The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings by John Bergsma

As the new Church year begins on Sunday, I'm rerunning this review of a commentary series that has stood me in very good stead for three years now. I just love these. We're going into Year B, if you are wondering which to get.

  

In The Word of the Lord series, biblical scholar Dr. John Bergsma provides commentary on each Sunday's selection of readings. Whether you are a homilist seeking insight into the meaning of difficult scriptural passages or a Catholic desiring a deepened understanding of the readings you hear at Mass, The Word of the Lord series is an invaluable guide.

This series delights me by focusing on the readings from a deep connection to scripture that isn't held specifically to the excerpts that the liturgy is using. Bergsma's background as a Biblical scholar comes to the fore in identifying unifying motifs and intriguing connections that you don't see a lot of the time. I splurged on it and it is truly wonderful for anyone who loves Bible study and the Sunday Mass liturgy.

The Solemnities and Feasts book (red cover) supplements Bergsma's commentaries on the Sunday readings for years A, B, and C. There are a number of important days that aren't regular Sunday Mass days — such as Christmas or Ash Wednesday! Nonetheless we gain a lot from having commentary on the readings. This book fills that need.

The New Liturgy: Let's Educate Ourselves Before Making Judgments

We are going to begin seeing more and more questions about the new liturgy as it is circulated. In an unlikely place, I came across someone referencing this article and expressing perturbation over the line "Jesus died for many" and then referencing their own belief of what it means.

To have questions is only natural and I wish there a comprehensive, official explanation of the new liturgy, line by line. The USCCB's "coming soon" is not enough when there are dribs and drabs being released. I know that our diocese is having all the priests go to classes to receive training and education about the new liturgical form. Considering how long the translation took, how many countries and committees it had to make it through before getting to us, and the fact that the Church is trying to get us back to important basics ... I would hope we could relax and trust the Church before putting our own hasty judgments on bits and pieces.

However, that is not really human nature. Certainly is is not American human nature.

Therefore, I would strongly advise doing some research about just what the background and meaning is behind any of the new liturgy before making any guesses ourselves.

An excellent book which is very easy to understand and also helps one understand the Mass better is Praying the Mass: The Prayers of the Peopleby Jeffrey Pinyan. It goes through it piece by piece. He has further books coming out on the Prayers of the Priest and more which will I hope will be equally illuminating.

If you are Catholic and have questions about the new liturgy, do yourself a favor. Get that book and read it. Note: the introduction is written in a much more scholarly vein than the rest of the book. If it bogs you down skip it.

To Bishop Trautman, from Anne Hathaway: a definition

“One of the things about Barbara Feldon is she has a certain ineffable quality. You either have that or you don’t, and I leave it up to the audience to decide whether I do.” —Anne Hathaway

Once again, Bishop Trautman is complaining about the very difficult words that we will be faced with in the new liturgical translation.

It turns out from the linking and conversation I see around the blogosphere that Bishop Trautman chose poorly when he was tossing out words that will confuse and bewilder the average Catholic. Or perhaps, he is drawing on his own vocabulary deficiency. Should Anne Hathaway's quote not provide enough contextual clues (taught in grade school these days, Bishop), we will help things along a bit.

ineffable

Main Entry:

Pronunciation:

\(ˌ)i-ˈne-fə-bəl\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin ineffabilis, from in- + effabilis capable of being expressed, from effari to speak out, from ex- + fari to speak — more at ban

Date:

14th century

1 a: incapable of being expressed in words : indescribable <ineffable joy> b: unspeakable <ineffable disgust>2: not to be uttered : taboo ineffable name of Jehovah>

(No need to thank us Bishop. Next time check online at Merriam Webster.) Actually, if he'd read Good Omens, he wouldn't get into these sticky situations. It had a wide audience and that word is key in the book. Honestly, that is the first thing that sprang to my mind when seeing that word being bandied about.

For more about this little contretemps (check here for that meaning, Bishop), check out the Paragraph Farmer's pithy commentary chock-full of good links. For further commentary as well as refreshing our memories about the last time that Bishop Trautman felt "John and Mary Catholic" couldn't get it, check out Amy Welborn.

Thanks to Amy for linking back to my commentary on the whole John and Mary Catholic contretemps (there's that pesky word again!). The most valuable part of my old post is the link to the pdf of the comparison our priest provided between the current and proposed liturgy. Check that out and see how many words you can't pick up from contextual clues ... if, in fact, you are as undereducated as the good Bishop seems to think.

Mary Catholic Ponders New Translations, a Bishop's Tantrum, and Efficiency

Recently someone very kindly said that this was a nice place to relax in a Catholic atmosphere. Unfortunately, I'm now going to speak up about a controversial subject. You've been warned. So just move along if you don't want to get riled up ... or just plain don't care, which is fine too...

Engrish.com

Translations are tricky things, aren't they?

It is no secret that I have been in favor of the new liturgical translations, purely from the standpoint that the post-Vatican II thinking probably did to the language the same thing that was done to the architecture. Which is to say, they were made so basic and "dumbed down" that we were left without beauty.

I freely admit that this is a large supposition. It was in part based on looking at my New American Bible's language versus some of the older translations. It also was "dumbed down" and left without beauty. Furthermore, as I have been going for over a year to weekly scripture study and the question of accurate translation has arisen, the New American Bible frequently "loses" when compared with other translations and the original text.

However, as I really have no say whatsoever in the matter, I cheered the bishops' approval of a new translation and then largely forgot it.

That is, I forgot until several items popped up recently which I will address in order of occurrence.

The Bishop
Bishop Donald Trautman had an article published in America magazine castigating the accessibility of the new Mass translations.

Please go read it yourself. I was stunned at the sheer lack of professionalism in what looked largely like a condescendingly and poorly written tantrum. I say this because:

1. Firstly, he is worried about "John and Mary Catholic" and "American English." Isn't this English translation being used everywhere in the English speaking world? What about "Bruce and Sheila Catholic?" (G'day mate!) Or "Tyler and Brittney Catholic?" (See, some of those Catholics are pretty young ... they speak a different kind of English.) Or "Keesha and Darnell Catholic?" (Yep. There are African American Catholics also). Anyway, you see my point.
   
   How uncharitable of Bp. Trautman to assume that we are stupid, in other words, assume the worst of us, and then insult us by shouting it to the world.
   
   
2. Ironically, the very person complaining about using words that no one understands phrases it in language like this:

   If the language of the liturgy is inaccessible, how can liturgy catechize and convey the reality of the living, risen Son of God in the Eucharist? If the language of the liturgy is a stumbling block to intelligibility and proclaimability, then the lex orandi, lex credendi is severely compromised. If the language of the liturgy does not communicate, how can people fall in love with the greatest gift of God, the Eucharist?

   Inaccessible? Catechize? Didn't he mean "hard" and "teach?" I'm not sure that "proclaimability" even is a word, but a suspicious number of those look mighty hard to understand. I mean to say, there's Latin in there! Could it be that the words he used actually communicated best what he wanted to say ... and that he didn't worry about making it simply understood by the meanest intelligence? That he trusted people to be able to comprehend the article properly? Hmmm ...


3. Simultaneously, Bp. Trautman supports his statement thusly:

   ... and odd expressions like “What you have charged us to believe will taste sweet to the heart” (Collect for April 21). Does the heart “taste?”

   This makes me feel for the poor bishop who has never listened to modern poetry as it is most commonly contained ... in song lyrics.
   
   If he missed Rodgers and Hart's "... the conversation - with the flying plates ..." ("What?" I hear him saying, "Do plates fly or converse?"), then perhaps he is thinking of more modern songs.
   
   Nope. Because here's Kill Hannah's "I want a girl with lips like morphine, Knock me out every time they touch me." And yet, teenagers understand the real meaning. (No actual drug use is being endorsed here, Bishop. Just in case you were worried.)
   


4. What annoyed me the most was his exhortation to go speak up. Now there's a fine example from a bishop. I wouldn't like that behavior from a CEO much less someone who is supposed to be able to work on a team and be obedient instead of throwing a tantrum for sympathy from the masses who can't change anything.
   
   I saw a post by a thoughtful blogger who I respect but who leans in a different direction than I do on many issues. Fair enough. We're together on the things that matter most. However, Bishop Trautman's aforementioned exhortation to "speak up" resulted in this attitude:

   Of all the issues facing the church today – and there are plenty of big, serious ones – why in the world is... who's in charge of this thing? - why are 'they' spending precious time and resources on such a project that will further alienate and distance people from the Mass? We don't need different translations, we need better homilies and more priests! I'm irritated enough to start writing my bishop about this, for all the good that will do. I get cynical and pessimistic as I get irritated.

   Considering how the article was couched, this is a response to be expected. The Bishop's rhetoric simultaneously riles up and depresses people over an issue that they have no control over. That is the way tantrums work. They draw attention and that is the ultimate goal of a tantrum ... to get attention and one's own way.
   
   However, I think that the above response is possibly forgetting that words and translations do matter. If they matter in everyday life as we all know, then surely they matter when lifting our hearts and souls to God. Surely this is worth hammering out until it is right, rather than convenient "as is."
   
   If the people and the mysterious "they" have had their hearts drawn closer to God, then the thinking would follow that they will go on to express that love in helping those around them. Indirectly, then, an improved liturgy would logically go on to aid in the "big, serious" things. (Though I am far from admitting that the liturgy is not a "big, serious" thing. Meeting God ... that's big and serious to me.)
   

To be fair, I do understand the bishop's overall concern. He's afraid that the translators are doing to the liturgy, what that translator did in the picture above.

However, what I am wondering is if the liturgy we have now is the result of that sort of translating.

The blogger trusted Bishop Trautman's word on this. I trust the the translating committee.

So we see the dilemma. Who is right?

That is far as my thinking on the subject went. Until this week.

Comparing Liturgies
The end of our scripture study was different than usual. Our priest had read Bp. Trautman's article. Without talking about the article very much, he wanted to see if the language was too difficult to understand. He then proposed a "liturgical experiment" and handed out sheets of paper. One side had Eucharistic Prayer 1 as we use it now. The other side had the proposed translation of Eucharistic Prayer 1.

Then he read the proposed translation aloud while we read the current side to see how they were different. Afterward, he solicited thoughts from us.

As simple as that.

Yet suddenly everything became unexpectedly clear for me.

This was quite different than having a few sentences compared to each other or phrases pulled out of context for scrutiny. The words rolled over us and I suddenly was awash in phrases that showed me God's majesty, Jesus' sacrifice, my place in it, God's unending love for me ... and I felt gratitude and love in response. This may sound as if I'm overstating it. I'm not. I practically was in tears. That language literally lifted me to God. Meanwhile, I was astounded at the sparseness of the current text that corresponded to what was being read.

Please keep in mind that I am not a fool. I do know that after several months of hearing the language "roll over me" it will become routine. However, the liturgy that we have now stands out for me during Mass in this place or that to call me to God. The proposed liturgy will do so even more if this is any indication.

Mind you, it didn't strike everyone this way. Of the 15-20 people there, three preferred the current version. However, they all used the qualifier, "I am a lawyer" and said that they preferred "efficient language."

Obviously these will be the two attitudes to the proposed change.

Interestingly, one fellow hesitantly said, "But if this new text is mysterious ... isn't that what God and the Mass are? Mysterious?"

Which would seem to be the point to me. That worshiping God and celebrating the Mass are not about efficiency. They are about bringing us to God, lifting our hearts that we might have that veil drawn back for a second or two so that we may truly have a glimpse of heaven.

Efficiency
Think of how many things in our life are not efficient. So many of them are the very things that we treasure most. Preparing a meal and eating it with our families instead of grabbing a sandwich and all going to our rooms. Living as families instead of in communes. The love of a man and woman for each other is obviously terribly inefficient as a way to choose a spouse. As for making love, that most mysterious of all acts which makes husband and wife one on so many levels as well as creating visible evidence of our love (about 9 months later) ... well, I believe science has proven that if all we want is efficiency a test tube or two will suffice.

Let's take it to a more religious level ... the Bible? That's such an inefficient way to communicate, despite all attempted "clear" translations, and difficult to understand on many levels. Jesus' Passion? Sheez, talk about a mystery. Clearly, God is not worried about efficiency. His ways are not ours.

The conversation about efficiency made me think of John 12:1-8. Judas thought very efficiently (for whatever reason).

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus 2 and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Then Judas the Iscariot, one (of) his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, "Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days' wages 3 and given to the poor?"

He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions.

So Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

Proposal
I would propose that our priest's liturgical experiment is a good one. I have formatted the text so that you can download it as a pdf. Give it a try. Don't just read it to yourself. Have someone read it aloud while you read along. (If you would like to look beyond what our priest chose, go to Whispered in the Sacristy who is one of those who has been asked to be a “reader” of the new translation of the Mass for Bishop CVG. He has more translations available. We will be reading Eucharistic Prayer II next week after our scripture study.)

Will it convince you that a translation is needed? Not necessarily. But at least you will have your own honest reactions to judge from instead of taking someone else's word for it. That is the place for honest conversation to begin.

No matter what, in the end it really comes down to what wise 94-year-old Phyllis said:

No matter what translation they use, in six months we'll all have accepted it and be on to worrying about the next topic.

Remember the writing and ink spilled over The Da Vinci Code? Yet how often do we see people getting all worked up about it now? It too has passed.

Let's do the experiment, take a deep breath, and remember that this isn't up to us. It also would be a very good idea to say a few prayers for everyone working on this translation that God will guide them in how He wants to be worshiped. As I recall He had quite a lot to say about that in the Old Testament in the building of the arc and the temple. Doubtless He has some very definite opinions about this too. He knows what we need and what will work best in achieving it.

May God's will be done.

Some Saint Stuff

First of all, let me give a big shout out to St. Paul the Hermit who careful readers may recall that I was petitioning on behalf of Hannah's missing uniform shirts. I am starting to think that unbeknownst to the Church, he also may be the patron of speedy deliveries because we had five packages delivered yesterday (FIVE!). Two of them were Hannah's shirts, one was Rose's chemistry textbook which wasn't due until later but was much needed last night, and two were birthday gifts which I was worried wouldn't show up until after Monday's deadline. Talk about going above and beyond the request at hand. Thank you, St. Paul the Hermit!

Secondly, Yurodivi brought to my attention The Fourteen Holy Helpers. I'd never heard of them before but this group of saints, who are also venerated separately, began being venerated collectively during the Black Plague. I especially like the litany to the Holy Fourteen which I am reproducing below. Be sure to go to the link to read about each of these saints.

The Litany of the Fourteen Holy Helpers

LORD, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs,
pray for us.
Saint Joseph, helper in all needs, etc.
Fourteen Holy Helpers,
Saint George, valiant Martyr of Christ,
Saint Blase, zealous bishop and benefactor of the poor,
Saint Erasmus, mighty protector of the oppressed,
Saint Pantaleon, miraculous exemplar of charity,
Saint Vitus, special protector of chastity,
Saint Christophorus, mighty intercessor in dangers,
Saint Dionysius, shining mirror of faith and confidence,
Saint Cyriacus, terror of Hell,
Saint Achatius, helpful advocate in death,
Saint Eustachius, exemplar of patience in adversity,
Saint Giles, despiser of the world,
Saint Margaret, valiant champion of the Faith,
Saint Catherine, victorious defender of the Faith and of purity,
Saint Barbara, mighty patroness of the dying,

All ye Holy Helpers, etc.
All ye Saints of God,
In temptations against faith,
In adversity and trials,
In anxiety and want,
In every combat,
In every temptation,
In sickness,
In all needs,
In fear and terror,
In dangers of salvation,
In dangers of honor,
In dangers of reputation,
In dangers of property,
In dangers by fire and water,
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord!
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord!

From all sin,
deliver us, O Lord.
From Thy wrath, etc.
From the scourge of earthquake,
From plague, famine, and war,
From lightning and storms,
From a sudden and unprovided death,
From eternal damnation,

Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, etc.
Through Thy birth and Thy life,
Through Thy Cross and Passion,
Through Thy death and burial,
Through the merits of Thy blessed Mother Mary,
Through the merits of the Fourteen Holy Helpers,
On the Day of Judgment, deliver us, O Lord!

We sinners, beseech Thee hear us.
That Thou spare us,
We beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou pardon us, etc.
That Thou convert us to true penance,
That Thou give and preserve the fruits of the earth,
That Thou protect and propagate Thy holy Church,
That Thou preserve peace and concord among the nations,
That Thou give eternal rest to the souls of the departed,
That Thou come to our aid through the intercession of the Holy Helpers,
That through the intercession of Saint George Thou preserve us in the Faith,
That through the intercession of Saint Blase Thou confirm us in hope,
That through the intercession of Saint Erasmus Thou enkindle in us Thy holy love,
That through the intercession of Saint Pantaleon Thou give us charity for our neighbor,
That through the intercession of Saint Vitus Thou teach us the value of our soul,
That through the intercession of Saint Christophorus Thou preserve us from sin,
That through the intercession of Saint Dionysius Thou give us tranquillity of conscience,
That through the intercession of Saint Cyriacus Thou grant us resignation to Thy holy will,
That through the intercession of Saint Eustachius Thou give us patience in adversity,
That through the intercession of Saint Achatius Thou grant us a happy death,
That through the intercession of Saint Giles Thou grant us a merciful judgment,
That through the intercession of Saint Margaret Thou preserve us from Hell,
That through the intercession of Saint Catherine Thou shorten our Purgatory,
That through the intercession of Saint Barbara Thou receive us in Heaven,
That through the intercession of all the Holy Helpers Thou wilt grant our prayers,

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us, O Lord.

V. Pray for us, ye Fourteen Holy Helpers.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promise of Christ.

Let us Pray.

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast bestowed extraordinary graces and gifts on Thy saints George, Blase, Erasmus, Pantaleon, Vitus, Christophorus, Dionysius, Cyriacus, Eustachius, Achatius, Giles, Margaret, Catherine, and Barbara, and hast illustrated them by miracles; we beseech Thee to graciously hear the petitions of all who invoke their intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who didst miraculously fortify the Fourteen Holy Helpers in the confession of the Faith; grant us, we beseech Thee, to imitate their fortitude in overcoming all temptations against it, and protect us through their irttercession in all dangers of soul and body, so that we may serve Thee in purity of heart and chastity of body. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Layman's Litany of Humility

A litany is a well-known and much appreciated form of responsive petition, used in public liturgical services, and in private devotions, for common necessities of the Church, or in calamities — to implore God's aid or to appease His just wrath. (From Mary at Ever New.)

From feeling and acting like I have the answer, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting like my way is best, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting like I am right, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting like I should be the leader, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting like I'm better than someone else, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting like someone else is wrong, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting like I know more than others, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting overly sensitive, deliver me, Jesus.
From feeling and acting defensively, deliver me, Jesus.


From finding it difficult to deny myself for the good of others, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to pray for my 'enemies,' deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to leave my comfort zone, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to set aside my personal preferences, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to trust others, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to submit to others, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to defer to others, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to allow others to serve me, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to rejoice in the success of others, deliver me, Jesus.
From finding it difficult to be totally open and honest with others, deliver me, Jesus.


From the fear of being vulnerable to others, deliver me, Jesus.
From thinking less of those who are different from me, deliver me, Jesus.
From judging others, deliver me, Jesus.
From becoming envious of others, deliver me, Jesus.
From being critical of others, deliver me, Jesus.
From speaking to others in a degrading way, deliver me, Jesus.
From desiring to be the center of attention, deliver me, Jesus.
From the compulsion to make my opinion known, deliver me, Jesus.
From wanting to make others aware of how much I am suffering, deliver me, Jesus.
From wanting to make others aware of how much I've been persecuted, deliver me, Jesus.
From doing things so others will think I am holy, deliver me, Jesus.
From being afraid, ashamed or embarrassed to publicly acknowledge the Lord, deliver me, Jesus.
From neglecting to acknowledge my total dependence on the Lord, deliver me, Jesus.
From regarding myself as more important than anyone else, deliver me, Jesus.


That I would never make myself anything but the lowest priority for anyone, especially in my own household, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how displeasing even the least of my sins is to God, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I neglect God, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how little time I actually take to ask God for his help with the needs in my life, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I plunge into a project without imploring God's assistance, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of the magnitude of my weakness, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how stupid I've proven that I can be, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how selfish I can be, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I have been proven wrong, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I've done selfish or sinful things, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I forget to express gratitude, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I stop listening and form my own opinion, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I feel worthy or deserving, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I pursue my own will without considering what God's will might be, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I rely on my own knowledge without seeking the wisdom of God, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I blame others, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I have hurt others, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I fail to extend mercy, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily my behavior is dictated by what others will think of me, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how easily I lose my joy when things don't come to pass as I had hoped, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how difficult it is for me to ask others for help, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how difficult it is for me to ask forgiveness, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how difficult it is for me to accept correction, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how frequently I first see the faults, rather than the good in others, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of the effort I put into concealing my weaknesses from others, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always be aware of how often I impose my will upon others unnecessarily, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always remember to allow others to go before me, Jesus, grant me the grace.
That I could always remember to imitate you, Jesus, our perfect model of humility, Jesus, grant me the grace.