Mass in the Valley of JOSAPHAT

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

In Jerusalem, "Where Life Conquered Death"

HOMILY OF POPE BENEDICT XVI

MASS IN THE VALLEY OF JOSAPHAT

JERUSALEM

12 MAY 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

“Christ is risen, alleluia!” With these words I greet you with immense affection. I thank Patriarch Fouad Twal for his words of welcome on your behalf, and before all else I express my joy at being able to celebrate this Eucharist with you, the Church in Jerusalem. We are gathered beneath the Mount of Olives, where our Lord prayed and suffered, where he wept for love of this City and the desire that it should know “the path to peace” (Lk 19:42), and whence he returned to the Father, giving his final earthly blessing to his disciples and to us. Today let us accept this blessing. He gives it in a special way to you, dear brothers and sisters, who stand in an unbroken line with those first disciples who encountered the Risen Lord in the breaking of the bread, those who experienced the outpouring of the Spirit in the Upper Room and those who were converted by the preaching of Saint Peter and the other apostles. My greeting also goes to all those present, and in a special way to those faithful of the Holy Land who for various reasons were not able to be with us today.

As the Successor of Saint Peter, I have retraced his steps in order to proclaim the Risen Christ in your midst, to confirm you in the faith of your fathers, and to invoke upon you the consolation which is the gift of the Paraclete. Standing before you today, I wish to acknowledge the difficulties, the frustration, and the pain and suffering which so many of you have endured as a result of the conflicts which have afflicted these lands, and the bitter experiences of displacement which so many of your families have known and – God forbid – may yet know. I hope my presence here is a sign that you are not forgotten, that your persevering presence and witness are indeed precious in God’s eyes and integral to the future of these lands. Precisely because of your deep roots in this land, your ancient and strong Christian culture, and your unwavering trust in God’s promises, you, the Christians of the Holy Land, are called to serve not only as a beacon of faith to the universal Church, but also as a leaven of harmony, wisdom and equilibrium in the life of a society which has traditionally been, and continues to be, pluralistic, multiethnic and multireligious.

In today’s second reading, the Apostle Paul tells the Colossians to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). His words resound with particular force here, beneath the Garden of Gethsemani, where Jesus accepted the chalice of suffering in complete obedience to the Father’s will, and where, according to tradition, he ascended to the right hand of the Father to make perpetual intercession for us, the members of his Body. Saint Paul, the great herald of Christian hope, knew the cost of that hope, its price in suffering and persecution for the sake of the Gospel, yet he never wavered in his conviction that Christ’s resurrection was the beginning of a new creation. As he tells us: “When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, you too will be revealed with him in glory!” (Col 3:4).

Paul’s exhortation to “set our minds on the things that are above” must constantly echo in our hearts. His words point us to the fulfilment of faith’s vision in that heavenly Jerusalem where, in fidelity to the ancient prophecies, God will wipe away the tears from every eye, and prepare a banquet of salvation for all peoples (cf. Is 25:6-8; Rev 21:2-4).

This is the hope, this the vision, which inspires all who love this earthly Jerusalem to see her as a prophecy and promise of that universal reconciliation and peace which God desires for the whole human family. Sadly, beneath the walls of this same City, we are also led to consider how far our world is from the complete fulfilment of that prophecy and promise. In this Holy City where life conquered death, where the Spirit was poured out as the first-fruits of the new creation, hope continues to battle despair, frustration and cynicism, while the peace which is God’s gift and call continues to be threatened by selfishness, conflict, division and the burden of past wrongs. For this reason, the Christian community in this City which beheld the resurrection of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit must hold fast all the more to the hope bestowed by the Gospel, cherishing the pledge of Christ’s definitive victory over sin and death, bearing witness to the power of forgiveness, and showing forth the Church’s deepest nature as the sign and sacrament of a humanity reconciled, renewed and made one in Christ, the new Adam.

Gathered beneath the walls of this city, sacred to the followers of three great religions, how can we not turn our thoughts to Jerusalem’s universal vocation? Heralded by the prophets, this vocation also emerges as an indisputable fact, a reality irrevocably grounded in the complex history of this city and its people. Jews, Muslims and Christians alike call this city their spiritual home. How much needs to be done to make it truly a “city of peace” for all peoples, where all can come in pilgrimage in search of God, and hear his voice, “a voice which speaks of peace” (cf. Ps 85:8)!

Jerusalem, in fact, has always been a city whose streets echo with different languages, whose stones are trod by people of every race and tongue, whose walls are a symbol of God’s provident care for the whole human family. As a microcosm of our globalized world, this City, if it is to live up to its universal vocation, must be a place which teaches universality, respect for others, dialogue and mutual understanding; a place where prejudice, ignorance and the fear which fuels them, are overcome by honesty, integrity and the pursuit of peace. There should be no place within these walls for narrowness, discrimination, violence and injustice. Believers in a God of mercy – whether they identify themselves as Jews, Christians or Muslims – must be the first to promote this culture of reconciliation and peace, however painstakingly slow the process may be, and however burdensome the weight of past memories.

Here I would like to speak directly to the tragic reality – which cannot fail to be a source of concern to all who love this City and this land – of the departure of so many members of the Christian community in recent years. While understandable reasons lead many, especially the young, to emigrate, this decision brings in its wake a great cultural and spiritual impoverishment to the City. Today I wish to repeat what I have said on other occasions: in the Holy Land there is room for everyone! As I urge the authorities to respect, to support and to value the Christian presence here, I also wish to assure you of the solidarity, love and support of the whole Church and of the Holy See.

Dear friends, in the Gospel we have just heard, Saint Peter and Saint John run to the empty tomb, and John, we are told, “saw and believed” (Jn 20:8). Here in the Holy Land, with the eyes of faith, you, together with the pilgrims from throughout the world who throng its churches and shrines, are blessed to “see” the places hallowed by Christ’s presence, his earthly ministry, his passion, death and resurrection, and the gift of his Holy Spirit. Here, like the Apostle Saint Thomas, you are granted the opportunity to “touch” the historical realities which underlie our confession of faith in the Son of God. My prayer for you today is that you continue, day by day, to “see and believe” in the signs of God’s providence and unfailing mercy, to “hear” with renewed faith and hope the consoling words of the apostolic preaching, and to “touch” the sources of grace in the sacraments, and to incarnate for others their pledge of new beginnings, the freedom born of forgiveness, the interior light and peace which can bring healing and hope to even the darkest of human realities.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, pilgrims in every century have venerated the stone which tradition tells us stood before the entrance to the tomb on the morning of Christ’s resurrection. Let us return frequently to that empty tomb. There let us reaffirm our faith in the victory of life, and pray that every “heavy stone” that stands before the door of our hearts, blocking our complete surrender to the Lord in faith, hope and love, may be shattered by the power of the light and life which shone forth from Jerusalem to all the world that first Easter morn. Christ is risen, alleluia! He is truly risen, alleluia!

Papal Pilgrimage Holy Land May 2009

Pope Benedict xvi, Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Tuesday, 12 May 2009 Mass at Kidron Valley 16:15 –Visit Church of All Nations, Mt. of Olives, and a Solemn afternoon Mass at the Garden of Gethsemane.

Prayer to Jesus, Agonising on the Mount of Olives.

My soul is sorrowful even unto death.

Stay here and watch.

(St. Mark XIV:34)

to be a monk?

A Monk is NOT a spiritual 'superman'.
He is - a very ordinary person.
It is only that God has given him
the grace of a 'vocation',

Now this gift of grace may be described as
a divine 'invitation' or 'attraction',
and it usually begins to make itself felt
only gradually and vaguely.
Even he who is receiving it
can be very uncertain about it.

It is by living his Christian life in real earnest
that a person allows this divine call
to grow stronger and more compelling.
But what fosters its growth most of all
is to pray about it.

If you think you might have a vocation to be a monk,
seek advice preferably by contacting a monastery.

If you can answer 'yes'
of the following questions
there is a real possibility
that you might have a vocation

Do you want―
to give your whole life to God?
Even though you might not be able
to understand fully what that means―
is that what you feel?

Do you want―
to draw closer to God?
to respond as fully as possible
in making your life all that He wants it to be?
to love Him with all your mind and heart and strength?

Do you feel that your present way of life
deprives you of time and energy
you would like to have
for prayer, wider and deeper reading,
Mass and Communion?

Would you like a way of life
designed under God's inspiration
and guaranteed by the Church
to help you in all these things?

The monastic life in the Cistercian Order
is centred around the community Mass
and the "Prayer of the Church",
and a daily arrangement of
spiritual reading and instruction,
private prayer
and work - principally farming by which we earn our living.

Cistercian monks follow the Rule of St. Benedict,
and live essentially. the same kind of life;
all have the same basic rights and duties―
both spiritual and temporal;
everyone is simply a member of a monastic family,
everyone is simply a monk.

Do you think you could fit into such a family,
and such a way of life?

Are you prepared to withdraw from the world?
to get down each day to regular periods of prayer?
to live in an atmosphere of silence?
to try to develop the habit
of turning your mind and heart to God?

To whom more is given, from him, more is expected.
Therefore, a monk is NOT
running away from life's responsibilities,
in fact, by his vows, he is undertaking
a far greater obligation to strive throughout life
to grow in likeness to Jesus and so draw closer to God.

He is undertaking the responsibility
of developing a ready willingness
to accept to the fullest
the share God wishes to give him
in the Redeeming Passion of Jesus Christ.

The sacrifices asked of human nature
by the monastic life are great,
but God is not outdone in generosity.
The reward he has promised, even for this present life,
is a hundredfold.
A peace and contentment that the world cannot give;
a sense of playing a part
in the life and growth of the Church;
a sense of personal fulfilment―
of living a truly meaningful life
of union with God's will, of security in his love.

A monastery is NOT
a sad and miserable place.
It is a peaceful place, a happy and cheerful place.
Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

We do not take a Vow of silence.
We have a Spirit of silence
This spirit of silence however,
is rightly regarded as
a special characteristic of the Order,
since, in one way or another, it covers the whole day.
Nevertheless, during our normal day,
there are many times when a monk may speak.

Education to at least school-leaving age is necessary.
But 'common-sense' is what is required
rather than 'intelligence'.
There is ample scope however,
for the satisfaction of any intellect,
in the study of philosophy, theology, etc..
if one is so inclined.
A monk does NOT have to know Latin―
the liturgy is sung in English.

We do not practice extremes of fasting and austerity.
Although our life is austere,
any normally healthy man is quite able for it.
And though we do not eat meat and the diet is plain,
it is sufficient in quantity and quality.

A Cistercian monk is not cut off absolutely
from his family; they may visit him
three or four times a year, and,
for serious reasons, he may visit them at home.
A Cistercian monk is not confined
to a narrow enclosure; his work takes him out
into the fields and woods of the monastery.

Finally
the contemplative' life means
aiming at a spirit of recollection
and is best described as :
a growing habit of seeing all things in life
as God sees them,
and of acting always in harmony with His divine will.
It is―
a gradual surrender of one's every thought and action
to the secret influences of the Holy Spirit.

Let us now close by adding that
a vocation has the nature of a 'seed'.
It will grow and come to fruit
if we care for it.
It will fade and die away if we neglect it.
God will not insist, it is a free invitation of love.
Only a free response of love can satisfy it.

For further information please write to Father Abbot (Vocations),
Sancta Maria Abbey, Garvald, Haddington, EH41 4LW, Scotland

http://www.nunraw.org.uk.

Sancta Missa

Following a set back in Ahasia, it is remarkable to enable from the Roman Mass as a therpathy in the cognition and new understanding from beautiful graphics, Latin language of Rubrics and Text of the Canon.
There is a wonder to the genius of the classic Litugists.

As example:

The Holy Mass – Dom Eugene Vandeur OSB, Maredsous Abbe, revised 1953.

ON every page of this small book, theology, history and symbolism point to one practical consideration. It is this: there is no more important work than Holy Mass ; that is why we must take part in it more fervently and more often.

There is no greater action than Holy .Mass. Every time it is celebrated it carries on the work of our redemption: opus nostrae redemptionis exercetur.

“Grant, we pray Thee, Lord, that we may worthily and often take part in these rites, for each and every offering of this memorial sacrifice carries on the work of our redemption”.‑ That is a wonderful prayer and a complete theological synthesis of the "mystery of faith."

Souls of such nobility have at all periods been honoured with the name of Christian. And if there are several ways of training up such characters, true Christian souls, for our part we know no more certain, more direct way than intelligent assistance at the holy sacrifice of the Mass with its complement of Eucharistic communion which effects by the power of God that one real union which is strength. ("Where there is no Mass there is no Christianity." - St. Vincent Ferrer?).

Cardinal Bona CHAPTER IV The Celebration of Mass The Sacred Vestments	The Holy Mass – Notes on the Liturgy Eugene Vandeur OSB 1956 A few words more concerning the symbolism of the sacerdotal vestments.
The sacred vestments are intended to remind us of the different sufferings and insults endured by our blessed Saviour at the different stages of His passion. They are likewise intended mystically to signify the different virtues which should adorn the life of a priest.	The Church instructs us on this subject through the prayers which she bids priests to say while they are vesting. As we have said, the priest at the altar is the substitute of Jesus Christ. In order to appear worthily in the presence of God the Father and before the heavenly court, his soul ought to be adorned with the virtues of Him whom he represents. As a new Jacob, wearing the garments of Esau the first-born, he will appear before the heavenly Father; and God will be pleased again by the sweet-smelling savour that rises up from the heart of His only Son hidden in this priest.
The Amice, which covers the head of the priest, represents the humanity which conceals the divinity of our Lord. For our eyes could not look upon the splendour of the Sun of Justice unless concealed by the veil of His humanity. Therefore, when the priest receives it he kisses it and puts it upon his head, and is reminded of the most sacred humanity of Christ. The Amice also signifies that the priest should have his mind occupied with the consideration of eternity and the things of heaven, and should keep it disengaged from all transitory cares and fortified with hope and confidence in God, as with the helmet of salvation against the attacks of the enemy.	While the celebrant is putting on these vestments he begs from the Lord the virtues which they call to mind. As he puts on the amice : Put on my head, Lord, the helmet of salvation, so that I may withstand the onslaughts of the devil. This helmet is the symbol of Christian hope, so necessary to the priest as he approaches the holy Mysteries; never more than at this moment does the devil try to deprive him of his peace of soul, peace of understanding and of heart.
The Alb, which covers the whole body, indicates innocence, simplicity, purity, and the brightness and purity of soul which ought to cover the priest entirely both with­in and without, and which should shine in all his actions, that he l11ay be holy and immaculate in the sight of God, and prepared to celebrate the divine mysteries,	As he puts on the alb: Cleanse me, Lord, and purify my heart so that washed in the Blood of the Lamb I may come to everlasting joy. The alb is the emblem of innocence. It symbolizes the man who has conquered his unruly passions, and is now worthy, in his innocence, to appear before infinite Purity. For the Lord has said: "He that shall overcome, shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his .name before My Father, and before His angels" (Apoc. iii. 5).
The Girdle designates the chastity which ought to shine so resplendent in a priest. As a figure of this, God formerly ordered those who ate the lamb to gird their reins; and Christ Himself says, "Let your loins be girt" (Luke xii. 25) . Christ, moreover, appeared to St. John in the Apocalypse girt with CL belt of gold, doubtless to give us to understand how necessary it is to purify all our affections, and to overcome carnal love by spiritual love, which is the gold of charity.	As he puts on the girdle: Gird me, Lord, with the girdle of purity and quench in my loins all lustful desires, so that the virtue of chastity and continence may abide in me. The girdle is the emblem of mortification. It is mortification which ensures innocence of life. Without it a priest is not a minister of Jesus Crucified, for "they that are Christ's have crucified their flesh, with the vices and the concupiscences " (Gal. iv. 24).
The Maniple, with a cross upon it, which the priest kisses and puts on his left arm, shows the grief and penitence wit h which he ought ever to bewail his sins. It signifies also the mortification of the flesh and of the spirit, and the humility requisite worthily to approach the altar. Moreover it typifies the future reward of goo d works, as the psalmist sings: "Going they wept, casting their seeds, but returning they shall come with joy, carrying their sheaves." (Ps, cxxv. 6, 7).	As he puts on the maniple : May I be worthy, Lord, to bear the sheaf of tears and sorrow so that I may with great joy receive the reward of my toil. Whenever the priest goes up to the altar he ought to renew the resolution he took on his ordination day to exert himself, to sacrifice himself for souls. The sacrifice of Calvary that he is about to renew recalls to him every morning that great rule of priestly self-sacrifice.
The Stole, which is put upon the neck and crossed over the middle of the breast, shows that the priest must live united with God, and in some measure bound to Him ; moreover that he must bear his cross patiently for God's sake, that he must subject himself in all obedience to the divine law, and bear God's yoke with cheerfulness, always keeping in mind those precepts of God by which these things are commanded.	As he puts on the stole: Give back to me, Lord, the stole of immortality which I lost through the sin of our first parent; and although I am 'unfit to approach. thy holy mysteries grant that I may yet win everlasting joy. The stole is the emblem of immortality. The priest who puts it on should be mindful of the glorious ministry that he is about to carry out. His holy office transports him, so to say, into glory before the Majesty of God, to the eternal Priest, Jesus Christ our Lord. If he would be united to the eternal sacrifice of the Only and Immortal Priest accord­ing to the order of Melchisedech, the priest, in celebrating, must rise to this great height.
The Chasuble, which is more splendid and costly than any of the other vestments, is put on over all the rest as a symbol of charity; for charity excels all other virtues, and gives to them their perfection, and is the fulfilment of the divine law. As charity is twofold, regarding both God and our neighbour, so the Chasuble is divided into two parts. As charity produces various emotions in the heart - joy at the thought of God's infinite perfections, gratitude at the thought of His benefits, and sorrow at the thought of our sins and the sins of others - so the Chasuble is of different colours, according to the various seasons of the year and the different festivals.	As he puts on the. chasuble : Lord, who hast said: My yoke is sweet and My burden is light; grant that I may bear it in such a manner as to obtain Thy grace. The chasuble is the symbol of charity, emblem of the love of God and of our neighbour. In sacrificing the Divine Victim the priest resolves to become holy himself, to make others holy. Holiness is the fruit of charity. Now charity is carrying out the laws of God. We must love this yoke, this burden of God.
Such arc the chief virtues which are signi­fied by the sacerdotal vestments, and which the priest should bear in mind whilst he puts them on and recites the appointed prayers. Cardinal Bona, The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, B O & w, London 1903.

Vesting Prayers in Latin and English

Cassock

Dominus, pars hereditatis meae et calicis mei, tu es qui restitues hereditatem meam.

O Lord, the portion of my inheritance and my chalice, You are He who will restore my inheritance.

Fascia

Praecinge me, Domine, cingulo puritatis, et exstingue in lumbis meis humorem libidinis; ut maneat in me virtus continentia et castitatis.

Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of purity, and quench in my heart the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may abide in me.

Washing Hands

Da, Domine, virtutem manibus meis ad abstergendum omnem maculam ut sine pollutione mentis et corporis valeam tibi servire.

Give strength to my hands, Lord, to wipe away all stain, so that I may be able to serve Thee in purity of mind and body.

Amice

Impone, Domine, capiti meo galeam salutis, ad expugnandos diabolicos incursus.

Lord, set the helmet of salvation on my head to fend off all the assaults of the devil.

Alb

Dealba me, Domine, et munda cor meum; ut, in sanguine Agni dealbatus, gaudiis perfruaresempiternis.

Make me white, O Lord, and cleanse my heart; that being made white in the Blood of the Lamb I may deserve an eternal reward.

Cincture

Praecinge me, Domine, cingulo puritatis, et exstingue in lumbis meis humorem libidinis; ut maneat in me virtus continentia et castitatis.

Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of purity, and quench in my heart the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may abide in me.

Maniple

Merear, Domine, portare manipulum fletus et doloris; ut cum exsultatione recipiam mercedem laboris.

May I deserve, O Lord, to bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow in order that I may joyfully reap the reward of my labors.

Stole

Redde mihi, Domine, stolam immortalitatis, quam perdidi in praevaricatione primi parentis: et, quamvis indignus accedo ad tuum sacrum mysterium, merear tamen gaudium sempiternum.

Lord, restore the stole of immortality, which I lost through the collusion of our first parents, and, unworthy as I am to approach Thy sacred mysteries, may I yet gain eternal joy.

Dalmatic (Deacons and Bishops)

Lord, endow me with the garment of salvation, the vestment of joy, and with the dalmatic of justice ever encompass me.

Chasuble

Domine, qui dixisti: Iugum meam suave est et onus meum leve: fac, ut istud portare sic valeam, quod consequar tuam gratiam. Amen.

O Lord, who has said, ‘My yoke is sweet and My burden light,’ grant that I may so carry it as to merit Thy grace.

http://www.sanctamissa.org/en/resources/prayers/vesting-prayers-in-latin-and-english.pdf

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Comments Tabgha & Hily Sepuchre

William has been very closely connecting my Holy Land Chronicle and he uncovers the H. V. Morton's classic, "In the Steps of the Master". My brother recalls how Morton's book was read in the community refectory reading in the monastery in the 1950s. The hospitality, we enjoyed the monastic guesthouse 2004, seems to re-echo the same welcome that H.V. Morton experienced at Tabghe.

William wrote:

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tabgha

Now I know from whence the engraved stone came... (Morton, page 204ff)...

"The most beautiful spot on the shore is a bower of trees and flowers known at Tabgha....when I awakened on the first morning and looked at the Sea of Galilee, I felt such an unutterable sense of peace and so great a detachment from the world".... and then he writes of the discovery of the little Roman church of the Loaves and Fishes.

With the treasure you brought me beside me, to bed to dream.

William goes on:

PS...

Holy Sepulchre

I so enjoy references to and excerpts from your Holy Land Chronicle on your Blog... I am still reading H V Morton, absolutely fascinated! I found reference (page 51) to the Chapel of the Apparition of Jesus to His Mother, and a lovely comment (page 49) that "only in the chapel of the Franciscans is there that chastity of decoration". To bring your Chronicle and Morton's journey alive, I have been onto "google earth" (now that I have broadband), and visited Jerusalem and Galilee. Resting on the book by my bedside is the engraved stone from Galilee and the Emmaus pebble, treasures!

You must so often relive your memories.

From: William.

The previous note on the Apparition of Jesus to His Mother by the Franciscan, Fr. Eugine Hoad, can be appreciated by Pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre.

The latest Edition of the Dominican Archaeologist, Fr. Jerome Murphy-O'Connor's, "The Holy Land, An Oxford Archaeological Guide", names the chapel as that of St. Mary Magdalene.

“In the C4 the area north of the rotunda was part of the Patriarchate; buildings one room deep surrounded an L-shaped courtyard, and all the cast-west walls at ground level are Constantinian. In the C:11 the courtyard was transformed into the chapel of St Mary Magdalcne (John 20: 11-16) [15 J with its narthex [16] from which one passed via a two-column entrance into a small atrium [17]. The atrium was reduced to virtually nothing in the C 12 when the Crusaders erected a stairway leading to what is now Christian Quarter Road; its monumental entrance, whose decoration is identical with that of the main door of the Holy Sepulchre, is still partially visible (D in fig. 11) from the street”. (See Plan. Fig. 14. The Holy Sepulchre . . . 15. Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene, 16. Franciscan choir, 17. C11 atrium).

This text is only some inkling of the knowledge of Fr. Jerome. I learned too late of his regular each week archaeological walks on the ground of the Holy Places.

His activities from Ecole Biblque continue. Most recently Fr Jerome Murphy-O'Connor was invited to the Pauline Year 2008–2009 » Diocese of Westminster. His lecture, “The Life of St Paul”, can accessed in the Video at www.rcdow.org.uk/paul/