Living Without School: Saturday in the Octave of Easter

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." Acts 4: 19-20

Thinking about liturgy today, during the octave of Easter. I started Lent with liturgical ponderings and am still here during Eastertide. ... We went to two masses, yesterday and today, with two different priests ; including mass in a different parish.

Both masses reverent. Catholic. No abuses. And yet....

Dh calls me a mass nazi, a liturgical nazi. It is probably true! I really, truly believe that worship is not about us, about wasn't that lovely, those warm fuzzy feelings...It is about God, first and foremost.

It is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Now, I tend to be a friendly talkative sort of person. I can gab with the best of 'em before and after mass. I try to welcome newcomers, to make others feel included, I look out for those who may be by themselves or look like they may need a smile or a listener.

But our mass, our worship, should be more, more than every day. It should lift us up.... to God.

I have been spoiled when it comes to liturgy, I know. I have participated in, prayed at masses that have been reverent, liturgically wonderful, no ad libbing, just the rubrics, the prayers, the faith. Masses in my parish church now, and when we lived in Western Australia.

I have a love for High Mass, too.

Why? This quote from Father Faber, priest of the Brompton Oratory in the 1800s, explains why...Fr. Faber described the Mass as the "most beautiful thing this side of heaven":

It came forth out of the grand mind of the Church, and lifted us out of earth and out of self, and wrapped us round in a cloud of mystical sweetness and the sublimities of a more than angelic liturgy, and purified us almost without ourselves, and charmed us with the celestial charming, so that our very senses seemed to find vision, hearing, fragrance, taste, and touch beyond what earth can give.

Emphasis (above) mine..

1 comment:

Jenny of Elefantz said...: Wow. That quote is a keeper...so true, so true.; 11:26 pm

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.