacrifice of 2 turtle doves. To redeem is to “buy back” the life of the baby boy from God. to understand this, we must recall that blessed night of the Exodus when the angel of death was sent by God to the land of Egypt in order to slay every first-born son throughout the land. To save the Hebrew children, each family killed a lamb and its blood was painted on the lintels of the door of the house. The angel of death passed over that house and so the live of the babies were spared. This is the reason why today, the 40^th day of Christmas, Mary and Joseph went to the temple to present the Baby Jesus to the Lord and to ‘redeem’ his life at the price of the lives of 2 turtle doves.

God presented his Son to his people who waited for the fulfillment of the promise

But at this moment, it was not Mary and Joseph who presented the Baby Jesus to the Lord but it was God who presented his Son to his people who have been waiting for his promised coming. The Holy Spirit pointed the child Jesus to the aged Simeon who recognized him as the Salvation which God has prepared in the sight of all the people…”a light of revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of the people of Israel.” Mary and Joseph will not be permitted to redeem the life of this child who was destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel as he will be a sign that will be contradicted. The turtle doves will not be the sacrifice. It will be the child…the true Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This child is the Redeemer who will buy us back at the price of his own blood. This child is the Son of God who shares in the blood and flesh of all humanity. His flesh will be sacrificed on the Cross and his blood will be shed. “Through death, he might destroy the devil who has the power of death and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life.” (Ginawa niya ito upang sa pamamagitan ng kanyang kamatayan ay maigupo niya ang diyablo na siyang may kapangyarihan sa kamatayan. Sa gayon, pinalaya niyaang lahat ng naging alipin habang panahon dahil sa kanilang takot sa kamatayan.) This child is not only the offering but he is also the “merciful and faithful High Priest” who stands before God to expiate the sins of the people. This child will once again make the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.

Today, God presents his Son to his people: here is My Son in whom I am well pleased. Today, God gives us the Lamb for the sacrifice as foretold by Abraham to his son Isaac: “The Lord will provide the Lamb for the sacrifice” (Gen 22:8). This Lamb is his Son, who is enthroned in the arms of Mary the Ark of the Covenant, as he enters the temple. On the day Jesus consummates his sacrifice on the Cross, the great curtain of the Holy of holies will be rent into two for he shall put the temple sacrifices to an end as His sacrifice is the one and only sacrifice that will please the Father. Today, we come to church to meet him who is God, Priest, and Lamb. Our eyes behold him who is like us in every way except in sin. And we rejoice for God has fulfilled his promise. We begin preparing for the sacrifice that he was sent to do. Christmas ends and paves the way for the coming of Lent and the Easter Triduum. The days of feasting come to a close. The days of fasting will draw near. Mary and Joseph left Bethlehem and journeyed to Jerusalem to bring Jesus to the temple. It is now time for us to bid Bethlehem goodbye and begin fixing our eyes to Jerusalem. The Lamb who is truly unblemished has arrived…we shall now accompany him to his Sacrifice. Let us walk with him to Jerusalem. Let us prepare to be sprinkled clean by his Blood.

Jesus, I trust in you! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Late Posting 21st Sunday in Ordinary time C :The Narrow Gate

Praised be Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

We have always known the Lord Jesus as someone who is welcoming – someone whose heart is always willing to accommodate everybody…one who keeps telling people: “I come to gather nations of every language; they shall come and see my glory.” This is why we would wonder why he would say: “Strive to enter the narrow gate.” Is it not true that if the Lord wanted to bring all men to salvation, then he should make heaven’s gate wide and open? Then why is he saying that heaven’s gate is a narrow one?

The Lord tells us that heaven is for the strong: “Many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” However, strength here is not gained by simply eating and drinking in the company of the Lord. Nor is it gained by simply listening to the Lord as he preached in our streets. For “not everyone who calls out ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter into the kingdom of God!” The strength to enter through the narrow gate is gained by what the second reading calls “Discipline”: “Endure your trials as ‘discipline.’”

Try to enter the Narrow Gate

We enter heaven by following the Lord. He is the Good Shepherd who leads us into the verdant pastures and restful waters of heaven. He goes before us and we follow him. However, he goes before us along the way of the Cross. The way of discipleship is that of self denial and of carrying our crosses in imitation of him who suffered and died for us. The way of discipleship is the way of discipline. Contrary to what the world teaches us, our trials, our crosses actually make us strong and fit for the narrow gate of heaven. That is why we should never disdain our trials. We should not disdain the cross for such is the mark of the love of the Father for us: “My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him: for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines. He scourges every son he acknowledges…God treats you as sons. For what son is there whom the father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.”

Thomas a Kempis wrote: “JESUS has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to the drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the shame of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him. But if Jesus hides Himself and leaves them for a while, they fall either into complaints or into deep dejection. Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation. Even if He should never give them consolation, yet they would continue to praise Him and wish always to give Him thanks. What power there is in pure love for Jesus -- love that is flee from all self-interest and self-love!

Should we resist the precious and the sublime?

Father Z's comment on the red shoes and mozetta reflects the true humility which is demanded of the priest who should see the honorific gestures not as accorded to his person but rather to Christ in whose person he comes.

The seeming simplification of vestments and anything about the rites which Pope Francis prefers is really sending the wrong signal that the Church of the poor must have poor liturgy! I now hear people saying that the Church must veer away from its high church liturgies and perform low church rites in order to be more relevant, and even more "people-friendly". I find it disturbing that the liturgy is once again being regarded as a theater performance wherein we should look poor in order to appeal to the masses. In the present political season in the Philippines, I notice that political candidates no longer have themselves photographed in the formal barong tagalog wear but in t shirts and blue jeans. A politician (born again fundamentalist) used to put the title "bishop" before his name. Now he reverts to being called "brother". Are these for real???

Unfortunately, everybody wants to ride the "simplicity" band wagon on account of the new Pope. However, everybody seems to forget that sacred ministers are not actors who pretend to be poor in order to be relevant. Sacred ministers are, in reality, "sacramental signs" of Christ, who is seated at the right hand of the Father. We come in the name of Christ. We come in the person of Christ. In the Sacred Liturgy, the priest is Christ and Christ is the priest. The priest must have enough humility to be able to accept the fact that he is no longer his own.

I find Fr. Z's reflection very relevant to the present issue:

"The Catholic priest is simultaneously the victim offered on the altar.  All the older, traditional ceremonies of the Roman Rite underscore this foundational dimension of the Mass. If we don’t see that relationship of priest, altar, and victim in every Holy Mass, then the way Mass has been celebrated has failed.  If we don’t look for that relationship, then we are not really Catholic.  Mass is Calvary.

The use of beautiful marble in the church building, precious fabrics and metals for vestments and vessels, music that requires true art and skill to perform, ritual gestures which to worldly eyes seem to be the stuff of bygone eras of royals and the like, all underscore the fact that step by step during Holy Mass the priest is being readied for the sacrifice, which – mysteriously – he himself performs.

Back when I resisted the liturgical kissing of my hand when being handed a chain, spoon or chalice, I had made the mistake of imagining myself to be more humble by that resistance.  That was a mistake.  Ironically, my resistance to those gestures turned the gestures into being about me.  Submission to the gestures, on the other hand, erases the priest’s own person and helps him to be what he needs to be in that moment: priest, victim, alter Christus.   The trappings, the rubrics, the gestures erase the priest’s poor person.  Resisting these things runs the risk of making them all about the priest again.

In a sense, I had made the objection of Judas about the precious nard which the woman brought to the Lord.  Jesus responded that the precious stuff should be kept for His Body, which was to be sacrificed.  People who object that we should have only poor liturgy are falling into the argument of Judas.  We must submit to the precious and sublime in recognition of the truth of what is going on.   To pit the sublime and complex and precious and beautiful against the low, simple and humble is schizophrenic and not Catholic."

The Transfiguration and the Pontificate of Benedict XVI

The papacy of Pope Benedict XVI is like the Transfiguration of the Lord. At the Transfiguration, our Lord manifested his glory as God's only begotten Son - that glory which lay hidden beneath the veil of his human nature. During his pontificate, the Holy Father unveiled for us the true glory of Catholic Liturgy - that glory which, for some time, lay hidden beneath much of the confusion that occurred after the 2nd Vatican Council. For some time, the liturgy seemed to be no more than just a social assembly, a fraternal meeting of members of the Church, a fellowship and even to some extent, a show that was meant to entertain. For some time, many members of the Church lost sight of the Supernatural in the Liturgy. The Holy Father unveiled for us the  true glory of Catholic Liturgy. He reminded us that Liturgy is not about us, but about God. He reminded us that Liturgy is not some project made by some committee but a gift that we have received from God. He reminded us that Liturgy is not an exchange of pleasantries between celebrant and people but rather, it is a procession towards the Lord. He taught us that Liturgy is seeking the face of the Lord. Indeed, in the illustrious pontificate of Benedict XVI, the glory of Christ's face was once again beheld through the Liturgy.

My only worry is that at the Transfiguration, the Lord gave his disciples only a brief glimpse of his hidden glory. Will the close of Benedict's papacy also hide again the glory of the Liturgy which shone for but a brief moment? As the radiance of Christ's face will later on disappear to give way to the blood, sweat and spittle of the passion, will the same happen to the Liturgy? Will the glory of the Liturgy be covered once again with human attempts to make it more man-oriented than God-oriented? Will Liturgy be once again a project subject to the tinkering of human committees? I hope not.

But should it happen, I am confident that just as the radiance of Christ's face will reappear on a permanent basis at the Resurrection, so also will the glory and radiance of the Liturgy be made manifest again at a time we do not know. How I wish that the glory of the Liturgy which was unveiled for us by the Holy Father should never fade! How  I wish that the Benedictine Reform continues! 

This gives us reason to pray and fast even more seriously for the election of the new Pope when the Holy Father abdicates from the papal throne. Like Queen Ester and Mordecai and the Jewish People, we should fast and pray as if our lives depended on it. May the Holy Spirit appoint a Pope who would show the splendor of the Liturgy even more. Let us pray and fast as if our lives depended on it!

Pope Benedict's Legacy and the Transfiguration

PRAISED BE JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH!

Jesus took Peter, James, and John to Mount Tabor and while he was praying, he was transfigured before them. What took place was the revelation by Jesus of his glory as God’s only begotten Son: his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzlingly white. “On the transfigured face of Jesus a ray of light which he held within shines forth. This same light was to shine on Christ’s face on the day of the Resurrection. In this sense, the Transfiguration is a foretaste of the Paschal Mystery.” (Benedict XVI, 6 August 2006.) This glory of the Lord was revealed in prayer. “The Transfiguration is a prayer event” (17 February 2008.)

I find it significant that of the three disciples who were with Jesus that day, it would be Peter who would point out the beauty of what they saw. It was Peter who would say to Jesus: “Master, it is good that we are here.” It was Peter who would express the desire to linger on in that wonderful place by volunteering to build 3 tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. I find these significant because this is precisely the legacy which the Holy Father Benedict XVI is leaving us. This Pope is one who constantly invited us to seek the face of the Lord. Benedict constantly tells us that seeking the face of the Lord, desiring to know him is our daily task: “The desire to know God truly, that is, to see the face of God, is in every man, even atheists. And we perhaps unwittingly have this desire to see simply who He is, what He is, who He is for us. But this desire is realized by following Christ, so we see his back and finally also see God as a friend, his face in the face of Christ. The important thing is that we follow Christ not only when we are in need and when we find space for it in our daily affairs, but with our lives as such. The whole of life should be directed towards encountering Him, towards loving Him…” (16 January 2013)

At the very heart of the ministry of Benedict as successor of Peter is his concern that the liturgy be celebrated in the proper way. To him, “the true celebration of the Sacred Liturgy is the center of any renewal of the Church.” “The Church stands or falls with the Liturgy.” “His profound concern is that the Church worships Almighty God correctly, and thereby be fully connected to the indispensible source which sustains and empowers Christian life, witness and mission. If the liturgy is impoverished or off-track our ability to live the Catholic faith and to evangelize suffers.” (A. Reid) “At the heart of his reform is Pope Benedict’s conviction that Catholic liturgy ‘is not about us, but about God’.” (Ibid.) Thus, the liturgy, as also the entire Christian life, must be a procession towards the Lord. It must constantly seek the face of God. The glory of Christ which was revealed at both the Transfiguration and the Paschal Mystery, is revealed to us in the Sacred Liturgy. In the Liturgy, Christ shows us the radiance of his face. And Benedict, like Peter, constantly reminds us: “It is good to be here.”

By doing so, Benedict encouraged us to look beyond this world and to look towards heaven. Our concerns should be higher than our stomachs. Our minds must not be occupied only with earthly things. “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Our minds must be elevated towards sublime things. Our hearts must seek Jesus who inspires and perfects our faith. Our eyes must constantly seek the beauty of Christ’s face. Benedict would always say: “Conversi ad Dominum” – let us turn towards the Lord. Thank you, Holy Father, for this wonderful legacy!

Jesus, I trust in you! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Truth in Liturgy

Over the social networks, I found out that TV Masses here are shot weeks before the actual Sunday when they are supposed to be aired. A Palm Sunday Mass was offered in some church on the first week of Lent for the purpose of airing it on Palm Sunday. I am concerned about the way the Mass is treated like a TV series which may be taped many weeks before the actual airing. Is it right to shoot the Mass weeks before the actual feast?

In the liturgical reform after the second Vatican Council, there was an emphasis on the return to the "Truth of the Hours" in matters concerning the Liturgy of the Hours. This is the reform of a prevalent liturgical practice wherein the celebration of matins and lauds were anticipated on the night before (as in the case of the Tenebrae of Holy Week) or the celebration of all the hours were lumped together at the most convenient time of the priest. Also, in the 1955 reform of Holy Week, the hour of the celebration of Easter Vigil was transferred from the morning of Holy Saturday to the hours of the night. 

If the "truth of the hour" mattered, should the "truth of the day" be treated differently? The Liturgy is not a game of "make believe" but an actual encounter with the Blessed Trinity. It is not honest (and therefore not right) to offer the Mass of Palm Sunday when it is not yet Palm Sunday. Perhaps it is true that the Mass will be aired on Palm Sunday itself but when it was actually celebrated, it was not yet Palm Sunday.

The Holy Father Benedict XVI reminded us that the Liturgy is not a show. It is not meant to be a form of entertainment. Liturgy is an encounter with God.  Liturgy is prayer in Spirit and in TRUTH.

On the Worship of the Trinity

Last Sunday we said that the coming of the Holy Spirit brought to perfection the work of salvation. Looking back at Pentecost, we realize that the appearance of the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire which rested upon the apostles was the revelation of the “Spirit of Truth whom the world neither sees nor recognizes.” Now that He has appeared, the Holy Spirit crowns the self-revelation of the true God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The existence of God is a truth that is accessible to human reason. The 5 ways of St. Thomas Aquinas prove the point that by observing the world around us, we can prove that there is a God. But the identity of the true God cannot be accessed by human reason except by way of Divine Revelation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “‘The Trinity is a mystery of faith in the strict sense, one of the ‘mysteries that are hidden in God, which can never be known unless they are revealed by God.’ To be sure, God has left traces of his Trinitarian being in his work of creation and in his Revelation throughout the Old Testament. But the inmost Being as Holy Trinity is a mystery that is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel’s faith before the Incarnation of God’s Son and the sending of the Holy Spirit.” (CCC, 237.)

It is necessary to know the True God because it is so easy for us to be deceived by posers and pretenders and be led to idolatry. The Holy Father warns us of the danger of “yielding to the seduction of idolatry -- a continual temptation for the believer -- by fooling (ourselves) itself into thinking (we) it could ‘serve two masters’ (cf. Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13) and ease the impenetrable ways of faith in the Almighty by also placing (our) its trust in a powerless god fashioned by man.” (Benedict XVI, Wednesday Audience, 15 June 2011.) And many of us prefer to worship idols than the true God. Why? It is because idols can be manipulated. Like the priests of Baal, idol worshippers “turn to themselves in order to approach their god, relying on their own abilities to bring about a response.” (ibid.) Idol worshippers think that if they chanted the right words, or concentrated hard enough, or did drastic things, they could manipulate the forces of the universe to their advantage.

But the true God is not some dead idol whose will we can bend to ours. He is a God who has his own will, one who loves in a very personal way: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” This very famous verse shows us the Trinity: the Father who sends, the Son who is given, and the Holy Spirit who is Love. This true God wills nothing but our salvation: “so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” He wants to save us from the slavery of idolatry. Idols do not have the same good will because they are lifeless and powerless fabrications of the human imagination. Lifeless gods cannot save. Only the Trinity, the true God, can give eternal life.

When we adore the true God, we do not manipulate him. Because he is a living God, he has his own will. We do not and cannot make him bend his will. Rather, “the primary end of prayer is conversion: the fire of God transforms our hearts and makes us capable of seeing God, of living according to God and of living for the other.” (Ibid.) St. Paul said to the Corinthians: “Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” We are the ones who should mend our ways. We must turn away from our idolatries and allow the fire of God’s love to burn, purify and transform us into authentic worshippers – worshippers in Spirit and in truth.

On the error of the Liberty of Worship

The approach of the Feast of Christ the King brings to my mind the forgotten lesson about the obligation to search for the True Worship. We always take it for granted that the Freedom of Religion is a very important human right in the post modern world. This teaching of Pope Leo XIII might surprise many of us:

"Let us examine that liberty in individuals which is so opposed to the virtue of religion, namely, the liberty of worship, as it is called. This is based on the principle that every man is free to profess, as he may choose, any religion or none.

"But, assuredly, of all the duties which man has to fulfill, that is the chiefest and holiest which commands him to worship God with devotion and piety. This follows of necessity from the truth that we are ever in the power of God, are ever guided by His will and providence, and, having come forth from Him, must return to Him. Add to which, no true virtue can exist without religion, for moral virtue is concerned with those things which lead to God as man's supreme and ultimate good; and therefore, religion which (as St. Thomas says) "performs those actions which are directly and immediately ordained for the divine honor", rules and tempers all virtues. And if it is asked which of the many conflicting religions it is necessary to adopt, reason and the natural law unhesitatingly tell us to practice that one which God enjoins, and which men can easily recognize by certain external notes whereby Divine Providence has willed that is should be distinguished, because, in a manner of such moment, the most terrible loss would be the consequence of error. Wherefore, when a liberty such as We have described is offered to man, the power is given to him to pervert or abandon with impunity the most sacred of duties, and to exchange the unchageable good for evil; which, as We have said, is no liberty, but its degeneration, and the abject submission of the soul to sin.

Pope Leo XIII, Libertas Praestantissimum (20 June 1888), 19-20.