News Item: : Grace, Tradition and Interiority - Part 2 of 2
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
Posted by admin
Saturday 23 July 2016 - 18:38:00

Full and Active Participation

Our previous article must not be understood as an argument in favour of passive quietism.

To the contrary.

There is a certain irony in the fact that we, like so many other people, have found the Traditional Latin Mass to be such a fertile soil to support the kind of full and active participation which is described by the documents of the Second Vatican Council.

And although there is a certain irony to this, the fact should not be ignored by Pope Francis or any bishops and priests who genuinely wish to support their flocks.

Low Mass and High Mass

Then again, yesterday's article must not be taken, either, as any kind of playing off of the Traditional Low Mass against the Traditional High Mass.

The splendour and music of the High Mass are certainly different than the almost monastic silence experienced in the Low Mass. However, the essence of this splendour and music is so in tune with the mysteries being celebrated that these, too, facilitate prayerful participation in ways proper to their own respective natures.

In any case, there are many ways for the faithful to participate at the level of the heart, mind and will in the Traditional Liturgy.

Whether it be High Mass or Low Mass, we have personally found it both helpful and beneficial to pray along with the priest, by reading through the English translations at the side of the Latin texts in the Traditional Missal. 

The red booklets provided by the Latin Mass Society are also particularly helpful in this regard. These have the added benefit for families with small children, or for adults caring for elderly and confused parents like us with Mum, of including some nice pieces of traditional artwork at various stages of the Mass texts.

The Work of Prayer

The silences and chants in the Traditional Latin Mass are anything but prissy or quietistic.

When the bell rings and the priest and server enter from the sacristy, there is a real sense that, as you fall to your knees for the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, there is a job of worship to be got on with. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that the Traditional Liturgy is so appealing to men. 

It's kind of like you roll up your sleeves, get your eyes down, and put your back into the hard graft of adoration, thanksgiving, praise and intercession.

And because the traditional prayers are so richly theological, the rubrics so Trinitarian-Christocentric, and the whole atmosphere so reverent, you know that this ''workspace'' for God's grace to move won't be obstructed or hindered by any crazy man-made novelties.

Taken together with yesterday's article, we see that the Traditional Liturgy facilitates a participation that is at once interior and exterior. Put simply: it engages the whole person.

Perhaps we can best conclude by quoting from Pope St. Pius X's reflections on praying the Holy Mass. What follows is taken from the introductory pages of the Latin Mass Society's booklet for praying the Traditional Mass.

Pray the Holy Mass - St. Pope Pius X

The Holy Mass is a prayer itself, even the highest prayer that exists. It is the Sacrifice dedicated by our Redeemer at the Cross, and repeated every day on the Altar. If you wish to hear Mass as it should be heard, you must follow with your eye, heart and mouth all that happens at the Altar. Further, you must pray with the priest the holy words said by him in the Name of Christ and which Christ says by him. You have to associate your heart with the holy feelings which are contained in these words and in this manner you ought to follow all that happens on the Altar. When acting in this way you have prayed Holy Mass... Don't pray at Holy Mass, but pray the Holy Mass.

Conclusion

We encourage anyone who reads this to attend and pray the Traditional Latin Mass. If you are not used to it, go along anyway with an open heart and mind.

Don't expect to be able to understand or follow everything straight away. Anything as deep as this will take a lifetime and more to comprehend. Although we have been going to the Traditional Latin Mass for several years now, we well remember that it initially took us a couple of months just to be able to keep up with the priest at the various stages of the liturgy.

As with anything worthwhile, perseverance is the key here. That, and asking Our Lord and Our Lady to help you!

To any priests who read this we urge you to learn to offer the Traditional Latin Mass. So many priests who have done this have been amazed at the transformation it has brought to their personal walk with Christ, their ability to minister effectively to their people and the strength it has brought to their priesthood. 

We promise that you will not look back. Well, except perhaps to say Dominus Vobiscum!

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This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.1372 )