| Here is this week's installment of "Five Faith Friday" which contains five, faith-based things I found interesting and am sharing on Friday. Which Topic Was Highly Discussed -- Pope Francis's Traditionis Custodes letter. In case you missed it, this was BIG news that even made national headlines by the likes of the Associated Press, Washington Post, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, and more. I knew this was coming but didn't recognize how invasive nor imminent the enactment would be. In summary, Pope Francis went back on a lot of things Pope Benedict did, resulting in heavily restricting the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). Over a decade ago, Pope Benedict said in Summorum Pontificum, "What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful." That all seems to be changing. The best analysis I saw on it was this (long) Taylor Marshall video. A friend of mine from the diocese put together a Change.org survey if you feel encouraged to sign it. What I Researched -- The sign of peace at Mass. I know a lot of people who highly dislike the sign of peace. My take is that it is deeply rooted in the Bible and tradition but the time of when it occurs and the catechesis surrounding it needs to be evaluated. The rest of this section is from the CNS: The sign of peace has its liturgical and spiritual roots in Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness prior to offering gifts on the altar (Matthew 5:23-24). That is, if someone had a grievance against his brother, "leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift." As Christian worship evolved, the gesture of a “kiss of peace” was a way to unite the community gathered in love and reconciliation. Without being at peace, the community and its members could not fully reflect or live the peace and love of Christ in Eucharist. The “kiss of peace” took on various forms as liturgy developed. Sometimes it involved clergy and congregation, and sometimes only clergy. Today, we know this part of the Mass, placed just after the Lord’s Prayer and a brief invitation by the priest (“Let us offer each other the sign of peace.”), as the sign of peace. However, according to the 2014 circular letter on “The Ritual Expression of the Gift of Peace at Mass,” released by the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, actions at the sign of peace should maintain the “sacred sense of the Eucharistic celebration,” and so avoid a “song for peace,” “movement of the faithful from their places to exchange the sign of peace among themselves,” “the departure of the priest from the altar in order to give the sign of peace to some of the faithful,” and should not be used as a time to express “congratulations, best wishes or condolences among those present.” There is some latitude in the case of a funeral, where the priest may offer peace to a “small number of the faithful near the sanctuary” (GIRM 154). Which Article I Appreciated Reading -- "Do You Know Where the Remains of the Apostles are Now?" As the name implies, the physical remains of the Apostles are all preserved and this article explains how each of them died and where their remains are location. What Lawsuit I Read -- That of a Catholic school in Lansing, Michigan, and two school parents. They are suing state officials over the state's requirement that students wear face masks in school, saying this violated the school's religious practices. The part that stood out to me the most read: In accordance with the teachings of the Catholic faith, Resurrection School believes that every human has dignity and is made in God’s image and likeness. As the Catholic faith teaches, humans are relational beings called to love God and neighbor. By fulfilling the two greatest commandments to love God and our neighbor, Catholics, like all Christians, hope one day to see God face to face. Here on earth, where they learn to love and prepare to see God, Catholics are called to love others as themselves, and to see Christ in the “least of these.” Seeing others in their need and condition helps us know what love demands. Jesus made seeing the other a priority. When talking with the Pharisees, Jesus asked them in Luke 7, “Do you see this woman . . .” For Jesus, and for us, seeing the other in his or her wholeness and his or her need helps us know how best to give and receive love as God loves. In this, our human experience is patterned after the Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who eternally give and receive love. Looking at a person’s face or their countenance helps us see and understand them. The face is the way we best recognize others. It reveals the distinctiveness of our person and personality. Facial expressions convey thoughts and emotions such as joy, fear, hopes, anxiety. Facial expressions also provide cues to levels of disengagement or engagement. What Book I Read -- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper by Brant Pitre. I really enjoyed this book. As the name implies, the book evaluates the parallels between Old Testament Jewish theology and the Eucharist. I appreciated the in depth view of the historical approach used in the creation of this book. It reminded me of Scott Hahn's The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth if you are looking for a comparable book. REMINDER -- What I'm Saving the Dates For:- --Thursday, September 2nd from 2-4:00 there is going to be a Pro Life event in Easton, PA --Saturday, September 18th is the return of AbbeyFest --Monday, September 27th in Harrisburg there is going to be the first-ever Pennsylvania March For Life --There is not a specific date yet as locations are being nailed down, but please purchase a copy of The Priests We Need to Save the Church by Kevin Wells. Even if you can't make it to the book club, you need to read this book Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and your family! |
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