The Pentecost Novena, itself, can be found here.
"O most blessed Light divine, shine within these hearts of yours, and our inmost being fill." - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
The theme of light has been with us throughout the entire Liturgical Year, and it has been steadily advancing. At Christmas, we welcomed Christ, the Light of the World, as He was born in the dead of night. On Easter morning, we rejoiced in His Resurrection, which by tradition is held to have occurred at the dawn of Sunday. But now, at Pentecost, we will welcome the Divine Light of the Holy Spirit once the day has already advanced! For it was at the third hour, nine in the morning, that the Holy Spirit descended upon our Lady and the Apostles in the Upper Room (Acts 2:15). How can we not help but see the comparison this bears to our own spiritual lives?
The first welcomings of the Lord into our lives are always done in darkness; we don't know what He has planned for us, we don't know how it will change our lives. And why is this? We may say it is to humble us. Just as He was born in humility in a stable in Bethlehem, so He wishes a humble birth in us. And if we welcome Him this shall ultimately lead to a death, a death to self, but this death makes room for the new life we are about to live! And it is Christ Who shall now live in us where we no longer live for our own self!
It is then that we are to be vessels to the world. Once we have undergone our own interior conversion, for we cannot convert others unless we be ourselves first converted. Once the Lord shines within our own hearts, once the night is far gone from them and the day is advancing, then we shall advance to bring the light further into the world!
But let us remember the most necessary action we must keep in order to reach that stage, and it is prayer. Only through prayer can we be assured the Holy Spirit shall come to dwell within our souls and remain there. It is in prayer, in communion with the Divine Light, that our eyes and hearts are opened for Him to enter. Prayer is as it were an extinguishing of the shadows and opening of the drapes! The more authentically we pray, the more the Light can fill us!
The Apostles were at prayer when they first received the outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 2:1), and they did not cease to pray especially after they began their mission. Indeed, prayer was one of the most important things they did (Acts 2:46)! Prayer is the means not only for the light to enter the soul, but without prayer is, as it were the supernatural means whereby we prevent the night from coming. This is not to say there will not be dark times for us, dark nights of the soul as St. John of the Cross referred to them, but it means during those times we shall still have the light, for even the night has the light of the moon and the stars.
In these days leading up to the great Solemnity of Pentecost, let us pray that the Divine Light may come more fully to shine within our souls. For then, not only shall we be enlightened but we shall be the means whereby Christ will enlighten all those around us! May one of our prayers these days be that of Blessed John Henry Newman:
"Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly, that my life may only be a radiance of Yours. Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus! Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to other; the light, O Jesus will be all from You; none of it will be mine; it will be you, shining on others through me. Let me thus praise You the way you love best, by shining on those around me. Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example, by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do, the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You. Amen."
Monday, May 18, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Seventh Sunday of Easter: Meditation on the Entrance Antiphon
"O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face; hide not your face from me, alleluia." - Entrance Antiphon for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
This Entrance Antiphon is quite unlike the other antiphons we have experienced and mediated upon throughout the Easter Season. In fact, it seems to bear quite a resemblance to the Entrance Antiphons we encountered throughout Lent, with the exception of the Alleluia of course. Instead of cries of rejoicing, we have pleas for assistance and protection. We have a request at the end that the Lord would not abandon us. Why this sudden change in thought, without the change of season? What does this mean?
Alas, while we are still in the Easter Season, the Church has undergone a drastic change! Her Divine Lord, Who we so intimately encountered throughout the forty days following Easter Sunday has ascended. He no longer dwells visibly among the Church, and this does cause a certain sorrow in us, for we are no longer able to be so privileged as such souls as Mary and Joseph, who were able to bear the Lord in their arms, or St. John the Baptist, who beheld him with his own eyes and saw and heard God the Father Himself attest to His Divinity and mission, or the glorious Apostles and holy women who walked with Him on His journeys and heard His teachings.
But this sorrow is not only balanced, it is outweighed by the joy and triumph we feel through the Ascension, as we shall explain shortly. The Entrance Antiphon, then, does not bear the same sentiment as those of Lent, but it instead is one of trusting confidence, and thus it continues to end with that word of joy, "alleluia." If we recall the words of our Lord, "If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I (John 14:28)," and, "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7)." This day is given to us, then, to recall the fact that our Lord has ascended but the Holy Spirit has come in His place, and thus our focus shifts.
The Liturgical Seasons in which we commemorate the Mysteries of our Redemption are drawing to a close, and we will soon enter into Ordinary Time, in which we focus on our own spiritual lives and our vocations as Christians in regards to evangelizing the world. In one week, we shall celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit was poured forth on the Church and the Apostles began to preach Christ to all the nations. Ordinary Time is very much a season in which we are to focus and meditate on our own evangelization.
We may notice how beautifully the Liturgical Year is arranged. About a third of it is given to meditation on the Mysteries of Christ's life and specific and focused prayer, while the rest is more general, and this may be seen as a reflection of the Christian Life. There are certain practices and devotions every Christian shares, points where they come together, but each soul's spiritual life is also unique and we are all called to different works and missions. After meeting together, primarily in the Liturgy, where we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we go forth to evangelize to the nations, each according to his or her own calling.
And as the ending to these two periods, we are given these ten days between the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost to examine our lives, meditate upon all the events we have celebrated, and to pray for an outpouring of the Spirit to assist us in our lives of evangelizing to all nations. This Entrance Antiphon, then, is meant primarily as a call to the Lord for His most gracious assistance. It is indeed good that He is now in Heaven, for we may seek Him at any moment, unlike those in the Gospel who had to go to Him to petition His Divine assistance (e.g. Mark 5:21-43). While it is true they could still pray to God their Father, they could not do so through the mediation of Christ. But now, as He reigns in Heaven, we can petition the Father through His Son, Christ our Lord, and how much greater does this make our petitions!
Not only that, however, but He now sends the Holy Spirit upon us, and through this Gift we are united to our Divine Head in Heaven! We are able to pray in new ways (Romans 8:26), we come to a deeper understanding of Divine Mysteries (John 16:13), and we are able to see Jesus, not as a special man, but as our Lord and God (Matthew 16:17). The Spirit takes us past this visible world of ours and opens our eyes to see Jesus, seated at the Right Hand of God, glorified in Heaven!
Christ tells us to rejoice because of where He has gone, because of the benefits it derives for us, but also because it is easier for us to understand just Who He is and what He calls us to. While He was on earth, there was much discussion and debate about Who He was (Matthew 16:14); it was hard to accept Him as the Son of God. But now that He has risen from the dead and gone before us into Heaven we are able, through the gift of Faith and the Holy Spirit able to easily see through the veils and proclaim Him as our Lord and God!
This is the significance of the Entrance Antiphon, especially appropriate as we enter into the Holy Mass. Although the Lord is not visibly with us, we know He is present to us, especially in the Church's Liturgy, and thus we begin our worship with a request that He may hear us. The Holy Spirit has taught us to pray in this way. We bring our petitions to the Altar, where Heaven and earth are joined, and thus we know that God the Father shall hear our prayer. For our cry goes up in the power of the Holy Spirit through Christ our Lord, and this is all on account of Christ having ascended into Heaven where He now pleads for us!
But let us also look at the next part of the antiphon, "Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face; hide not your face from me." Even though we understand the benefits of our Lord ascending into Heaven and sending the Holy Spirit upon us, we are still left with an irresistible longing for Him. This is of course natural, for as beings composed of both body and soul, the spiritual consolation of the Spirit is not complete. Our bodies still require rest in Him, and this can only be completed at the time in the Resurrection of the Dead with new heavens and a new earth. Even our souls, though the Holy Spirit dwells in them, and thus through Him they are united to Christ, do not enjoy the full rest the Beatific Vision shall provide.
Thus, there is still this crying out to God and this seeking for Him. We know where we may find Him, but the journey to get there is still long and hard. This is all the more reason we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit, for He can quicken our pilgrimage by His presence, but this is also the great benefit the Liturgy, especially the Holy Mass provides. In the Mass, we truly gaze on the Lord's Face, though under the Sacramental veils. In the public prayers of the Church we do not cry out to God as is the manner of all religions, but we cry out through the Holy Spirit, thus crying out in Heaven Itself!
These truths should give us a new found appreciation for the Liturgy; even though we may already know them to be true, meditation upon them can always give us new insights and understandings. And the importance of doing this cannot be overstressed. The Liturgy is a sure rock for our evangelization and our own spiritual development. It is the source whereby grace is imparted to our souls. It is the platform from which the Scriptures are proclaimed to us. It is the font from which we learn the Church's Faith. To separate oneself from the Liturgy is to risk separating oneself from the Church of Christ, and to devalue the Liturgy, to not care about it, to not make it a priority, is to exalt oneself above Christ.
Our pride leads us to do all these things, to value our personal prayers more than those given by Christ Himself through the Church, to think our own acts are more necessary than the act of participating in the Church's acts. But this is one of the great tricks Satan leads us into to ensnare us. He rejoices when a soul prays a rosary instead of going to Mass, when there are no circumstances or obstacles in the way to prevent Mass attendance, for then the soul has exalted a sacramental above a Sacrament! He rejoices when prayer is set aside to go to pro-life rallies and help the poor, for in doing so those works of mercy lose their supernatural merit.
The only way to begin to see the face of Christ here below is through the gift of faith the Holy Spirit gives, and the only way to definitively receive the Holy Spirit is through the Sacraments. In celebrating the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist this Easter Season, this is one of the parts we rejoice in. Though the Holy Spirit can come to any soul, a soul that presents itself for the Sacraments will receive the Holy Spirit regardless, as long as barrier is not put in the way.
O wondrous joy the Sacraments provide! If we want to see the face of Christ, there is no surer method than through the Sacraments, for while others may find God without the Sacraments, they do not have the guarantee of salvation, but those Who seek Him through the Church are promised salvation because God has bound Himself to grant it to them by the reception of the Sacrament.
This is the great mercy of God. This is why we must never cease to call upon Him, but not with hesitancy, but with confidence and joy! He has bound Himself to listen to the prayers offered through the Liturgy, for those prayers are offered through Christ our Lord. To refuse the prayers of Christ would present a contradiction in the Divine Will, for the Will of Father and Son are the one same Divine Will, as is the Holy Spirit with them.
And thus it is so important we pray to receive the Holy Spirit throughout these days and before we set off into Ordinary Time where we shall focus more especially on our evangelization and spiritual lives. If we want to see the Face of God, we would be wises to use the path God wishes us to use, and since the Spirit shares that Will, He can guide us in it.
In this final week of Easter, then, let us sing "Alleluia" in a new way. The Lord has gone before us into Heaven and there allows us to offer prayers through His intercession. May we unite ourselves to the Holy Spirit we have received, and pray that we may be shown the way we must go, and let us pray even more for a further outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for He can give us already here below the beginning of the sight of God. This will then stir up our ardor for Heaven even more, and increase our fervor on this earth. But the best part is, when we do finally reach our final goal in the Beatific Vision, those foretastes and small blessings and consolations we received here below will be realized to not only pale in comparison but to be literally as nothing compared with the True Sight!
This Entrance Antiphon is quite unlike the other antiphons we have experienced and mediated upon throughout the Easter Season. In fact, it seems to bear quite a resemblance to the Entrance Antiphons we encountered throughout Lent, with the exception of the Alleluia of course. Instead of cries of rejoicing, we have pleas for assistance and protection. We have a request at the end that the Lord would not abandon us. Why this sudden change in thought, without the change of season? What does this mean?
Alas, while we are still in the Easter Season, the Church has undergone a drastic change! Her Divine Lord, Who we so intimately encountered throughout the forty days following Easter Sunday has ascended. He no longer dwells visibly among the Church, and this does cause a certain sorrow in us, for we are no longer able to be so privileged as such souls as Mary and Joseph, who were able to bear the Lord in their arms, or St. John the Baptist, who beheld him with his own eyes and saw and heard God the Father Himself attest to His Divinity and mission, or the glorious Apostles and holy women who walked with Him on His journeys and heard His teachings.
But this sorrow is not only balanced, it is outweighed by the joy and triumph we feel through the Ascension, as we shall explain shortly. The Entrance Antiphon, then, does not bear the same sentiment as those of Lent, but it instead is one of trusting confidence, and thus it continues to end with that word of joy, "alleluia." If we recall the words of our Lord, "If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I (John 14:28)," and, "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7)." This day is given to us, then, to recall the fact that our Lord has ascended but the Holy Spirit has come in His place, and thus our focus shifts.
The Liturgical Seasons in which we commemorate the Mysteries of our Redemption are drawing to a close, and we will soon enter into Ordinary Time, in which we focus on our own spiritual lives and our vocations as Christians in regards to evangelizing the world. In one week, we shall celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit was poured forth on the Church and the Apostles began to preach Christ to all the nations. Ordinary Time is very much a season in which we are to focus and meditate on our own evangelization.
We may notice how beautifully the Liturgical Year is arranged. About a third of it is given to meditation on the Mysteries of Christ's life and specific and focused prayer, while the rest is more general, and this may be seen as a reflection of the Christian Life. There are certain practices and devotions every Christian shares, points where they come together, but each soul's spiritual life is also unique and we are all called to different works and missions. After meeting together, primarily in the Liturgy, where we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we go forth to evangelize to the nations, each according to his or her own calling.
And as the ending to these two periods, we are given these ten days between the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost to examine our lives, meditate upon all the events we have celebrated, and to pray for an outpouring of the Spirit to assist us in our lives of evangelizing to all nations. This Entrance Antiphon, then, is meant primarily as a call to the Lord for His most gracious assistance. It is indeed good that He is now in Heaven, for we may seek Him at any moment, unlike those in the Gospel who had to go to Him to petition His Divine assistance (e.g. Mark 5:21-43). While it is true they could still pray to God their Father, they could not do so through the mediation of Christ. But now, as He reigns in Heaven, we can petition the Father through His Son, Christ our Lord, and how much greater does this make our petitions!
Not only that, however, but He now sends the Holy Spirit upon us, and through this Gift we are united to our Divine Head in Heaven! We are able to pray in new ways (Romans 8:26), we come to a deeper understanding of Divine Mysteries (John 16:13), and we are able to see Jesus, not as a special man, but as our Lord and God (Matthew 16:17). The Spirit takes us past this visible world of ours and opens our eyes to see Jesus, seated at the Right Hand of God, glorified in Heaven!
Christ tells us to rejoice because of where He has gone, because of the benefits it derives for us, but also because it is easier for us to understand just Who He is and what He calls us to. While He was on earth, there was much discussion and debate about Who He was (Matthew 16:14); it was hard to accept Him as the Son of God. But now that He has risen from the dead and gone before us into Heaven we are able, through the gift of Faith and the Holy Spirit able to easily see through the veils and proclaim Him as our Lord and God!
This is the significance of the Entrance Antiphon, especially appropriate as we enter into the Holy Mass. Although the Lord is not visibly with us, we know He is present to us, especially in the Church's Liturgy, and thus we begin our worship with a request that He may hear us. The Holy Spirit has taught us to pray in this way. We bring our petitions to the Altar, where Heaven and earth are joined, and thus we know that God the Father shall hear our prayer. For our cry goes up in the power of the Holy Spirit through Christ our Lord, and this is all on account of Christ having ascended into Heaven where He now pleads for us!
But let us also look at the next part of the antiphon, "Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face; hide not your face from me." Even though we understand the benefits of our Lord ascending into Heaven and sending the Holy Spirit upon us, we are still left with an irresistible longing for Him. This is of course natural, for as beings composed of both body and soul, the spiritual consolation of the Spirit is not complete. Our bodies still require rest in Him, and this can only be completed at the time in the Resurrection of the Dead with new heavens and a new earth. Even our souls, though the Holy Spirit dwells in them, and thus through Him they are united to Christ, do not enjoy the full rest the Beatific Vision shall provide.
Thus, there is still this crying out to God and this seeking for Him. We know where we may find Him, but the journey to get there is still long and hard. This is all the more reason we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit, for He can quicken our pilgrimage by His presence, but this is also the great benefit the Liturgy, especially the Holy Mass provides. In the Mass, we truly gaze on the Lord's Face, though under the Sacramental veils. In the public prayers of the Church we do not cry out to God as is the manner of all religions, but we cry out through the Holy Spirit, thus crying out in Heaven Itself!
These truths should give us a new found appreciation for the Liturgy; even though we may already know them to be true, meditation upon them can always give us new insights and understandings. And the importance of doing this cannot be overstressed. The Liturgy is a sure rock for our evangelization and our own spiritual development. It is the source whereby grace is imparted to our souls. It is the platform from which the Scriptures are proclaimed to us. It is the font from which we learn the Church's Faith. To separate oneself from the Liturgy is to risk separating oneself from the Church of Christ, and to devalue the Liturgy, to not care about it, to not make it a priority, is to exalt oneself above Christ.
Our pride leads us to do all these things, to value our personal prayers more than those given by Christ Himself through the Church, to think our own acts are more necessary than the act of participating in the Church's acts. But this is one of the great tricks Satan leads us into to ensnare us. He rejoices when a soul prays a rosary instead of going to Mass, when there are no circumstances or obstacles in the way to prevent Mass attendance, for then the soul has exalted a sacramental above a Sacrament! He rejoices when prayer is set aside to go to pro-life rallies and help the poor, for in doing so those works of mercy lose their supernatural merit.
The only way to begin to see the face of Christ here below is through the gift of faith the Holy Spirit gives, and the only way to definitively receive the Holy Spirit is through the Sacraments. In celebrating the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist this Easter Season, this is one of the parts we rejoice in. Though the Holy Spirit can come to any soul, a soul that presents itself for the Sacraments will receive the Holy Spirit regardless, as long as barrier is not put in the way.
O wondrous joy the Sacraments provide! If we want to see the face of Christ, there is no surer method than through the Sacraments, for while others may find God without the Sacraments, they do not have the guarantee of salvation, but those Who seek Him through the Church are promised salvation because God has bound Himself to grant it to them by the reception of the Sacrament.
This is the great mercy of God. This is why we must never cease to call upon Him, but not with hesitancy, but with confidence and joy! He has bound Himself to listen to the prayers offered through the Liturgy, for those prayers are offered through Christ our Lord. To refuse the prayers of Christ would present a contradiction in the Divine Will, for the Will of Father and Son are the one same Divine Will, as is the Holy Spirit with them.
And thus it is so important we pray to receive the Holy Spirit throughout these days and before we set off into Ordinary Time where we shall focus more especially on our evangelization and spiritual lives. If we want to see the Face of God, we would be wises to use the path God wishes us to use, and since the Spirit shares that Will, He can guide us in it.
In this final week of Easter, then, let us sing "Alleluia" in a new way. The Lord has gone before us into Heaven and there allows us to offer prayers through His intercession. May we unite ourselves to the Holy Spirit we have received, and pray that we may be shown the way we must go, and let us pray even more for a further outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for He can give us already here below the beginning of the sight of God. This will then stir up our ardor for Heaven even more, and increase our fervor on this earth. But the best part is, when we do finally reach our final goal in the Beatific Vision, those foretastes and small blessings and consolations we received here below will be realized to not only pale in comparison but to be literally as nothing compared with the True Sight!
Pentecost Novena: Day Three
The Pentecost Novena, itself, can be found here.
"You, of comforters the best; you, the soul's most welcome guest; sweet refreshment here below; in our labor, rest most sweet; grateful coolness in the heat; solace in the midst of woe." - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
Our Divine Lord promised us, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29)." The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of this promise, for the Holy Spirit is the means whereby we are able to fulfill the Christian vocation with joy! Without the Holy Spirit, namely without the Divine Life dwelling in us, the obligations imposed on us by the Church would be a drudgery. Our time would be consumed by prayers we have no interest in, we would have to abstain from pleasures we find most enjoyable, and we give away our hard earned money on something we don't really care about.
Yes, this sounds absurd, but that is only because we do have the Holy Spirit, and we therefore understand the great joy prayer is, the benefits abstinence brings, and the importance of our participation in the life of the Church. As we recall, it is the Holy Spirit which unites us and makes us one in the Church. Without His presence, we are each individuals who believe the same thing. But with His presence in our souls, we are one Body.
What a world of difference this makes! As the Body of Christ, we benefit not only from the actions of the other members of the Church and are assisted in our weakness, but we are united to Christ our Head. We need not worry about what will ultimately occur to us, for Christ will care for His Body just as we hopefully care for ours. Thus, the Holy Spirit is the best of comforters, not because He counsels us as a therapist, but because through His presence He eliminates the need for worry.
We must admit we cannot ignore the individual needs we must attend to, but the Holy Spirit is also our rest and refreshment. He moves us to always look towards God, even in ways we cannot understand. But even when we fail in our individual endeavors, His presence reminds us that we are not judged by our success, but by our love for God. And does His presence not increase this love.
The Holy Spirit is the most loyal Friend we shall ever know. He will never abandon us, unless we forcibly banish Him. And even then, He will attempt to find His way back to us! We are able to call Him the soul's most welcome guest, because He brings to the home in which He dwells the greatest gifts, those sevenfold gifts whereby we attain unto Heaven. He refreshes us and cools us in the labors of this life by being the foretaste of the luxurious bliss we shall enjoy in Heaven. He is our solace, for He reminds us we are not made for this world, but for the next.
During these days, then, let us endeavor to be more aware of His presence, for in doing so we shall experience even more His great blessings and consolations. But we shall also be renewed in our resolutions and moved to make new ones, which we can actually accomplish through His aid! Perhaps most importantly, though, may we be more firmly resolved never to banish Him through sin, for without Him, though the entire world might admire us, we are the most desolate and alone.
"You, of comforters the best; you, the soul's most welcome guest; sweet refreshment here below; in our labor, rest most sweet; grateful coolness in the heat; solace in the midst of woe." - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
Our Divine Lord promised us, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29)." The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of this promise, for the Holy Spirit is the means whereby we are able to fulfill the Christian vocation with joy! Without the Holy Spirit, namely without the Divine Life dwelling in us, the obligations imposed on us by the Church would be a drudgery. Our time would be consumed by prayers we have no interest in, we would have to abstain from pleasures we find most enjoyable, and we give away our hard earned money on something we don't really care about.
Yes, this sounds absurd, but that is only because we do have the Holy Spirit, and we therefore understand the great joy prayer is, the benefits abstinence brings, and the importance of our participation in the life of the Church. As we recall, it is the Holy Spirit which unites us and makes us one in the Church. Without His presence, we are each individuals who believe the same thing. But with His presence in our souls, we are one Body.
What a world of difference this makes! As the Body of Christ, we benefit not only from the actions of the other members of the Church and are assisted in our weakness, but we are united to Christ our Head. We need not worry about what will ultimately occur to us, for Christ will care for His Body just as we hopefully care for ours. Thus, the Holy Spirit is the best of comforters, not because He counsels us as a therapist, but because through His presence He eliminates the need for worry.
We must admit we cannot ignore the individual needs we must attend to, but the Holy Spirit is also our rest and refreshment. He moves us to always look towards God, even in ways we cannot understand. But even when we fail in our individual endeavors, His presence reminds us that we are not judged by our success, but by our love for God. And does His presence not increase this love.
The Holy Spirit is the most loyal Friend we shall ever know. He will never abandon us, unless we forcibly banish Him. And even then, He will attempt to find His way back to us! We are able to call Him the soul's most welcome guest, because He brings to the home in which He dwells the greatest gifts, those sevenfold gifts whereby we attain unto Heaven. He refreshes us and cools us in the labors of this life by being the foretaste of the luxurious bliss we shall enjoy in Heaven. He is our solace, for He reminds us we are not made for this world, but for the next.
During these days, then, let us endeavor to be more aware of His presence, for in doing so we shall experience even more His great blessings and consolations. But we shall also be renewed in our resolutions and moved to make new ones, which we can actually accomplish through His aid! Perhaps most importantly, though, may we be more firmly resolved never to banish Him through sin, for without Him, though the entire world might admire us, we are the most desolate and alone.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
The Ascension of the Lord: Mediation on the Entrance Antiphons
"You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; praise the Lord, who ascends above the highest heavens; his majesty and might are in the skies, alleluia." - Entrance Antiphon for the Vigil Mass of the Ascension of the Lord
"Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens? This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go, alleluia." - Entrance Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
These two Entrance Antiphons form an interesting pair for each other. For those who attend the Vigil Mass of the Ascension, they hear an antiphon which bids them to sing to God in the heavens, where Jesus Christ, the Conqueror of Sin and Death is seated in glory at the right hand of the Father. Yet those who attend Mass on the day of the Solemnity of the Ascension hear apparently the exact opposite. They have proclaimed the words of the angel to the Apostles immediately after Christ disappeared from their sight, to not gaze at the heavens.
The difference, we may say, lies in what each party is dwelling upon. The Apostles are at first rebuked for gazing at the heavens because they were still thinking in earthly terms. They had, right before the Ascension, asked Jesus when He was going to restore the Kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6). Jesus tells them, however, they are to go forth to every nation to proclaim the Gospel (Acts 1:8). After the Resurrection, though He dwelt upon our earth, Christ lived a glorified, spiritual life, and this is what He is calling the Apostles towards.
And this is what they finally began on the day of Pentecost, which shall occur in ten days. Pentecost ushered in the Age of the Church, and thus an age of spiritual living. We do not yet dwell upon this earth in glorified bodies, for that shall only occur after the Resurrection of the Dead when the new heavens and earth are ushered in, but we do begin to live spiritual lives.
But let us further define what we mean by the spiritual lives we now live, for we do not wish to fall into the Manichean heresy, which claimed that everything associated with the flesh was evil and all that was spirit was good. Indeed, this is a recurring idea throughout time. Similar versions are found in Plato, Gnosticism, and even some Christian denominations. It is true, after death, until the Resurrection of the Dead, we will dwell in Heaven in only a spiritual way, for the body is the physical component of man. Thus, without it we cannot have a physical presence in Heaven. Nonetheless, if we look at our Lord, the firstborn of the dead (Revelation 1:5), we know that on this day He ascended to Heaven and now dwells there in His physical body. Therefore, it cannot be that Heaven is closed to the realm of the physical.
Now as nothing impure can enter Heaven, it must follow that the body is not of itself naturally evil. So to say we now live spiritual lives is not to say we reject our physical lives. Instead, let us look at Christ and how He dwelt upon this earth for the forty days after His Resurrection. There is one key aspect we should look at, and it is that He eats with His Disciples (John 21:12-15). While theologians disagree on whether or not it will be necessary to eat after the Resurrection of the Dead, we can at least infer the body will be capable of eating. What's important for us to notice, though is the union the body and soul maintain.The body still partakes of its physical pleasures of eating, and this brings joy to the soul; the body is not mortified, but is able to enjoy itself through perfect temperance.
Just as on our earth, we are composed of body and soul, so at the end of time, we shall again be composed of body and soul forever in Heaven. If we ask for the difference, though, we may say that after the Resurrection of the Dead, there will no longer be discord between these two principles of man, but a perfect union. This, then, is what is meant by living a spiritual life, living a life where the body and soul are in union with one another.
But why call it a spiritual life, when the physical capacities of man are also involved. It is on account of the relation living a spiritual life bears to the Divine Life of God, Who is Spirit. We must recall that we believe and profess faith in One God, in Three Divine Persons. These Three Persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have a union of the one same Divine Nature, and therefore, there is but one God. In a similar manner, man, made in the image of God, most perfectly shows forth that image when his soul and body are united, both in action and in will.
Some may now object, there are many times when a man wills and acts towards something evil, and thus how can he show forth the image of God perfectly at this time? The simple and accurate response is that his will and actions are not in union with one another, nor is his soul and body. Although he might will this immediate evil, perceived as good, and act towards it, his action is not in accord with his ultimate will, which is for God, Perfect Goodness. The discord within the soul becomes greater as the evil acts increase, for although man can only ever will the good, the acts he performs will become more insidious, and this shall decrease his capacity to recognize good from evil. In fact, it will be so bad so that it will actually make him detest the good.
When the soul acts for true good, on the other hand, it becomes ever more united and conformed to God, for it is being conditioned to love Goodness Itself through created things which also reflect the goodness of their Creator. And this is what Jesus constantly wished to instill into His Disciples, an outlook for the Ultimate Good, i.e. God. This is why He upbraided the Apostles for their focus on the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel; they were thinking in terms of earthly happiness. While this does not sound bad at first, we should recall the Gospel passage where Jesus rebukes Peter for this thought:
"Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, 'God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.' But he turned said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men (Matthew 16:21-23)."
These words sound harsh to us, but we must glean from them the seriousness of only focusing on earthly affairs. While it is true that planning and work for earthly goods is necessary and praiseworthy, to do so without thought of Heaven and our final end is not. This was the constant mistake of the Apostles. Nationalism in and of itself is at the very least an indifferent sentiment, if not a good one, but when all one is focused on is the success of that nation, it becomes problematic. For one must love one's nation and assist it on account of Jesus Christ, the King of all Nations. Every government is given authority ultimately from God and it is to use that authority to promote the laws of God.
And these laws are those that benefit the bodies and souls of men. Governments are tasked with making sure all peoples are protected and to promote justice. While we often think of them as primarily tasked with the earthly needs of man, they do have a share in the spiritual needs of man. While they do not have the authority over souls that the Church has, in the natural needs of the soul, such as to teach and instill virtue and right living, they participate.
Thus we come to the first of our Entrance Antiphons, which calls on the "kingdoms of the earth," to "sing to God." It does not give a singular or personal usage, such as "peoples," but addresses the kingdoms on earth, states and nations. Jesus ascends into Heaven to reign over all the earth seated at the right hand of the Father, but the nations of the earth, which have always derived their authority from God, are called to a higher degree of governance, just as their citizens are called to a higher life, the life of the Gospel!
The nations of earth must now be spiritual nations; no longer can they just be concerned with conquest and power. Instead, just as the perfection of the union of body and soul in men shows forth more perfectly the image of God, so the union of the spiritual and earthly lives of the citizens of each nation, and the union of the kingdoms of the earth themselves will manifest the image and authority of God. While the Church is meant to be the spiritual kingdom, which transcends all earthly borders and is subject to no earthly power, each earthly nation is still called to live lives of the spirit and to focus on the promotion of the laws of God within its borders. Moreover every nation is called to promote and contribute to the spreading of the Gospel.
While we may disagree on how this may come about, we can say at the basis it will involve how the government is responsible for making sure all the requirements are met for its people to live in a healthy society. And for a deeper understanding of the meaning of what a healthy society is, let us turn to Pope St. John XXIII's encyclical, Pacem in Terris, which is quoted by the Catechism:
"Human society must primarily be considered something pertaining to the spiritual. Through it, in the bright light of truth, men should share their knowledge, be able to exercise their rights and fulfill their obligations, be inspired to seek spiritual values; mutually derive genuine pleasure from the beautiful, of whatever order it be; always be readily disposed to pass on to others the best of their own cultural heritage; and eagerly strive to make their own the spiritual achievements of others. These benefits not only influence, but at the same time give aim and scope to all that has bearing on cultural expressions, economic, and social institutions, political movements and forms, laws, and all other structures by which society is outwardly established and constantly developed (Pacem in Terris, 36)."
One may notice here the interesting paradox, if governments promote healthy and true Christian ideals, that nation will be given the means to flourish and will be itself conformed to Christ. And this is on account of the spiritual aims of its citizens. A good Christian wants his civil leaders to flourish, because even in their offices, the authority of Christ is seen. A two way street is created when both parties help each other to attain Heaven, which is in itself a reflection of the Faith. God comes to meet us, who journey to meet Him. While we do not help Him, He helps us, but also asks us to participate with Him in our salvation!
And this brings us to our second Entrance Antiphon, where the Apostles are rebuked for continuing to gaze into the sky. But this rebuke comes, not because their minds are set on Heaven, for as we have said, that is the disposition we must have in all our earthly acts in order to act rightly and progressively. Instead, their rebuke comes because their minds are set on things of earth and they expect Jesus to have done all the work for them, without any need of participation.
This is contrary to what Jesus Himself had told them before His Passion. He explained to them at the end of the world, the Son of man will come in glory with all His angels, and sit upon His throne for all the living and the dead to see (Matthew 25:31-32). But He then explained that they would be judged according to their deeds, primarily their service to their neighbor (Matthew 25:34-46). After His Resurrection as well, He enjoined His Disciples to go out and preach to the nations. Through their actions, they participate in Jesus' mission of salvation, but they also reflect Him to the nations.
We may conclude that this is one of the meanings of Jesus' final words at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matthew 28:20)." While He was physically upon earth, He was bound to one location. Yet now that He has ascended into Heaven, He may be present to every people and nation. Indeed, the preeminent way He is present is through the Holy Eucharist, where He is truly present. Yet He is also, as we know, present in His members, insofar as they are conformed to Him.
This is why the angel says to the disciples and to us, "This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go," so that we remember we will be judged on how much we have conformed ourselves to Jesus Christ. While He walked this earth, He gave us an example of service and prayer. Now that He is ascended, as St. Teresa of Avila said, "Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world." This is the importance, then, of making sure our bodies and souls are in harmony with each other, for only by a healthy disposition can we show Christ to the world, for only then can we be in His image. But this is also the importance of making sure our nation is conformed to the laws of God, for without them, not only will it be a tool for the destruction of the Gospel in society, it will spread its errors throughout the world.
Let us, then, understand these two antiphons not as oppositional ones, but as two parts of the whole. We cannot gaze in wonder at the heavens, wondering why Christ does not return to save us and subdue the nations. Rather, we ourselves must go forth and make disciples of all the nations. We must promote cultures which give food and drink to the hungry and thirsty, which clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison, for these are cultures which shall endure as Christ does, because they minister to Him in their midst, and He shall continue to abide with them. But we must never lose sight of Whom we are serving or Whom we are conformed to. If we do this, we shall become embittered and angry, for only with Christ can we have authentic charity.
The Ascension of the Lord is then, an opportunity for us. It is an act of mercy of God. Through us, He now wishes to go forth to the nations in a way He could not while on earth. Through us, He wishes to show His love. Let us submit to this reign of love now so that we may not have to submit to the reign of justice. Let us look towards Heaven, not with wonder, but with love and adoration, and with that vision still in our minds, may we go forth and transform our culture, by first transforming ourselves! Then, we shall understand Christ is still present among us, and that the Second Coming at the end of time will be the glorification of that presence!
"Men of Galilee, why gaze in wonder at the heavens? This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go, alleluia." - Entrance Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
These two Entrance Antiphons form an interesting pair for each other. For those who attend the Vigil Mass of the Ascension, they hear an antiphon which bids them to sing to God in the heavens, where Jesus Christ, the Conqueror of Sin and Death is seated in glory at the right hand of the Father. Yet those who attend Mass on the day of the Solemnity of the Ascension hear apparently the exact opposite. They have proclaimed the words of the angel to the Apostles immediately after Christ disappeared from their sight, to not gaze at the heavens.
The difference, we may say, lies in what each party is dwelling upon. The Apostles are at first rebuked for gazing at the heavens because they were still thinking in earthly terms. They had, right before the Ascension, asked Jesus when He was going to restore the Kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6). Jesus tells them, however, they are to go forth to every nation to proclaim the Gospel (Acts 1:8). After the Resurrection, though He dwelt upon our earth, Christ lived a glorified, spiritual life, and this is what He is calling the Apostles towards.
And this is what they finally began on the day of Pentecost, which shall occur in ten days. Pentecost ushered in the Age of the Church, and thus an age of spiritual living. We do not yet dwell upon this earth in glorified bodies, for that shall only occur after the Resurrection of the Dead when the new heavens and earth are ushered in, but we do begin to live spiritual lives.
But let us further define what we mean by the spiritual lives we now live, for we do not wish to fall into the Manichean heresy, which claimed that everything associated with the flesh was evil and all that was spirit was good. Indeed, this is a recurring idea throughout time. Similar versions are found in Plato, Gnosticism, and even some Christian denominations. It is true, after death, until the Resurrection of the Dead, we will dwell in Heaven in only a spiritual way, for the body is the physical component of man. Thus, without it we cannot have a physical presence in Heaven. Nonetheless, if we look at our Lord, the firstborn of the dead (Revelation 1:5), we know that on this day He ascended to Heaven and now dwells there in His physical body. Therefore, it cannot be that Heaven is closed to the realm of the physical.
Now as nothing impure can enter Heaven, it must follow that the body is not of itself naturally evil. So to say we now live spiritual lives is not to say we reject our physical lives. Instead, let us look at Christ and how He dwelt upon this earth for the forty days after His Resurrection. There is one key aspect we should look at, and it is that He eats with His Disciples (John 21:12-15). While theologians disagree on whether or not it will be necessary to eat after the Resurrection of the Dead, we can at least infer the body will be capable of eating. What's important for us to notice, though is the union the body and soul maintain.The body still partakes of its physical pleasures of eating, and this brings joy to the soul; the body is not mortified, but is able to enjoy itself through perfect temperance.
Just as on our earth, we are composed of body and soul, so at the end of time, we shall again be composed of body and soul forever in Heaven. If we ask for the difference, though, we may say that after the Resurrection of the Dead, there will no longer be discord between these two principles of man, but a perfect union. This, then, is what is meant by living a spiritual life, living a life where the body and soul are in union with one another.
But why call it a spiritual life, when the physical capacities of man are also involved. It is on account of the relation living a spiritual life bears to the Divine Life of God, Who is Spirit. We must recall that we believe and profess faith in One God, in Three Divine Persons. These Three Persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have a union of the one same Divine Nature, and therefore, there is but one God. In a similar manner, man, made in the image of God, most perfectly shows forth that image when his soul and body are united, both in action and in will.
Some may now object, there are many times when a man wills and acts towards something evil, and thus how can he show forth the image of God perfectly at this time? The simple and accurate response is that his will and actions are not in union with one another, nor is his soul and body. Although he might will this immediate evil, perceived as good, and act towards it, his action is not in accord with his ultimate will, which is for God, Perfect Goodness. The discord within the soul becomes greater as the evil acts increase, for although man can only ever will the good, the acts he performs will become more insidious, and this shall decrease his capacity to recognize good from evil. In fact, it will be so bad so that it will actually make him detest the good.
When the soul acts for true good, on the other hand, it becomes ever more united and conformed to God, for it is being conditioned to love Goodness Itself through created things which also reflect the goodness of their Creator. And this is what Jesus constantly wished to instill into His Disciples, an outlook for the Ultimate Good, i.e. God. This is why He upbraided the Apostles for their focus on the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel; they were thinking in terms of earthly happiness. While this does not sound bad at first, we should recall the Gospel passage where Jesus rebukes Peter for this thought:
"Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, 'God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.' But he turned said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men (Matthew 16:21-23)."
These words sound harsh to us, but we must glean from them the seriousness of only focusing on earthly affairs. While it is true that planning and work for earthly goods is necessary and praiseworthy, to do so without thought of Heaven and our final end is not. This was the constant mistake of the Apostles. Nationalism in and of itself is at the very least an indifferent sentiment, if not a good one, but when all one is focused on is the success of that nation, it becomes problematic. For one must love one's nation and assist it on account of Jesus Christ, the King of all Nations. Every government is given authority ultimately from God and it is to use that authority to promote the laws of God.
And these laws are those that benefit the bodies and souls of men. Governments are tasked with making sure all peoples are protected and to promote justice. While we often think of them as primarily tasked with the earthly needs of man, they do have a share in the spiritual needs of man. While they do not have the authority over souls that the Church has, in the natural needs of the soul, such as to teach and instill virtue and right living, they participate.
Thus we come to the first of our Entrance Antiphons, which calls on the "kingdoms of the earth," to "sing to God." It does not give a singular or personal usage, such as "peoples," but addresses the kingdoms on earth, states and nations. Jesus ascends into Heaven to reign over all the earth seated at the right hand of the Father, but the nations of the earth, which have always derived their authority from God, are called to a higher degree of governance, just as their citizens are called to a higher life, the life of the Gospel!
The nations of earth must now be spiritual nations; no longer can they just be concerned with conquest and power. Instead, just as the perfection of the union of body and soul in men shows forth more perfectly the image of God, so the union of the spiritual and earthly lives of the citizens of each nation, and the union of the kingdoms of the earth themselves will manifest the image and authority of God. While the Church is meant to be the spiritual kingdom, which transcends all earthly borders and is subject to no earthly power, each earthly nation is still called to live lives of the spirit and to focus on the promotion of the laws of God within its borders. Moreover every nation is called to promote and contribute to the spreading of the Gospel.
While we may disagree on how this may come about, we can say at the basis it will involve how the government is responsible for making sure all the requirements are met for its people to live in a healthy society. And for a deeper understanding of the meaning of what a healthy society is, let us turn to Pope St. John XXIII's encyclical, Pacem in Terris, which is quoted by the Catechism:
"Human society must primarily be considered something pertaining to the spiritual. Through it, in the bright light of truth, men should share their knowledge, be able to exercise their rights and fulfill their obligations, be inspired to seek spiritual values; mutually derive genuine pleasure from the beautiful, of whatever order it be; always be readily disposed to pass on to others the best of their own cultural heritage; and eagerly strive to make their own the spiritual achievements of others. These benefits not only influence, but at the same time give aim and scope to all that has bearing on cultural expressions, economic, and social institutions, political movements and forms, laws, and all other structures by which society is outwardly established and constantly developed (Pacem in Terris, 36)."
One may notice here the interesting paradox, if governments promote healthy and true Christian ideals, that nation will be given the means to flourish and will be itself conformed to Christ. And this is on account of the spiritual aims of its citizens. A good Christian wants his civil leaders to flourish, because even in their offices, the authority of Christ is seen. A two way street is created when both parties help each other to attain Heaven, which is in itself a reflection of the Faith. God comes to meet us, who journey to meet Him. While we do not help Him, He helps us, but also asks us to participate with Him in our salvation!
And this brings us to our second Entrance Antiphon, where the Apostles are rebuked for continuing to gaze into the sky. But this rebuke comes, not because their minds are set on Heaven, for as we have said, that is the disposition we must have in all our earthly acts in order to act rightly and progressively. Instead, their rebuke comes because their minds are set on things of earth and they expect Jesus to have done all the work for them, without any need of participation.
This is contrary to what Jesus Himself had told them before His Passion. He explained to them at the end of the world, the Son of man will come in glory with all His angels, and sit upon His throne for all the living and the dead to see (Matthew 25:31-32). But He then explained that they would be judged according to their deeds, primarily their service to their neighbor (Matthew 25:34-46). After His Resurrection as well, He enjoined His Disciples to go out and preach to the nations. Through their actions, they participate in Jesus' mission of salvation, but they also reflect Him to the nations.
We may conclude that this is one of the meanings of Jesus' final words at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matthew 28:20)." While He was physically upon earth, He was bound to one location. Yet now that He has ascended into Heaven, He may be present to every people and nation. Indeed, the preeminent way He is present is through the Holy Eucharist, where He is truly present. Yet He is also, as we know, present in His members, insofar as they are conformed to Him.
This is why the angel says to the disciples and to us, "This Jesus whom you saw ascending into heaven will return as you saw him go," so that we remember we will be judged on how much we have conformed ourselves to Jesus Christ. While He walked this earth, He gave us an example of service and prayer. Now that He is ascended, as St. Teresa of Avila said, "Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world." This is the importance, then, of making sure our bodies and souls are in harmony with each other, for only by a healthy disposition can we show Christ to the world, for only then can we be in His image. But this is also the importance of making sure our nation is conformed to the laws of God, for without them, not only will it be a tool for the destruction of the Gospel in society, it will spread its errors throughout the world.
Let us, then, understand these two antiphons not as oppositional ones, but as two parts of the whole. We cannot gaze in wonder at the heavens, wondering why Christ does not return to save us and subdue the nations. Rather, we ourselves must go forth and make disciples of all the nations. We must promote cultures which give food and drink to the hungry and thirsty, which clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison, for these are cultures which shall endure as Christ does, because they minister to Him in their midst, and He shall continue to abide with them. But we must never lose sight of Whom we are serving or Whom we are conformed to. If we do this, we shall become embittered and angry, for only with Christ can we have authentic charity.
The Ascension of the Lord is then, an opportunity for us. It is an act of mercy of God. Through us, He now wishes to go forth to the nations in a way He could not while on earth. Through us, He wishes to show His love. Let us submit to this reign of love now so that we may not have to submit to the reign of justice. Let us look towards Heaven, not with wonder, but with love and adoration, and with that vision still in our minds, may we go forth and transform our culture, by first transforming ourselves! Then, we shall understand Christ is still present among us, and that the Second Coming at the end of time will be the glorification of that presence!
Pentecost Novena: Day Two
The Pentecost Novena, itself, can be found here.
"Come, Father of the poor! Come, source of all our store! Come, within our bosoms shine." - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . . Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. . . . Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:3, 5, 8)." The possession of the Holy Spirit in our souls is what makes us the richest of all the people of the earth! And this is because we have a Treasure that not only can never be lost, even after death, except through our own negligence and fault, and because He satisfies every part of our being.
The Holy Spirit can only enter into the heart of the poor, not necessarily the poor monetarily, but the poor in spirit. And this is because when He enters a soul He conforms it to the image of Jesus Christ. The less the soul bears its self-image the greater we say it is poor in spirit, and the more it harbors selfishness and acts for its own interests, the greater its spiritual poverty is! The Holy Spirit is the source of all our store, He is the source of any real treasure we may possess, for earthly luxuries will only satisfy us insofar as we see them as reflecting God, our final end.
Nonetheless, this view, this insight can only be had when we possess the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially those of counsel and understanding, for these will allow us to see the will of God and allow us to see His reflection in His creation. But we primarily think of these as intellectual faculties, whereas we have just said the Holy Spirit can only enter the poor in spirit, since they are the only ones with room for him, and poverty of spirit comes not from the mind, but from the heart!
Charity, then, is the basis of our being made fit vessels for the Holy Spirit to enter into us. This is only appropriate, for the greater the treasure, the more precious we desire its vessel to be, and the way to become the greatest is by exercising the greatest charity, for as our Lord said, "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11)." But this is not with a stewardship of monetary service or bondage, but one of love.
And charity brings with it a self-emptying, for in order to serve others, we must deny ourselves. Then, as we become more and more involved with serving others, we find an emptiness within ourselves, but this emptiness is not the end, as certain philosophies, especially some of the Eastern ones, think. Rather, the end follows this, for we must then be filled through service of God, which does not end the service of neighbor, but rather completes it. Of course, in serving God, first through prayer, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that Divine Fire.
In the days of this novena, then, let us pray that we may be emptied of all our self-love and be open to receive the Holy Spirit into our hearts on the day of Pentecost. For in this reception, He shall then begin to shine forth in our service, so that it will not be us who serve, but Christ Who serves through us. Then, as the Apostles before us, we shall spread and witness the Gospel to all nations of the earth!
"Come, Father of the poor! Come, source of all our store! Come, within our bosoms shine." - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . . Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. . . . Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:3, 5, 8)." The possession of the Holy Spirit in our souls is what makes us the richest of all the people of the earth! And this is because we have a Treasure that not only can never be lost, even after death, except through our own negligence and fault, and because He satisfies every part of our being.
The Holy Spirit can only enter into the heart of the poor, not necessarily the poor monetarily, but the poor in spirit. And this is because when He enters a soul He conforms it to the image of Jesus Christ. The less the soul bears its self-image the greater we say it is poor in spirit, and the more it harbors selfishness and acts for its own interests, the greater its spiritual poverty is! The Holy Spirit is the source of all our store, He is the source of any real treasure we may possess, for earthly luxuries will only satisfy us insofar as we see them as reflecting God, our final end.
Nonetheless, this view, this insight can only be had when we possess the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially those of counsel and understanding, for these will allow us to see the will of God and allow us to see His reflection in His creation. But we primarily think of these as intellectual faculties, whereas we have just said the Holy Spirit can only enter the poor in spirit, since they are the only ones with room for him, and poverty of spirit comes not from the mind, but from the heart!
Charity, then, is the basis of our being made fit vessels for the Holy Spirit to enter into us. This is only appropriate, for the greater the treasure, the more precious we desire its vessel to be, and the way to become the greatest is by exercising the greatest charity, for as our Lord said, "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant (Matthew 23:11)." But this is not with a stewardship of monetary service or bondage, but one of love.
And charity brings with it a self-emptying, for in order to serve others, we must deny ourselves. Then, as we become more and more involved with serving others, we find an emptiness within ourselves, but this emptiness is not the end, as certain philosophies, especially some of the Eastern ones, think. Rather, the end follows this, for we must then be filled through service of God, which does not end the service of neighbor, but rather completes it. Of course, in serving God, first through prayer, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, that Divine Fire.
In the days of this novena, then, let us pray that we may be emptied of all our self-love and be open to receive the Holy Spirit into our hearts on the day of Pentecost. For in this reception, He shall then begin to shine forth in our service, so that it will not be us who serve, but Christ Who serves through us. Then, as the Apostles before us, we shall spread and witness the Gospel to all nations of the earth!
A Look at the Mass: The Eucharistic Prayer: Supplices
The final part of the explanation of the Sacrificial nature of the Eucharist and the pleading the Priest has been doing for acceptance now takes on a more serious tone. For now the Priest is to formally beg that the sacrifices and prayers of the Church in Her Faithful may be joined to the Offering of the Divine Victim on the Altar of the Cross.
In order to emphasize the humility with which the Priest is making this request, he joins his hands and bows, as do any Concelebrants, and says the following:
"In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God:
command that these gifts be borne
by the hands of your holy Angel
to your altar on high
in the sight of your divine majesty,
so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar
receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son,
We must interpret this posture to speak of the humility present, but also the urgency of the request. It is common practice, even today, to assume a bow or bended knee before a royal, especially when making a request of them. For this shows the subservience of the one making the request to their master, but the posture also shows how much they desire to have what they ask. It is for this reason the Church, in the Rite of Ordination, has the Ordinandi prostrate themselves. By putting their very faces to the ground as they plead with God to pour forth His grace upon them, they show they are completely His servants, but they also show this is the greatest thing they can currently ask of God and for which they stand in most need, i.e. His mercy, as well as the intercession of all the Saints.
Obviously it is not possible for the Priest to prostrate himself and still speak. To even kneel would be impractical, for this would put him below the altar and out of sight of the Missal from which he reads, so the Church has adopted the practice of a bowed posture. Additionally, once again the hands are joined, as the Priest is making it clear that this prayer is being directed and ascending towards God the Father in Heaven, as the prayer itself expressly says.
The Priest is acknowledging his inability to convey the Sacrifice all the way to the throne of God, He can only offer it upon earth. Thus, he assumes this humble position, and begs of God to be pleased to accept the Sacrifice and to receive It into His court, nay to the very altar in Heaven. Jungmann notes and explains well the connection borne with the Book of Revelation:
"The Apocalypse, 8:3-5, tells of an altar in heaven on which the angel deposits incense and the prayers of the saints: 'And there was given to him (the angel) much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne of God.' This is but a figure of spiritual activity, just as it is only a figure to speak of the throne of God (231)."
What the Priest is asking for, then, is not that an angel actually convey the prayers physically to an altar, since neither of angels nor prayers are physical things, but the Priest is begging these prayers be pleasing to God and that He may grant them hearing.
One portion of this prayer which stands out, however, is the capitalization of the word "Angel," and this has given rise to many interpretations over the centuries.The prevailing idea, though, is that this term refers not to any member of the nine choirs of angels, but to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Gueranger gives us this explanation:
"Observe the meaning of the word Angel: it signifies sent, and the Son of God was the One Sent, by the Father; He came down upon earth among men . . . . He is the Angel by excellence, He is, as the Scripture expresses it, the Angel of the Great Counsel . . . . So then, the Priest begs of God that the Angel may bear away haec (What is upon the Altar), and may place It upon the Altar of Heaven; he makes this petition in order to show the identity of the Sacrifice of Heaven, with the Sacrifice of earth (The Holy Mass, Section: Supplices Te Rogamus, emphases in original)."
It is worth noting, since we primarily use both liturgists, that Jungmann highly disagrees with this interpretation, but this is not the place for such a discussion. Rather, we shall take up this most popular position, with some further elaboration perhaps.
We noted that the entire Paschal Mystery is made present on our altars, and it is evident how the Death and Resurrection of Christ is made present, as through the Consecration the Death of our Lord was made present, but it is Christ in His Risen Body which we adore in the Eucharist. In this prayer, however, we may say the Ascension is that portion of the Mystery which takes central place. For an exposition of this, let us refer to the Letter to the Hebrews, that great letter we so often consider for an understanding of the Mass:
"When Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. . . . Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, . . . . Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly . . . (Hebrews 9:11-12, 15, 24-25)."
It is only through Jesus' ultimate Ascension into Heaven that the Priest is able to make present the Sacrifice, for as we continually note, Heaven and earth are brought together in the Liturgy. If Christ is not in Heaven, the Mass, which makes Christ truly present to us, cannot make Heaven present to us, for it would be bound by the limits of space and time. Even more, if Jesus did not ascend into Heaven, we are still barred from entering into Heaven's gates, for through His Ascension Christ has so dignified our nature and made it worthy to enter the Heavenly Realms. Where He has gone before us, we hope to follow!
Furthermore, in this prayer, the reception of Holy Communion is being anticipated. Why is it so necessary that this Sacrifice find acceptance before the Throne of God? Because it is through this Sacrifice and Sacrament the recipients will be conformed to Jesus Christ and thus divinized! Heaven is the realm for those united to the Divine Nature through the Beatific Vision. Thus, if those who are being presented are not pleasing to God, they cannot be conformed to God, for in so doing divine things would be barred from the realm of the Divine, a nonsensical idea!
Thus, the prayers and sacrifices of the people are formally presented so that God the Father may send forth the Spirit, through His Divine Son, to open our hearts in preparation for the reception of Holy Communion, so that the Sacrament may bear fruit in our souls. But it is on account of the Cross that this may occur, for the Cross is the source of all blessings in the world. With this thought in mind, the Priest shall now sign himself with the Sign of the Cross as he returns to an upright position saying:
"may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing."
The humble petition is ended, and the Priest is confident that God the Father will not refuse the prayers which have been united with the Sacrifice of Christ and which is presented by Jesus Himself, for these prayers and petitions were joined to Him on the Cross and now go with Him to Heaven through His Ascension. To signify this idea even further, the Priest may end the prayer, and really all three of these preceding prayers for acceptance, with:
"Through Christ our Lord. Amen."
Before we conclude, however, let us consider the Sign of the Cross made by the Priest at this portion. He is, in a sense, giving himself a blessing, and in so doing he is bestowing it upon all the people. And this blessing is so that all may now unite themselves to the Offering of the Cross here present and be found acceptable to the Divine Majesty, and may thus enjoy a fruitful Communion. Yet it also emphasizes the power of the Cross, and that all blessings come through it. Consequently, as the Mass makes the Cross present, all blessings come to us through the Mass. And even further, as authentic Liturgy is always an extension of the Mass, so all blessings come to us and to the world through the Liturgy.
This is why it is so important for us to participate in the Liturgy, especially the Holy Mass! It is through this font that Christ has ordained to pour forth His Spirit upon us and to fill us with blessings. Therefore, we must never think to offer ourselves to God apart from it. And why would we? As we have noted, by uniting ourselves to the Liturgy, we unite ourselves to the offering of Christ, and in doing so we are taken up to Heaven already with Him, where the blessings of the Divine Life are already given to us, through participation at the Heavenly Altar, even though we still dwell here below!
All historical information taken from:
Rev. Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J. The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development. Volume 2. Part IV: Supra Quae and Supplices, 226-237. Translated by Rev. Francis A. Brunner, C.SS.R. (Christian Classics: Notre Dame, Indiana, 1951).
In order to emphasize the humility with which the Priest is making this request, he joins his hands and bows, as do any Concelebrants, and says the following:
"In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God:
command that these gifts be borne
by the hands of your holy Angel
to your altar on high
in the sight of your divine majesty,
so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar
receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son,
We must interpret this posture to speak of the humility present, but also the urgency of the request. It is common practice, even today, to assume a bow or bended knee before a royal, especially when making a request of them. For this shows the subservience of the one making the request to their master, but the posture also shows how much they desire to have what they ask. It is for this reason the Church, in the Rite of Ordination, has the Ordinandi prostrate themselves. By putting their very faces to the ground as they plead with God to pour forth His grace upon them, they show they are completely His servants, but they also show this is the greatest thing they can currently ask of God and for which they stand in most need, i.e. His mercy, as well as the intercession of all the Saints.
Obviously it is not possible for the Priest to prostrate himself and still speak. To even kneel would be impractical, for this would put him below the altar and out of sight of the Missal from which he reads, so the Church has adopted the practice of a bowed posture. Additionally, once again the hands are joined, as the Priest is making it clear that this prayer is being directed and ascending towards God the Father in Heaven, as the prayer itself expressly says.
The Priest is acknowledging his inability to convey the Sacrifice all the way to the throne of God, He can only offer it upon earth. Thus, he assumes this humble position, and begs of God to be pleased to accept the Sacrifice and to receive It into His court, nay to the very altar in Heaven. Jungmann notes and explains well the connection borne with the Book of Revelation:
"The Apocalypse, 8:3-5, tells of an altar in heaven on which the angel deposits incense and the prayers of the saints: 'And there was given to him (the angel) much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all the saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne of God.' This is but a figure of spiritual activity, just as it is only a figure to speak of the throne of God (231)."
What the Priest is asking for, then, is not that an angel actually convey the prayers physically to an altar, since neither of angels nor prayers are physical things, but the Priest is begging these prayers be pleasing to God and that He may grant them hearing.
One portion of this prayer which stands out, however, is the capitalization of the word "Angel," and this has given rise to many interpretations over the centuries.The prevailing idea, though, is that this term refers not to any member of the nine choirs of angels, but to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Gueranger gives us this explanation:
"Observe the meaning of the word Angel: it signifies sent, and the Son of God was the One Sent, by the Father; He came down upon earth among men . . . . He is the Angel by excellence, He is, as the Scripture expresses it, the Angel of the Great Counsel . . . . So then, the Priest begs of God that the Angel may bear away haec (What is upon the Altar), and may place It upon the Altar of Heaven; he makes this petition in order to show the identity of the Sacrifice of Heaven, with the Sacrifice of earth (The Holy Mass, Section: Supplices Te Rogamus, emphases in original)."
It is worth noting, since we primarily use both liturgists, that Jungmann highly disagrees with this interpretation, but this is not the place for such a discussion. Rather, we shall take up this most popular position, with some further elaboration perhaps.
We noted that the entire Paschal Mystery is made present on our altars, and it is evident how the Death and Resurrection of Christ is made present, as through the Consecration the Death of our Lord was made present, but it is Christ in His Risen Body which we adore in the Eucharist. In this prayer, however, we may say the Ascension is that portion of the Mystery which takes central place. For an exposition of this, let us refer to the Letter to the Hebrews, that great letter we so often consider for an understanding of the Mass:
"When Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. . . . Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, . . . . Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly . . . (Hebrews 9:11-12, 15, 24-25)."
It is only through Jesus' ultimate Ascension into Heaven that the Priest is able to make present the Sacrifice, for as we continually note, Heaven and earth are brought together in the Liturgy. If Christ is not in Heaven, the Mass, which makes Christ truly present to us, cannot make Heaven present to us, for it would be bound by the limits of space and time. Even more, if Jesus did not ascend into Heaven, we are still barred from entering into Heaven's gates, for through His Ascension Christ has so dignified our nature and made it worthy to enter the Heavenly Realms. Where He has gone before us, we hope to follow!
Furthermore, in this prayer, the reception of Holy Communion is being anticipated. Why is it so necessary that this Sacrifice find acceptance before the Throne of God? Because it is through this Sacrifice and Sacrament the recipients will be conformed to Jesus Christ and thus divinized! Heaven is the realm for those united to the Divine Nature through the Beatific Vision. Thus, if those who are being presented are not pleasing to God, they cannot be conformed to God, for in so doing divine things would be barred from the realm of the Divine, a nonsensical idea!
Thus, the prayers and sacrifices of the people are formally presented so that God the Father may send forth the Spirit, through His Divine Son, to open our hearts in preparation for the reception of Holy Communion, so that the Sacrament may bear fruit in our souls. But it is on account of the Cross that this may occur, for the Cross is the source of all blessings in the world. With this thought in mind, the Priest shall now sign himself with the Sign of the Cross as he returns to an upright position saying:
"may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing."
The humble petition is ended, and the Priest is confident that God the Father will not refuse the prayers which have been united with the Sacrifice of Christ and which is presented by Jesus Himself, for these prayers and petitions were joined to Him on the Cross and now go with Him to Heaven through His Ascension. To signify this idea even further, the Priest may end the prayer, and really all three of these preceding prayers for acceptance, with:
"Through Christ our Lord. Amen."
Before we conclude, however, let us consider the Sign of the Cross made by the Priest at this portion. He is, in a sense, giving himself a blessing, and in so doing he is bestowing it upon all the people. And this blessing is so that all may now unite themselves to the Offering of the Cross here present and be found acceptable to the Divine Majesty, and may thus enjoy a fruitful Communion. Yet it also emphasizes the power of the Cross, and that all blessings come through it. Consequently, as the Mass makes the Cross present, all blessings come to us through the Mass. And even further, as authentic Liturgy is always an extension of the Mass, so all blessings come to us and to the world through the Liturgy.
This is why it is so important for us to participate in the Liturgy, especially the Holy Mass! It is through this font that Christ has ordained to pour forth His Spirit upon us and to fill us with blessings. Therefore, we must never think to offer ourselves to God apart from it. And why would we? As we have noted, by uniting ourselves to the Liturgy, we unite ourselves to the offering of Christ, and in doing so we are taken up to Heaven already with Him, where the blessings of the Divine Life are already given to us, through participation at the Heavenly Altar, even though we still dwell here below!
All historical information taken from:
Rev. Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J. The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development. Volume 2. Part IV: Supra Quae and Supplices, 226-237. Translated by Rev. Francis A. Brunner, C.SS.R. (Christian Classics: Notre Dame, Indiana, 1951).
Friday, May 15, 2015
Pentecost Novena: First Day
The Pentecost Novena, itself, can be found here.
"Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!" - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
Over these nine days between the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord and the Solemnity of Pentecost, when we, as the Apostles first did, pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on us, we shall take as the basis of our mediation the Veni Sancte Spiritus, which is used on Pentecost Day for the Sequence before the Gospel.
The Sequence may be seen as the beginning of the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass, for it is meant to enlighten our minds in a special way on the truth that will be proclaimed to us in the Gospel, and this is especially appropriate today! The last line of the Gospel is, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven the, and whose sins you retain are retained." This is, in a sense, the first gift of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, and consequently to the Church. It is the foretaste of what they received on the day of Pentecost in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for from that moment the Apostles truly became a part of the Church, which would begin to go out to all nations on Pentecost.
After the Death of our Lord on Good Friday, the Church was only present in the person of our Lady, who remained faithful to the Resurrection, for in faith, although wrapped in sorrow, she did not abandon our Lord and His promise as the Apostles did. On the evening of the day of the Resurrection, they became witnesses to the Resurrection and their faith was confirmed. It was not until the day of Pentecost, however, that they began to spread this Faith, for it was not until that moment they had the power to do so, as attested to by our Lord (Acts 1:8). We may learn an important truth from this - it is the Holy Spirit, and Him alone, Who brings souls into the Church and spreads the Faith, albeit through us.
This is the basis for one of the mysterious truths we commemorate in the Solemnity of Pentecost. On that day, we recall the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church and Its beginnings as the vehicle of salvation and truth to the nations, but we also conclude the Easter Season. And these two events are of course intrinsically tied together. Before we can witness to the truth of the Resurrection and the life of grace it brings, we must experience that Resurrection, for Christ calls us to be "witnesses" (Acts 1:8). Thus, the Gospel read to us is the one we heard on the Day of Easter.
Throughout the Easter Season, the Risen Christ has been brought before us, and this was to allow us the opportunity to experience His love, the love we must now spread to the rest of the world. Thus, we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit once again; we pray He will be poured into our souls, and this for two reasons. The first is to enlighten our minds with His Divine Light so that we may continue to understand the Mysteries of the Divine Life and dwell in the celestial realm already in spirit. The second is, by thus dwelling in us, He will use us to spread the Faith to the nations.
This is what we should spend these days between the Ascension and Pentecost praying for. We must beseech the Lord that our celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost will be an opportunity for us to understand our vocation in the world. We must pour forth prayers that we shall be transformed into vessels of the Holy Spirit, and thus be able to spread that Spirit, that Divine Fire of Love, to all peoples and thus bring them to the love of God. In so doing, we shall all be able to travel together steadily and surely to our celestial homeland where we shall dwell with the Risen Christ for all eternity!
"Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!" - From the Veni Sancte Spiritus, Sequence for Pentecost
Over these nine days between the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord and the Solemnity of Pentecost, when we, as the Apostles first did, pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on us, we shall take as the basis of our mediation the Veni Sancte Spiritus, which is used on Pentecost Day for the Sequence before the Gospel.
The Sequence may be seen as the beginning of the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass, for it is meant to enlighten our minds in a special way on the truth that will be proclaimed to us in the Gospel, and this is especially appropriate today! The last line of the Gospel is, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven the, and whose sins you retain are retained." This is, in a sense, the first gift of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, and consequently to the Church. It is the foretaste of what they received on the day of Pentecost in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for from that moment the Apostles truly became a part of the Church, which would begin to go out to all nations on Pentecost.
After the Death of our Lord on Good Friday, the Church was only present in the person of our Lady, who remained faithful to the Resurrection, for in faith, although wrapped in sorrow, she did not abandon our Lord and His promise as the Apostles did. On the evening of the day of the Resurrection, they became witnesses to the Resurrection and their faith was confirmed. It was not until the day of Pentecost, however, that they began to spread this Faith, for it was not until that moment they had the power to do so, as attested to by our Lord (Acts 1:8). We may learn an important truth from this - it is the Holy Spirit, and Him alone, Who brings souls into the Church and spreads the Faith, albeit through us.
This is the basis for one of the mysterious truths we commemorate in the Solemnity of Pentecost. On that day, we recall the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church and Its beginnings as the vehicle of salvation and truth to the nations, but we also conclude the Easter Season. And these two events are of course intrinsically tied together. Before we can witness to the truth of the Resurrection and the life of grace it brings, we must experience that Resurrection, for Christ calls us to be "witnesses" (Acts 1:8). Thus, the Gospel read to us is the one we heard on the Day of Easter.
Throughout the Easter Season, the Risen Christ has been brought before us, and this was to allow us the opportunity to experience His love, the love we must now spread to the rest of the world. Thus, we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit once again; we pray He will be poured into our souls, and this for two reasons. The first is to enlighten our minds with His Divine Light so that we may continue to understand the Mysteries of the Divine Life and dwell in the celestial realm already in spirit. The second is, by thus dwelling in us, He will use us to spread the Faith to the nations.
This is what we should spend these days between the Ascension and Pentecost praying for. We must beseech the Lord that our celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost will be an opportunity for us to understand our vocation in the world. We must pour forth prayers that we shall be transformed into vessels of the Holy Spirit, and thus be able to spread that Spirit, that Divine Fire of Love, to all peoples and thus bring them to the love of God. In so doing, we shall all be able to travel together steadily and surely to our celestial homeland where we shall dwell with the Risen Christ for all eternity!
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