Et Incarnatus Est

I found this difference in translation while searching for some religious items today:
The Scandal of the American Missal
It was interesting on many levels and if you read the summary at the end, it makes sense. I know many Catholics have lost an acceptance of the true presence and this could attribute that flaw in the American Catholic mind. Here are the two translations:

The Tridentine Rite - Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, AND WAS MADE MAN (Here genuflect).

Novus Ordo - For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
(Here bow).

Hmm....

A wonderful homily today

The comfort it brings to attend the Tridentine Mass cannot be expressed in words(although I will try). We have not been to Sunday Mass at our home parish for almost a month. I do go during the week, however. Today the homily was on the suffering of being a "traditional". This was just one aspect of the homily but it was directed at those of us that feel hurt by the Church, feel sad or perhaps angry by someone or something within the Church. I cried. I feel that way. My silly notion of Catholicism as a child has left me jaded and hurt. I have a shield up now that I won't budge on because of the liberal garbage that I was taught when I was young. I know the "shield" is not the answer but until I find that answer, I am on guard always.

In the homily, Father spoke about saints who have been wronged by the Church, their bishops, their orders and what they did to overcome that persecution or suffering. A wise and timely homily indeed. I see good priests around me being persecuted for standing firm in their faith and in trying to lead people to holiness. I see those that have a "whatever you wanna do is fine by me" attitude toward lay people and those in their parish and they seem to remain untouched. While it hurts to witness this, it leads me to want to follow them all the more(the holy ones, that is). To cry or tremble during the consecration because I know the power of Christ working through these holy men of God is what keeps me going. It allows me to suffer through a Mass riddled with abuses and silliness the following week. I am finding some of what was bitterness, turning to hope and that's an amazing transformation for me. I do have such intense hope in the Church and in my own dilemma. And so I will mull through another week of "Gather Us In", "We Remember" and the "Yoo-Hoo Song" along with the "creative" liturgy at our parish with the hope that one day I won't be a "roamin'" Catholic any longer.

Growing interest in the Tridentine Mass

In Baltimore, the popularity is growing. This article is an interesting read. I think promoting the Mass is the biggest draw. Some people in parts of the country probably do not know it exists. It could also be fear they wouldn't know how to participate that keeps some away. Regardless, it is good to see it thriving in a part of the US. Logically, how many priests will be ready after the moto proprio to offer the Mass? Maybe the desire will be enough to drive them to learn.

Another Tridentine Mass

We could not keep ourselves away from the Mass again this morning. My daughter asked specifically "can we go to the Latin Mass on my birthday?" Needless to say, it was hard to say no. The alternative would have been attending our parish where it has become a total free-for-all. We had the last Sunday with our traditional music director and I cannot imagine what lies ahead. I made My daughter a beautiful head scarf for today and she was fine with it until after communion, she wanted to pin it instead of tying it. It just takes getting used to. The basilica was double the size over last weeks Mass. I don't know where we will be next week. I can't worry about it today. I am going to try to let God take care of that.

Tridentine Mass In Covington

Yesterday my family went to the Tridentine Mass for the first time in Covington, KY. While it was a wonderful experience, overall, it saddened me because of the implications of seeing what I had never experienced. It was like someone had given me a beautifully wrapped gift when I was a child and I found out I could not open it until I was 39 years old. The gift sat there and I moved it along with me in all the places I have lived and traveled and now that I have opened it, instead of being joyful I wonder why I had to wait so long to open it. The joy was in experiencing the gift with my husband, my children and my parents all at the same time. But now I feel like I have to put it back in the box and set it on a shelf for another while. Why? Because it's not practical to get the gift out every week. Our parish is what it is and it's where my children attend school and its our home for now. I wanted to include some of the amazing words(in English) from the Mass that touched me so:

Take away from us our iniquities, we beseech Thee, O Lord; that, being made pure in heart we may be worthy to enter into the Holy of Holies. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Receive, O Holy Father, almighty and eternal God, this spotless host, which I, Thine unworthy servant, offer unto Thee, my living and true God, for my countless sins, trespasses, and omissions; likewise for all here present, and for all faithful Christians, whether living or dead, that it may avail both me and them to salvation, unto life everlasting. Amen

It was difficult to sum up all my feelings and reflect on what it meant. The most amazing thing was that my son who is autistic(the middle child) was so reverent and so content during the entire Mass. He was so involved in watching and taking it all in and it was emotional for me to witness that calm. We had prepared the children by taking them to some traditional parishes and I know that helped. It is my hope that our Catholic faith will be full of traditions and a Catholic identity that sets us apart from the fray. Making those traditions and events in the liturgical year a part of our family and the basis for their childhood is what I believe they are due. It is the job entrusted to me as a parent and I need to be an example. That is the hard part. I have the proverb above my work area that reads:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not;
In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.

I need it there always because while it is majestic and wonderful in content, it is the hardest thing I have to do.