The Advent of our Attentiveness - my latest at Patheos

In this, my final column in the series on the new Roman Missal, I pick up on the themes of the early Gospels in Advent, and the response of the Centurion, whose words we make our own as we respond to the invitation to partake of the Eucharist. Here's the heart of it:

The Gospel, echoing the Prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist, speaks ofthe raising of the voice -- proclaiming -- not just watching. For Advent isalso about speaking and doing… of reacting to what one knows to be true. 

These words beckon a holy disposition… not only watchful waiting, butof solemn preparations and vocal proclamations telling of our love for the OneWho is to come. The One who is soon to arrive in our midst bringing his powerand his glory. 

In this, the final article in this column’s series on the people’sresponses in the updated Roman Missal,we discover at the words we utter as we prepare to receive Jesus in theEucharist. 

They have everything to dowith a careful watchfulness and a proper preparation for a divine encounterwith the Lord. The same Lord, who, remarkably, comes via the Incarnation as oneof us, just as surely as he surpasses us in wisdom, power, and glory… comes tocure us, forgive us, and save us.  

He is Jesus: the One God recognized even by a pagan Centurion (See Mt 8: 5-13) … Whose beloved servant wasparalyzed and suffering, yet whose faith anticipated the touch of Jesus to cometo the rescue.  

Indeed, it is the Lord who comes to us in this holy visitation at Massin word and sacrament. 

In the old translation we prayed: Lord, I am notworthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. 

In the new translation we pray: 

Lord, I am notworthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soulshall be healed. 

The Centurion’s watchful eye had taught him everything he needed toknow about Jesus, whose very words contained the power. And so he petitionedJesus to heal his servant. As Jesus acquiesced, prepared to come directly toperform the healing, the words of the Centurion’s faith and humility admitsomething profound. Jesus’ great power and authority is so potent that he needonly speak it, and the healing will be manifested. 

And so, our new prayer at this point in the Mass is this directiteration from Matthew 8:8, theCenturion’s response to Jesus: Lord, I amnot worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and myservant shall be healed. Only we will not pray for a servant’s healing, wewill be praying for our own. 

What more appropriate prayer might we make during this holy season ofAdvent? 

Here's the whole thing.

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Video and Audio Resources the First Sunday of Advent

Fr. Robert Barron on Advent Spirituality


Fr. Robert Barron on the new Roman Missal -- I've posted this before, but perhaps you've yet to see it.


Among Women 116- The advent of Advent with Sarah Reinhard, discussing her new booklet, Welcome Baby Jesus.

Among Women 114- Prepping for the New Roman Missal with Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, with a lively discussion of translations changes and our life with Christ. Also featured, a booklet called The Mass Explained for Kids.

Among Women ReadHER 11.26.11 Mass Translation, Mass Confusion, Mass Participation...

Among Women ReadHer

11.26.11

When Thanksgiving is Filled with Turkeys
By Fr. James Martin SJ at Patheos.com
A bit late for the actual holiday, but soooo much of this is applicable to the forthcoming Christmas celebrations!


Sharing With Others
By Rachel Balducci at Testosterhome
A little bit on the joy of girls, and a little bit of loving on the strangers we meet.


31 Elaborate Marriage Proposals
Posted at MentalFloss
Hey, I'm just happy that people STILL want to get married, despite the high stats on cohabitation, and people who eschew marriage! (Altho', theologically and biologically speaking, I believe we are made for marriage, and the ultimate marriage feast of the Lamb, but I digress...) Don't know how many Catholics are represented here, but surely a few clever romantics!


Saying Good-Bye to the Old English Translation of the Mass
By Patrice Fagnant MacArthur at Spiritual Woman
It's ok to say you will miss the old translation. It's healthy, even, to say that this will be hard for you, for us. 


Pope Benedict XVI on Children and Prayer
By Lisa Hendey, at Faith and Family Live
So simple, so true, so easy to share. (So often folks think of B16 as this giant theological intellectual... and *ahem* he is... but he is also a great, humble, Papa who speaks to the moment, even with children.)


Jesus' Eager Desire: Our Participation at Sunday Mass
By Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston (as found in The Pilot)
Excellent catechesis for everyone everywhere (not just us folks in MA) on our relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, and our relationships with the people in the pews next to us in our parishes. Long letter, but worth it. Share it with your loved ones.


Did you see the pilot episode for the sitcom Mass Confusion? If not, you can catch it on demand at Catholic TV.

Ready or Not Here Comes the New Translation of the Roman Missal. Lotsa Tips Here!!

Well, the clock is ticking toward the First Sunday of Advent on November 27. On that Sunday, the English-speaking churches of North America and elsewhere will begin using the updated or "new" third edition of the Roman Missal for its daily and Sunday Masses. We've not had such a large change in language since 1973 -- and that's before a lot of today's Catholics were born. So there's a period of transition ahead of all of us. And many folks are still not aware of the coming changes, so please help to spread the word.

This third edition of the New Roman Missal is not a change to the Rite of the Mass, but it has several changes to the wording of the prayers we are accustomed to within the liturgy. Therefore, things are going to feel and sound a little strange for a while until we all adjust.

Here at Among Women we talked about the New Missal with Jaymie Stuart Wolfe in the context of bringing familiarity with the changes to our families, most especially to our children.  Listen to Among Women 114 for discussion about the new missal.

I've also been doing a series at Patheos on the changes coming to the people's responses in the New Missal. You'll find the latest installment, "It's Not a New Mass, It's a New Translation", focusing on the Sanctus ("Holy, Holy, Holy") and the Mystery of Faith here. But here's an excerpt...

New Translation:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

There seems to only be the slight change in the opening line of the Sanctus, where the word “hosts” replaces the phrase “power and might.” 

This prayer comes at an important transition within the Mass, preparing our hearts to join with the priestly offering of the Eucharistic prayer. This hymn uses the thrice holy Hebrew superlative, praising the infinite and almighty God in heaven. The New Missal’s switch to using the word “hosts” more accurately reflects the Scriptural origins of this prayer. 

This hymn to God is taken directly from a heavenly vision from the prophet Isaiah. (See Is 6:3). What’s more, the vision vividly describes not just some angels present at the heaven liturgy; the word “host” refers to an army of angels lifting praises to God. 

“Host,” you may recall, also references the many angels who lit up the sky with their praises on the first Christmas night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The shepherds were greeted by a multitude of “the heavenly host (Lk 2:13.)” 

This simple change in wording conveys powerful imagery and the truth of what is dynamically present to us in the liturgy. 

The Sanctus is the prayer of angels and we are privileged to join in their song. Heaven and earth are -- indeed -- full of God’s glory. And at this point in the Mass, we are but moments away from when heaven reaches down and touches earth in the form of the Eucharist, the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

Go read the rest here.

Here are the other articles in the Patheos series:

The Translation: A Renewed Understanding of Love 

Missal Changes, Part One: Defined By Prayer (On the Opening and Penitential Rites) 

Mass Changes, Part Two: The Gloria and the Creed 

It's Not a New Mass, It's a New Translation (Part Three: The Sanctus and the Mystery of Faith) 

Other helpful resources:

Resources available for free: 

USCCB: Welcoming the Roman Missal 

Changes in the People’s Parts 

Catholic TV’s series: “Preparing for the New Roman Missal” – video recordings of a symposium for priests. 

Liturgy Essentials from Pauline Books and Media  - I especially like Sr. Anne's 7 min video on her insights on the New Missal.

Life Teen's Video Series Introducing the New Missal 

OSV’s Roman Mission revision readiness plan – helpful suggestions on how to  prepare for the new translation. 

Podcast: iPadre - Fr. Jay Finelli interviews Fr. James P. Moroney, an expert who is traveling the country introducing the New Roman Missal.  

Resources available for purchase: 

Books on the Missal  -- even for kids! -- from Pauline Books and Media

A New Translation for a New Roman Missal – DVD set featuring talks by Fr. James Moroney of Vox Clara. 

The Mass Explained -- book by Fr James Moroney 

The Church’s Common Treasure – A booklet produced by the USCCB containing 11 essays exploring the history and purpose of the new translation.

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Among Women Podcast #114: Prepping for the New Roman Missal

Among Women 114 is a powerful combination of faith testimony and practical suggestions for preparing your heart (and your children!) to receive the words and prayers of the forthcoming New Roman Missal, coming to the English speaking Catholic world this Advent. I welcome Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, an author and an editor for Pauline Books and Media, who, not only brings her own faith story to Among Women, but unpacks some great resources for the spiritual life.

Together we discuss and a great new book for children,
The Mass Explained for Kids, and new book series for young people:  Praying with the Holy Father.  And here is the new iMass app available for iPad and iPhone.


In our saint segment, we'll profile a copier of books, and a former princess who gave up her position to become a religious sister: St Euphrosyne of Polotsk.

My latest column @Patheos discusses some of the coming changes to the Roman Missal

Here's my latest column at Patheos.  This is beginning to examine some of the changes coming to the new Roman Missal, and how it will affect our prayer at Mass. Here's a snippet: 

The way we pray defines us, not just as individuals, but also corporately as a Church. A well-known Latin axiom Lex orandi lex credendi reminds us that the law of prayer is the law of belief, and indeed, our way of prayer shapes and typifies our beliefs. This is why the celebration of Eucharist is so central to the worship of Roman Catholics; our entire Creed comes together in the Mass.

To that end, bishops and clergy, Scripture and Latin scholars, poets, musicians, liturgists, and others have spent years revising a dozen drafts leading up to the release of this new translation, and the finished product offers a wonderful opportunity for renewal within the entire English-speaking Church—a chance to delve into what we say when we pray, with rekindled concentration.

It's important to note that while some of the words we pray will change, the familiar Rite and Order of the Mass will not.

Within the audible or spoken parts of the Mass, we have the priest's prayers and the prayers of the people. Changes are coming to both.

Read the rest.