I de tradisjonelle tidebønnene kommenterer lesningene nå i påskeoktaven hver dag messens evangelium. Slik er onsdagens lesninger:

Joh. 6:44-52 (51)
Ingen kan komme til meg uten at Faderen som har sendt meg, drar ham; og jeg skal reise ham opp på den siste dag. Det står skrevet hos profetene: Alle skal være opplært av Gud. Den som hører på Faderen og lærer av ham, kommer til meg. Jeg sier ikke at noen har sett Faderen; bare han som er fra Gud, har sett Faderen. Sannelig, sannelig, jeg sier dere: Den som tror, har evig liv. Jeg er livets brød. Fedrene deres spiste manna i ørkenen, men de døde. Det brødet som kommer ned fra himmelen, er slik at den som spiser av det, ikke dør. Jeg er det levende brød som er kommet ned fra himmelen. Den som spiser av dette brød, skal leve til evig tid. Og det brød jeg vil gi, er mitt legeme som jeg gir til liv for verden.

Homily by St Augustin, Bishop of Hippo. – 26th Tract on John.
Think not that thou art drawn against thy will the soul is drawn, not willingly only, but lovingly. Neither must we be afraid lest men who are great weighers of words, and very far from understanding the things of God, should catch us up upon this Gospel doctrine of the Holy Scriptures, and should say to us How can my faith be willing if am drawn I answer Thou art not drawn as touching thy will, but by pleasure. And, now, what is being drawn by pleasure Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Ps. xxxvi. 4. There is pleasure in that heart to which the Bread That came down from heaven is sweet. The poet is allowed to say His special pleasure draweth each, but pleasure, which so draweth, is not a necessity, not a bond, but a delight how much more strongly, may we say that men are drawn to Christ, who delight in truth, who delight in blessedness, who delight in righteousness, who delight in life everlasting, since truth and blessedness, and righteousness and everlasting life are all to be found in Christ? Or have the bodily senses pleasure, and the spiritual senses none? If the spiritual sense have no pleasures, wherefore is it written: And the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light shall we see light. Ps. xxxv. 8. …

Pinseoktaven – onsdagLes mer »

I de tradisjonelle tidebønnene kommenterer lesningene nå i pinseoktaven hver dag messens evangelium. Slik er tirsdagens lesninger:

Joh. 10:1-10
«Sannelig, sannelig, jeg sier dere: Den som ikke går inn til sauene gjennom døren, men klyver over et annet sted, han er en tyv og en røver. Men den som kommer inn gjennom døren, er hyrde for sauene. Vaktmannen åpner for ham, og sauene hører stemmen hans. Han kaller sine egne sauer ved navn og fører dem ut. Og når han har fått ut alle sine, går han foran dem, og sauene følger ham, for de kjenner hans stemme. Men en fremmed følger de ikke; de flykter for ham, fordi de ikke kjenner stemmen til den fremmede.» Denne lignelsen fortalte Jesus, men de skjønte ikke hva den betydde. Da sa Jesus: «Sannelig, sannelig, jeg sier dere: Jeg er døren inn til sauene. Alle de som er kommet før meg, er tyver og røvere, men sauene har ikke hørt på dem. Jeg er døren. Den som går inn gjennom meg, skal bli frelst, og han skal gå inn og ut og finne beite. Tyven kommer bare for å stjele, drepe og ødelegge. Jeg er kommet for at dere skal ha liv og overflod. »

Homily by St Augustin, Bishop of Hippo. – 45 th Tract on John.
In the words of the Gospel which are this day read, the Lord has spoken unto us in similitudes, touching His flock, and the Door whereby entry is made into their fold. The Pagans therefore may say, «We have good lives,» but if they enter not in the Door, what doth that profit them whereof they make their boast good life is profitable to a man if lead unto life everlasting, but if he not to have life everlasting, what shall his good life profit him Neither indeed can it be truly said that they live good lives, who are either so blinded as not to know, or so puffed up as to despise, the end of a good life. And no man can* have a true and certain hope of life everlasting, unless he know the true Life, Which is Christ, and enter in by that Door into the sheepfold.

There are many such, who try to persuade men to live good lives but not to be Christians. These are they who would fain «climb up some other way,» «for to kill and to destroy,» and are not as the Good Shepherd, Who is come to keep and to save. There have been philosophers who have treated many subtle questions of right and wrong, who have been the authors of many distinctions and definitions, who have completed many exceedingly clever arguments, who have filled many books, and have proclaimed their own wisdom with braying trumpets. These dared to say to men » Follow us embrace our school of thought, and you will find therein the secret of an happy life.» But these were not of them who enter in by the Door they came not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

Thouching these, what shall I say? Behold, the Pharisees themselves read of Christ, and therefore talked of Christ they looked for His coming, and when He came, they knew Him not. They boasted that they themselves were among the Seers, that is, of the wise ones, and they denied Christ, and entered not in by the Door. Therefore they, if they led away any, led them away only to kill and to destroy, not to free them. So much for them. Now let us see if all they who boast the name of Christian enter in by the Door. Some there are, and their number cannot be reckoned, who not only boast that they themselves are among the Seers, but would fain appear as though their hearts were enlightened by Christ but they are heretics.

I de tradisjonelle tidebønnene er matutin kortere enn vanlige dager nå i pinseoktaven (som i påskeoktaven), med bare tre salmer (men lange salmer) og tre lesninger. Lesningene kommenterer hver dag messens evangelium. Slik er mandagens lesninger:

Joh. 3:16-21
For så høyt har Gud elsket verden at han gav sin Sønn, den enbårne, for at hver den som tror på ham, ikke skal gå fortapt, men ha evig liv. Gud sendte ikke sin Sønn til verden for å dømme verden, men for at verden skulle bli frelst ved ham. Den som tror på ham, blir ikke dømt. Den som ikke tror, er allerede dømt, fordi han ikke har trodd på Guds enbårne Sønns navn. Og dette er dommen, at lyset er kommet til verden, og menneskene elsket mørket høyere enn lyset, fordi deres gjerninger var onde. For den som gjør det onde, hater lyset og vil ikke komme til lyset, for at hans gjerninger ikke skal bli avslørt. Men den som følger sannheten, kommer til lyset, for at det skal bli klart at hans gjerninger er gjort i Gud.

Homily by St Augustin, Bishop of Hippo – 12th Tract on John
The Physician cometh that, as often as in him lieth, he may heal the sick man. He is his own destroyer who will not keep the commandments of the Physician. Into the world came the Saviour. Why is He called the Saviour of the world but because He came «into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved»? If thou willest not be saved through Him, thou wilt be condemned of thyself. And why say I that thou wilt be condemned Because it is written » He that believeth in Him is not condemned.» What then canst thou hope that He will say of » him that believeth not,» but that He will be condemned And indeed He doth say farther » He that believeth not is condemned already.» He is condemned already, though the condemnation be not yet openly pronounced.

He is condemned already, for » the Lord knoweth them that are His.» He knoweth them for whom is laid up the crown, and likewise them that are reserved unto the fire. His eye seeth in the field of the world the distinction of the wheat and of the straw, of the and of the tares. » He that believeth not is condemned already.» And why » Because he hath not believed in the Name of the Only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.» » Because their deeds were evil » but, my brethren, is there one man of whom God findeth that his works are good No, not one. God findeth all works to be (in themselves) bad. How then do we hear that some there be who do truth, and come to the light For these words come anon » But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light.»

But the Lord saith [of such as these, who are condemned already, because they believe not in Him] » They loved darkness rather than light.» And here He maketh the great point [of difference between such, and them that do the truth.] There are many who have loved their sins there are many who have confessed their sins and he that confessed and denounceth his sin, is working already with God. God denounceth thy sins, and if thou denounce them likewise, then dost thou join thyself with God in His act. The man and the sinner are two different things. God made the man, and the man made the sinner. Put away thy work, and God will save His. Thou art behoven to hate in thyself thine own work, and to love God’s work. When thine own works begin to displease thee, then is it that thou beginnest to do well, because thou denouncest thine own evil works. The first thing to do, if thou wouldest do good works, is to acknowledge thine evil ones.

I de tradisjonelle tidebønnene, til matutin, leser vi i dag utdrag at pave Gregor den stores preken over dagens evangelietekst fra Joh 14:13-31:

Homily by Pope St Gregory the Great – 30th on the Gospels.

Dearly beloved brethren, our best way will be to run briefly through the words which have been read from the Holy Gospel, and thereafter rest for a while quietly gazing upon the solemn subject of this great Festival. This is the day whereon «suddenly there came a sound from heaven,» and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles, and, for fleshly minds, gave them minds wherein the love of God was shed abroad and, while without «there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them,» within, their hearts were enkindled. While they received the visible presence of God in the form of fire, the flames of His love enwrapped them. The Holy Ghost Himself is love whence it is that John says «God is love.» Whosoever therefore loves God with all his soul, already has obtained Him Whom he loves for no man is able to love God, if He have not gained Him Whom he loves.

But, behold, now, if I shall ask any one of you whether he loves God, he will answer with all boldness and quietness of spirit » I do love him.» But at the very beginning of this day’s Lesson from the Gospel, you have heard what the Truth says » If a man love Me, he will keep My word.» The test, then, of love, is whether it is showed by works. Hence the same John hath said in his Epistle I. iv. 20, v. 3 «If a man say, I love God, and keeps not His commandments, He is a liar.» Then do we indeed love God, and keep His commandments, if we deny ourselves the gratification of our appetites. Whosoever still wanders after unlawful desires, such an one plainly loves not God, for he says, Nay, to that which God wills.

And My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.» O my dearly beloved brethren, think what a dignity is that, to have God abiding as a guest in our heart Surely if some rich man or some powerful friend were to come into our house, we would hasten to have our whole house cleaned, lest, perchance, when he came in, he should see aught to displease his eye. So let him that would make his mind an abode for God, cleanse it from all the filth of works of iniquity. Lo, again, what says the Truth? «We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.» There are some hearts whereunto God comes, but makes not His abode therein with a certain pricking they feel His Presence, but in time of temptation they forget that which has pricked them and so they turn again to work unrighteousness, even as though they had never repented.

Det blir som vanlig tradisjonell latinsk messe i St Joseph kirke i Akersveien i Oslo, fjerde søndag i måneden, 27. mai kl 19.00 – og vi feirer PINSEDAG. Alle tekstene kan man lese her på latin og norsk og hele programmet for messen er her.

I messen denne dagen synges (selvsagt) pinsedagssekvensen:

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, Et emitte cælitus, Lucis tuæ radium.
Veni pater pauperum, Veni dator munerum, Veni lumen cordium.
Consolator optime. Dulcis hospes animæ, Dulce refrigerium.
In labore requies, In æstu temeries, In fletu solatium.
O lux beatissima, Reple cordis intima, Tuorum fidelium.
Sine tuo numine, Nihil est in homine, Nihil est innoxium.
Lava quod est sordidum, Riga quod est aridum, Sana quod est saucium.
Flecte quod est rigidum, Fove quod est frigidum, Rege quod est devium.
Da tuis fidelibus, In te confitentibus, Sacrum septenarium.
Da virtutis meritum, Da salutis exitum, Da perenne gaudium. Amen. Alleluia.

Under ser vi den i norsk oversettelse (fra 1961):

Kom, du Hellig Ånd, og send ned til oss fra himmelen en stråle av ditt eget lys.
Kom, du far for fattigfolk, kom som gavmildhetens tolk, kom, du lys for hjertene.
Trøster, du som trøster best, kom, du milde sjelegjest, milde svaling for vår sjel.
Hvile du i arbeid gir, kjøling sval når heten svir, trøst på sorgens tåredag.
O, du lys fra salighet, sendt fra himmelen hit ned, fyll hvert hjerte som har tro.
Uten nådens bud fra deg: ingen hjelp på livets vei, ingen sjel er uskyldsren.
Tvett bort urenhetens spor, lesk som dugg den tørre jord, leg hvert sår som salve mild.
Bøy du det som hardt er blitt, tin opp det som frøs så tidt, led hver. den som gikk seg vill.
Dine syvfold gavers skatt, gi ditt folk som trygt her satt til din gavmildhet sin lit.
Gi oss kraft som gagne kan frelsens ferd mot livets land; I evig glede gi oss da. Amen. Alleluja.

Videoen viser en pontifikal høymesse med ordinasjon av fem menn til prestetjeneste, lørdag 19. mai, i Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Messen ble feiret av biskop Fabian W. Bruskewitz.

Jeg leste i dag en artikkel på Father Z’s blogg om hvor aktiv (med ord) man skal være når man assisterer i den tradisjonelle messen:

In the article “The Traditional Mass is Not a Spectator Sport by Steve Skojec focuses on the liturgical participation of the congregation urged by members of The Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem … At their parish the whole congregation is encouraged to make the responses and sing those parts of the Mass – Extraordinary Form, mind you – that pertain to them. Here is the meat of the article …:

«Dom Daniel likes to remind visitors to the Priory that they do things “by the book.” They are rubrically scrupulous to the 1962 Missal, even if that might cause shudders to anyone who carries around a tattered copy of Pope St. Pius V’s Quo Primum in their back pocket. Among devotees of the Gregorian Rite, there’s some controversy in the notion that the faithful should ever open their mouths, whether in prayer or in song, within the context of a Sunday liturgy.» …

Artikkelen har allerede nesten 100 kommenterer; mange interessante, og denne aller første kommentarer syns jeg var svært interessant og nyttig:

Fr. Augustine Thompson O.P. says:
At least in Italy, lay people were singing the short responses (Amen, et cum spiritu tuo, etc.) up to the end of the middle ages. By the 1400s when “Low Mass” became common, they were also making the public responses (although not the ministerial ones like the prayers at the foot of the altar). I deal with this in my book, «Cities of God: The Religion of the Italian Communes, 1125-1325» (available on Amazon).

The best guess for the origin of the “mute” congregation seems to be in the post-Tridentine period. In the late 1500s there was a concerted push to make “lay” and “clerical” prayer completely different to emphasize the “distinctiveness” of the Catholic priesthood against the Protestants. The way Spanish laypeople were forced to stop saying their private prayers in Latin and start using Spanish is outlined in William Christian’s «Religion in Sixteenth-Century Spain». The high point of this attitude was in the early 1700s when lay people were not even allowed to have copies of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, much less in vernacular.

This was a bad idea from the start, IMHO. Catholic priests are different from the laity, but there are better ways to get this truth across.