My father-in-law gave me a daily missal made in 1959, pre-Vatican II. As part of my Lenten prayer, I have been reading this missal everyday and I must say the differences between this Mass and the Mass I attend now are quite striking.
First and simply, the vocabulary used in the older missal is of a much higher education standard that what is used today. I guess it just goes to show you that if you lower our standards, we'll make sure and meet the challenge.
Secondly, the wording of the Mass was much more humble, much more focused on our unworthiness and imperfections and, contrastly, just how wonderful and perfect is our God. I prefer this approach not because of the focus on our sinfulness, which is plentiful... I mean, just watch the news... but because of its elevation of God as an Almighty Creator. As a perfect being who has a great plan for each of us if we just had the courage to attempt to attain it.
But, todays modern take on God is He's my friend, my buddy and when things get really bad, He's my Santa Claus who will give me what I want just because I ask for it.
The Feel Good Theology.
The Feel Good Theology does two things... it undermines the importance of God's expectation of our sacrifice and participation in His plan by turning the focus, instead, on our personal relationship with Him. I'm not saying a personal relationship with God is unimportant, but let's put it in perspective... He's God. We're imperfect, faulty and often ungrateful humans. Akin to an Angel hovering over a pile of pond scum. It's a BIG step down for God to reach our level, so let's appreciate that.
Secondly, it makes us lazy. It makes us expect life to by happy instead of it being spiritually fulfilling, when, often times, those two paths may not necessarily meet.
Overall, the true glory and awesomeness of God is lacking in our approach to our faith today, so I am thoroughly enjoying my trip down a pre-Vatican II daily missal, back when God sat rightfully on a pedestal and our job was to try to reach His perfection, not for Him to lower himself to our imperfection just so we can feel good about ourselves.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Chair of St. Peter
For Lent from the Catholic News Agency...
The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter celebrates the papacy and St. Peter as the first bishop of Rome. St. Peter's original name was Simon. He was married with children and was living and working in Capernaum as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be one of the Twelve Apostles.
Jesus bestowed to Peter a special place among the Apostles. He was one of the three who were with Christ on special occasions, such as the Transfiguration of Christ and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani. He was the only Apostle to whom Christ appeared on the first day after the Resurrection. Peter, in turn, often spoke on behalf of the Apostles.
When Jesus asked the Apostles: "Whom do men say that the Son of Man is?"
Simon replied: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
And Jesus said: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: That you are Peter [Cephas, a rock], and upon this rock [Cephas] I will build my Church [ekklesian], and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven". (Mt 16:13-20)
In saying this Jesus made St. Peter the head of the entire community of believers and placed the spiritual guidance of the faithful in St. Peter’s hands.
However, St. Peter was not without faults. He was rash and reproached often by Christ. He had fallen asleep in the Garden of Gethsemani instead of praying, as Jesus had asked him to do. He also denied knowing Jesus three times after Christ’s arrest.
Peter delivered the first public sermon after the Pentecost and won a large number of converts. He also performed many miracles and defended the freedom of the Apostles to preach the Gospels. He preached in Jerusalem, Judaea, and as far north as Syria.
He was arrested in Jerusalem under Herod Agrippa I, but miraculously escaped execution. He left Jerusalem and eventually went to Rome, where he preached during the last portion of his life. He was crucified there, head downwards, as he had desired to suffer, saying that he did not deserve to die as Christ had died.
The date of St. Peter's death is not clear. Historians estimate he was executed between the years 64 and 68. His remains now rest beneath the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter celebrates the papacy and St. Peter as the first bishop of Rome. St. Peter's original name was Simon. He was married with children and was living and working in Capernaum as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be one of the Twelve Apostles.
Jesus bestowed to Peter a special place among the Apostles. He was one of the three who were with Christ on special occasions, such as the Transfiguration of Christ and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemani. He was the only Apostle to whom Christ appeared on the first day after the Resurrection. Peter, in turn, often spoke on behalf of the Apostles.When Jesus asked the Apostles: "Whom do men say that the Son of Man is?"
Simon replied: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
And Jesus said: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood have not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: That you are Peter [Cephas, a rock], and upon this rock [Cephas] I will build my Church [ekklesian], and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven". (Mt 16:13-20)
In saying this Jesus made St. Peter the head of the entire community of believers and placed the spiritual guidance of the faithful in St. Peter’s hands.
However, St. Peter was not without faults. He was rash and reproached often by Christ. He had fallen asleep in the Garden of Gethsemani instead of praying, as Jesus had asked him to do. He also denied knowing Jesus three times after Christ’s arrest.
Peter delivered the first public sermon after the Pentecost and won a large number of converts. He also performed many miracles and defended the freedom of the Apostles to preach the Gospels. He preached in Jerusalem, Judaea, and as far north as Syria.
He was arrested in Jerusalem under Herod Agrippa I, but miraculously escaped execution. He left Jerusalem and eventually went to Rome, where he preached during the last portion of his life. He was crucified there, head downwards, as he had desired to suffer, saying that he did not deserve to die as Christ had died.
The date of St. Peter's death is not clear. Historians estimate he was executed between the years 64 and 68. His remains now rest beneath the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
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