Monday, December 31, 2012

"That's not my spirituality", the Mass and Life Issues.

Written last year (2011) for a class called "Ministry of Social Justice"


Spirituality is the concrete manner of living out one’s faith in Christ. Being ordered to Christ, it draws on - in different ways and to different degrees - the three transcendentals; namely, Goodness, Beauty and Truth. These find expressions through the living of the evangelical counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.

Each person is drawn in a particular way to serve God and neighbour and, in justice, called to render to both what is due to them. Now, the most fundamental right of God is to be worshiped, and loved above all else. The most fundamental right of the human being is life from conception until natural death. The right of God to be worshiped and loved is ultimately inherent. The right to life is contingent only on conception; that is to say, creation as a human being. The two biggest justice issues facing us today, and always, then, are the right-worship of God and the respect for human life at all its stages. We will look, briefly, at the main injustices that ‘spirituality’ is used to excuse and how an appropriate understanding of spirituality can be used to combat injustice in these two areas. We will therefore discover that, although spirituality may be used to excuse a lack of interest in these justice issues, there are some issues which, as a matter of justice, it is impossible for a Christian not to have participate in.

Although there are many ways of expressing personal devotion to God, the public worship of the Church is something given to us by God, through Her (that is, the Church), to be expressed as laid down in the rubrics of the given Rite. For the Latin Rite of the Church, the Holy Liturgy takes two forms, the forma ordinaria and the forma extraordinaria. Although some are drawn to the beauty or the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite, for the purposes of this reflection, we will look at the Ordinary Form of the Mass because it is by far the most attended form of the Mass in Australia.

It seems that many people interpreted the Liturgy implemented by Pope Paul VI, wittingly or unwittingly, in terms of what some have called the ‘Spirit of Vatican II’, or in a hermeneutic of rupture. In doing so, they come to insist that it is what makes people feel good which ought to guide the liturgy. At the extreme end of this, we see evidence of so-called ‘Clown Masses’, or Masses where the Celebrant is sitting on the floor in front of a coffee table to ‘celebrate Mass.’ In the less extreme, there are parishes in this archdiocese which substitute one of the four (at the time of writing) provided  Acclamations of Faith, or the Sanctus, or other parts of the Mass with other verses or hymns or songs that are - arbitrarily - deemed ‘more appropriate.’ In justice, the rule “Say the Black, Do the Red” ought to be followed.

That is not to say that in all cases, the words to be said by the Priest cannot be changed as a pastoral consideration. However, this ought only be done where the rubrics provide, namely, where it is written “in these or similar words.” In cases where it is pastorally prudent, the expression of the faith of the community is allowed at these time during the Sacrifice of the Mass. Moreover, the Mass itself can have “legitimate variations and adaptations” according to the needs of “different groups... provided that the substantial unity of the Roman rite is preserved.” (Sacrosanctum Concillium 38) This same paragraph, however, continues to assume that the rubrics will be followed, for it says that these adaptations “... should be borne in mind when drawing up the rites and devising rubrics.” (Ibid.)  In short, the expression of a group’s spirituality can be expressed either when the rite which they celebrate is being drawn up, or when the rubrics allow. To change the parts of the Mass, however, where there is no scope in that rite to do so, is a grave injustice against God because correct worship, as expressed by the Church, is due to Him at all times. This, then, is not something a Christian can choose to have an interest in; it is not a matter of interest. Therefore, in the worship of God, it is imperative that every Christian worships God in the way that He has laid down through His Church.

In the same way, interest in what is often called the ‘pro-life issue’ is not something that can be a matter of interest for Christians. As with Liturgy, the various expressions of involvement in the promotion of life may vary between individuals, groups or peoples; nonetheless, there are boundaries to this. No Christian can ever choose to be anti-life because Christ Himself is the Life (Cf Jn 14:6). The difference, however, between acting justly towards God where it is most called for, by His very Nature, and acting justly towards men where it is called for by their very nature is this: the Church has not given us clear, solid manner to act justly in the cause of Life. There are no rubrics for protecting Life from unjust Death.

As an aside, I have chosen to capitalise Life and Death here because I am referring both to the natural and super-natural realities that these terms can be used to refer to. Although it could be said there a rubrics for protecting supernatural life from supernatural death, this is only true in regards to the Sacraments. While these create and sustain supernatural life within us, such life can easily be lost through human actions which are not subject to rubrics.

The way one is involved in protecting Life will depend very much on one’s spirituality. For example, if one is drawn primarily toward the transcendental Truth, one might be called to defend life through writing or speaking out against injustices against Life such as abortion, adultery, the degrading of Holy Matrimony, or euthanasia. If one is drawn to Goodness, one might seek to counsel those in danger of Death or those promoting what Blessed John Paul II called the Culture of Death. This might be done through sidewalk counselling, pastoral care for the aged, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged; it might be done through running retreats like Rachel’s Vineyard or supporting Rachel’s House of Hope. For those drawn to beauty, it might consist activity in for the promotion of Life might take the form of promoting beautiful Liturgy, designing pamphlets containing information about programs such as those mentioned above. It is rare, indeed if it happens at all, that  one is drawn only to one of the transcendentals. Therefore, it is likely that one will be involved in the promotion of the Culture of Life in a number of different ways or, at least, in a way that combines the elements mentioned here above. However, the very nature of the human being demands that Life is respected in both its natural and supernatural forms.

It can be seen that in at least some justice issues, interest therein matters not. In the two areas that are most often subject to unjust behaviours, it can be seen that there is room for expressions of spirituality, but no scope for ignoring the issues. That is to say, God always deserves to be worshiped according to the norms laid down by Holy Mother Church; and Life, both natural and supernatural, is always due to all humans at all times by their nature and the gratuitous gift of God.

Here Where I Stand at the Turning of the Years

Or, the year in review.

January
  • Moved out of my old house
  • House-sat for mum
  • Volunteer Bunbury Diocese's Summer Camp
  • Moved into my new house
  •  Turned 20
  • Went to Canberra for Pa's 80th Birthday
  • Didn't go to the Pro-life Conference in Albury
February
  • Went to Sydney with the expectation of making a retreat
    • Farewelled Linda
    • Spent 3 nights in King's Cross
    • Caught up with Jess
    •  Met Jinny; stayed two nights at her house
    • Went to a Vigil led by Msgr Reilly
  • Didn't make the retreat
    • Flew home  
  • Actually spent some time at my new house
  • Restarted teaching for the year 
  • 40 Days for Life Started
  • Went to Emily's Math's class
  • Flew back to Sydney
March 
  • Stayed with Paul, Theresa and Magda
  • Stayed with Team Girls (incl Mary-Anne) and helped them move house
  • Made 9 Day Silent Retreat in Pymble
  •  Stayed with Paul, Theresa and Magda
  • Flew Home
  • Sand-Sculpture Competition
April
  • Started spending time at CYM
May
June 
  •  Dr Who party
  • Starting to help organise the Teen's retreat at CYM
July
  • CYM Teen's Retreat: Rise Up
  • Starting to help organise Steve Angrisano in Perth
  •  Basically living at CYM
August
  • Started back at UNDA
    • Luke and Acts
    • Letters of Paul
    • Sacraments of Initiation
  • Steve Angrisano in Perth
September
  • Spending more time at CYM than at Uni, home and work combined
  • Con's Wedding
  • That week
  • Aaron's birthday
  • Helping to organise the CYM Young Adult's Reteat
October
  • CYM Young Adult's Retreat
  • Year of Faith starts
  • Catholic Conversations 
  • Holy Hours and Masses on Mondays at UNDA
  • Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
  • Mum's Birthday
  • Spending so much time at SBG
    • No longer 'living' at CYM
November
December
  • 'Girls' Retreat' at Mum's
  • Finish teaching for the year
  • Mum & Az come home
    • Police come that night to tell us that dad died
  • Organising dad's funeral
    • ALL the people at EtG
  • Dad's Funeral
  • Spending ALL the time at SBG
  • Christmas
  • Even more time at SBG
  • New Years Eve tonight

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

A Man Whose Name Was Joseph

Mark Shea has recently directed his readers over to Cows in Pick-Up Trucks and a post by Trisha Christ on Saint Joseph.
Please do go over and read it.

And while we're on the topic of this mystical father of all of Mary's children, I would like to recommend a wonderful book by one Fr Andrew Doze:
(The picture is also a link to Book Depository)
Now seems to be a fitting time for me to write about the Foster Father of Jesus. It is an especially fitting time because it's Christmas and soon to be the Feast of the Holy Family; moreover, my own dad recently died.To this end, I am drafting something on him (that is, Joseph) which I hope to post in the new year.



Thursday, December 20, 2012

Facebook


Saturday, December 8, 2012

I Heard There Was A Secret Chord

Or, Feeling Like King Saul

There are a few songs at the moment which, even if I'm not playing all the time, I would like to be.

The first, here, is from the Divine Office. It is the Hymn for Morning Prayer of the Office for the Dead. It will be the Communion Hymn for dad's Requiem Mass.


Remember those, O Lord
Who in Your peace have died
Yet may not gain love's high reward
'Til love is purified.

With You they faced death's night
Sealed with Your victory sign;
Soon may the splendor of Your Light
On them forever shine.

Sweet is their pain yet deep
'TIl perfect love is born;
Their long night watch they gladly keep
Before Your radiant morn.

You love is their great joy;
Your will their one desire;
As finest gold without alloy
Refine them in love's fire;

For them we humbly pray:
Perfect them in Your love.
O, may we share eternal Day
With them in Heav'n above!

This next is one is a sing that I've liked since it was first shown to me (h/t to Conface.) I first liked it because it's the first theologically decent song about the Book of the Appocalypse that I've heard in a long while; I then begun to like it because of a few lines in one of the verses which 'spoke' to me, as it were; I now like it because it is related to the First Reading from dad's funeral, the discussions we've been having at The Presbytery and - even more - because of those same lines.


For all the thirsty in need of the river
For all the sleeping hearts waking from their slumber
For everyone still standing at the shoreline, come

For all the hurting souls running from their healer
For all the skeptics running from an answer
Let everyone who hears these words say come

For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come

For all the Pharisees, empty on the inside
For all the lovers who spent their love on a lie
For the forgotten, the Father's heart says come

For all the fatherless looking for approval
For all the daughters who've never heard they're beautiful
Let everyone who hears these words say come

For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come
For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come

Amen, amen
Come, Lord Jesus, come again
Until then, until then
Grace and peace be ours, amen
Amen, amen
Come, Lord Jesus, come again
Until then, until then
Grace and peace be ours, amen
Till You come again
Peace be ours, amen
Till You come again
Till You come again

For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come


Thursday, December 6, 2012

Santa is Real!

A video by Fr Nathan

Happy Feast of St Nicholas!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Teresa of Avila

... keeps following me.

Tonight, while looking on the iterwebs for a cool quote by either Lewis or Chesterton on the topic of Friendship (with which I intended to start a post over at the other blog) I stumbled across this from my Stalker-Saint, which I leave without further comment:
Lord,
Thou knowest better than I myself
that I am growing older and will someday be old.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking
I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to
straighten out everybody’s affairs.

Make me thoughtful but not moody;
helpful but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom,
it seems a pity not to use it all;
but Thou knowest, Lord,
that I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.

Seal my lips on my aches and pains;
they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them
is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I dare not ask for improved memory,
but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness
when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet, for a sour old person
is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places
and talents in unexpected people;
and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.
Amen.


My Brother

Aaron is a star.

Him:
"Do you know what the worst thing is?"
Me:
"What?"
Him:
"We're going to have to trawl through AC/DC songs."

Seriously, my brother is amazing.




On a related note, x