The Annunciation. (transferred)
I have been much too lax in posting, and not liable to get too much better in the near future. I will say joyfully that this last weekend I attended an excellent and Spirit filled retreat, one that likely has changed the course of my life. I will write about it in time as I slowly digest its import in my life.
Meanwhile, this Easter season, let's pray with Our Lady, "The Good Queen" as the Ven. Matt Talbot called her :
Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia:
Quia quem meruisti portare. alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.
Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Queen of heaven, be joyful, alleluia:
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia,
Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Text of Pope Benedict XVI's 'Urbi et Orbi' Easter speech
(The Associated Press
Published: March 23, 2008)
The Vatican's official English-language translation of Pope Benedict XVI's "Urbi et Orbi" Easter Day address, delivered Sunday in Italian from the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.
___
"Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum. Alleluia! I have risen, I am still with you. Alleluia! Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus, crucified and risen, repeats this joyful proclamation to us today: the Easter proclamation. Let us welcome it with deep wonder and gratitude!
Resurrexi et adhuc tecum sum. I have risen, I am still with you, for ever. These words, taken from an ancient version of Psalm 138 (v. 18b), were sung at the beginning of today's Mass. In them, at the rising of the Easter sun, the Church recognizes the voice of Jesus himself who, on rising from death, turns to the Father filled with gladness and love, and exclaims: My Father, here I am! I have risen, I am still with you, and so I shall be forever; your Spirit never abandoned me. In this way we can also come to a new understanding of other passages from the psalm: "If I climb the heavens, you are there; if I descend into the underworld, you are there. Even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as clear as day; for you, darkness is like light" (Ps 138:8,12). It is true: in the solemn Easter vigil, darkness becomes light, night gives way to the day that knows no sunset. The death and resurrection of the Word of God incarnate is an event of invincible love, it is the victory of that Love which has delivered us from the slavery of sin and death. It has changed the course of history, giving to human life an indestructible and renewed meaning and value.
"I have risen and I am still with you, forever." These words invite us to contemplate the risen Christ, letting his voice resound in our heart. With his redeeming sacrifice, Jesus of Nazareth has made us adopted children of God, so that we too can now take our place in the mysterious dialogue between him and the Father. We are reminded of what he once said to those who were listening: "All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Mt 11:27). In this perspective, we note that the words addressed by the risen Jesus to the Father on this day "I am still with you, for ever" apply indirectly to us as well, "children of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (cf. Rom 8:17). Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we too rise to new life today, and uniting our voice with his, we proclaim that we wish to remain for ever with God, our infinitely good and merciful Father.
In this way we enter the depths of the Paschal mystery. The astonishing event of the resurrection of Jesus is essentially an event of love: the Father's love in handing over his Son for the salvation of the world; the Son's love in abandoning himself to the Father's will for us all; the Spirit's love in raising Jesus from the dead in his transfigured body. And there is more: the Father's love which "newly embraces" the Son, enfolding him in glory; the Son's love returning to the Father in the power of the Spirit, robed in our transfigured humanity. From today's solemnity, in which we relive the absolute, once-and-for-all experience of Jesus' resurrection, we receive an appeal to be converted to Love; we receive an invitation to live by rejecting hatred and selfishness, and to follow with docility in the footsteps of the Lamb that was slain for our salvation, to imitate the Redeemer who is "gentle and lowly in heart", who is "rest for our souls" (cf. Mt 11:29).
Dear Christian brothers and sisters in every part of the world, dear men and women whose spirit is sincerely open to the truth, let no heart be closed to the omnipotence of this redeeming love! Jesus Christ died and rose for all; he is our hope, true hope for every human being. Today, just as he did with his disciples in Galilee before returning to the Father, the risen Jesus now sends us everywhere as witnesses of his hope, and he reassures us: I am with you always, all days, until the end of the world (cf. Mt 28:20). Fixing the gaze of our spirit on the glorious wounds of his transfigured body, we can understand the meaning and value of suffering, we can tend the many wounds that continue to disfigure humanity in our own day. In his glorious wounds we recognize the indestructible signs of the infinite mercy of the God of whom the prophet says: it is he who heals the wounds of broken hearts, who defends the weak and proclaims the freedom of slaves, who consoles all the afflicted and bestows upon them the oil of gladness instead of a mourning robe, a song of praise instead of a sorrowful heart (cf. Is 61:1,2,3). If with humble trust we draw near to him, we encounter in his gaze the response to the deepest longings of our heart: to know God and to establish with him a living relationship in an authentic communion of love, which can fill our lives, our interpersonal and social relations with that same love. For this reason, humanity needs Christ: in him, our hope, "we have been saved" (cf. Rom 8:24).
How often relations between individuals, between groups and between peoples are marked not by love but by selfishness, injustice, hatred and violence! These are the scourges of humanity, open and festering in every corner of the planet, although they are often ignored and sometimes deliberately concealed; wounds that torture the souls and bodies of countless of our brothers and sisters. They are waiting to be tended and healed by the glorious wounds of our Risen Lord (cf. 1 Pet 2:24-25) and by the solidarity of people who, following in his footsteps, perform deeds of charity in his name, make an active commitment to justice, and spread luminous signs of hope in areas bloodied by conflict and wherever the dignity of the human person continues to be scorned and trampled. It is hoped that these are precisely the places where gestures of moderation and forgiveness will increase!
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us allow the light that streams forth from this solemn day to enlighten us; let us open ourselves in sincere trust to the risen Christ, so that his victory over evil and death may also triumph in each one of us, in our families, in our cities and in our nations. Let it shine forth in every part of the world. In particular, how can we fail to remember certain African regions, such as Darfur and Somalia, the tormented Middle East, especially the Holy Land, Iraq, Lebanon, and finally Tibet, all of whom I encourage to seek solutions that will safeguard peace and the common good! Let us invoke the fullness of his Paschal gifts, through the intercession of Mary who, after sharing the sufferings of the passion and crucifixion of her innocent Son, also experienced the inexpressible joy of his resurrection. Sharing in the glory of Christ, may she be the one to protect us and guide us along the path of fraternal solidarity and peace. These are my Easter greetings, which I address to all who are present here, and to men and women of every nation and continent united with us through radio and television. Happy Easter!
(The Associated Press
Published: March 23, 2008)
The Vatican's official English-language translation of Pope Benedict XVI's "Urbi et Orbi" Easter Day address, delivered Sunday in Italian from the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.
___
"Resurrexi, et adhuc tecum sum. Alleluia! I have risen, I am still with you. Alleluia! Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus, crucified and risen, repeats this joyful proclamation to us today: the Easter proclamation. Let us welcome it with deep wonder and gratitude!
Resurrexi et adhuc tecum sum. I have risen, I am still with you, for ever. These words, taken from an ancient version of Psalm 138 (v. 18b), were sung at the beginning of today's Mass. In them, at the rising of the Easter sun, the Church recognizes the voice of Jesus himself who, on rising from death, turns to the Father filled with gladness and love, and exclaims: My Father, here I am! I have risen, I am still with you, and so I shall be forever; your Spirit never abandoned me. In this way we can also come to a new understanding of other passages from the psalm: "If I climb the heavens, you are there; if I descend into the underworld, you are there. Even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as clear as day; for you, darkness is like light" (Ps 138:8,12). It is true: in the solemn Easter vigil, darkness becomes light, night gives way to the day that knows no sunset. The death and resurrection of the Word of God incarnate is an event of invincible love, it is the victory of that Love which has delivered us from the slavery of sin and death. It has changed the course of history, giving to human life an indestructible and renewed meaning and value.
"I have risen and I am still with you, forever." These words invite us to contemplate the risen Christ, letting his voice resound in our heart. With his redeeming sacrifice, Jesus of Nazareth has made us adopted children of God, so that we too can now take our place in the mysterious dialogue between him and the Father. We are reminded of what he once said to those who were listening: "All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Mt 11:27). In this perspective, we note that the words addressed by the risen Jesus to the Father on this day "I am still with you, for ever" apply indirectly to us as well, "children of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (cf. Rom 8:17). Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we too rise to new life today, and uniting our voice with his, we proclaim that we wish to remain for ever with God, our infinitely good and merciful Father.
In this way we enter the depths of the Paschal mystery. The astonishing event of the resurrection of Jesus is essentially an event of love: the Father's love in handing over his Son for the salvation of the world; the Son's love in abandoning himself to the Father's will for us all; the Spirit's love in raising Jesus from the dead in his transfigured body. And there is more: the Father's love which "newly embraces" the Son, enfolding him in glory; the Son's love returning to the Father in the power of the Spirit, robed in our transfigured humanity. From today's solemnity, in which we relive the absolute, once-and-for-all experience of Jesus' resurrection, we receive an appeal to be converted to Love; we receive an invitation to live by rejecting hatred and selfishness, and to follow with docility in the footsteps of the Lamb that was slain for our salvation, to imitate the Redeemer who is "gentle and lowly in heart", who is "rest for our souls" (cf. Mt 11:29).
Dear Christian brothers and sisters in every part of the world, dear men and women whose spirit is sincerely open to the truth, let no heart be closed to the omnipotence of this redeeming love! Jesus Christ died and rose for all; he is our hope, true hope for every human being. Today, just as he did with his disciples in Galilee before returning to the Father, the risen Jesus now sends us everywhere as witnesses of his hope, and he reassures us: I am with you always, all days, until the end of the world (cf. Mt 28:20). Fixing the gaze of our spirit on the glorious wounds of his transfigured body, we can understand the meaning and value of suffering, we can tend the many wounds that continue to disfigure humanity in our own day. In his glorious wounds we recognize the indestructible signs of the infinite mercy of the God of whom the prophet says: it is he who heals the wounds of broken hearts, who defends the weak and proclaims the freedom of slaves, who consoles all the afflicted and bestows upon them the oil of gladness instead of a mourning robe, a song of praise instead of a sorrowful heart (cf. Is 61:1,2,3). If with humble trust we draw near to him, we encounter in his gaze the response to the deepest longings of our heart: to know God and to establish with him a living relationship in an authentic communion of love, which can fill our lives, our interpersonal and social relations with that same love. For this reason, humanity needs Christ: in him, our hope, "we have been saved" (cf. Rom 8:24).
How often relations between individuals, between groups and between peoples are marked not by love but by selfishness, injustice, hatred and violence! These are the scourges of humanity, open and festering in every corner of the planet, although they are often ignored and sometimes deliberately concealed; wounds that torture the souls and bodies of countless of our brothers and sisters. They are waiting to be tended and healed by the glorious wounds of our Risen Lord (cf. 1 Pet 2:24-25) and by the solidarity of people who, following in his footsteps, perform deeds of charity in his name, make an active commitment to justice, and spread luminous signs of hope in areas bloodied by conflict and wherever the dignity of the human person continues to be scorned and trampled. It is hoped that these are precisely the places where gestures of moderation and forgiveness will increase!
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us allow the light that streams forth from this solemn day to enlighten us; let us open ourselves in sincere trust to the risen Christ, so that his victory over evil and death may also triumph in each one of us, in our families, in our cities and in our nations. Let it shine forth in every part of the world. In particular, how can we fail to remember certain African regions, such as Darfur and Somalia, the tormented Middle East, especially the Holy Land, Iraq, Lebanon, and finally Tibet, all of whom I encourage to seek solutions that will safeguard peace and the common good! Let us invoke the fullness of his Paschal gifts, through the intercession of Mary who, after sharing the sufferings of the passion and crucifixion of her innocent Son, also experienced the inexpressible joy of his resurrection. Sharing in the glory of Christ, may she be the one to protect us and guide us along the path of fraternal solidarity and peace. These are my Easter greetings, which I address to all who are present here, and to men and women of every nation and continent united with us through radio and television. Happy Easter!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Rite according to Blessed John XXIII :
The Rite of Confirmation
I. Preparatory Ceremonies
The Invocation
Turning to the candidates, the Bishop or delegated priest sings or says:
May the Holy Spirit come down upon you, and the power of the Most High keep you from all sin.
Spiritus Sanctus superveniat in vos, et virtus Altissimi custodiat vos a peccatis.
R. Amen
The Bishop or priest then makes the Sign of the Cross and says:
V. Our help + is in the Name of the Lord.
V. Adjutorium + nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Who made Heaven and earth.
R. Qui fecit caelum et terram.
V. O, Lord, hear my prayer.
V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
R. And let my cry come unto You.
R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
V. The Lord be with you.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. And with your spirit.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
The Collective and Preparatory Imposition of Hands
The Bishop or delegated priest stretches out his hands over the candidates and says:
Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, You have been pleased to regenerate these Your servants by water and the Holy Spirit, and have given them remission of all their sins; send forth upon them from Heaven Your sevenfold Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Oremus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui regenerare dignatus es hos, famulos tuos ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto, quique dedisti eis remissionem omnium peccatorum: emitte in eos septiformem Spiritum tuum sanctum Paraclitum de caelis.
R. Amen.
V. The Spirit of Wisdom and understanding.
V. Spiritum sapientiae et intellectus.
R. Amen.
The Spirit of Counsel and fortitude.
Spiritum consilii et fortitudinis.
R. Amen.
The Spirit of knowledge and piety.
V. Spiritum scientiea et pietatis.
R. Amen.
Fill them with the spirit of Your holy fear, and sign them with the sign of the cross + of Christ in mercy for eternal life. Through the same Jesus Christ... in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
Adimple eos Spiritu timoris tui, et consigna eos signo crucis + Christi, in vitam propitiatus aeternam. Per eumdem Dominum... in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
II. The Sacrament
The candidates may come up in two ranks with hands joined, carrying a card bearing their Confirmation names. Each sponsor places his right hand on the right shoulder of the candidate they are sponsoring.The Bishop, or delegated priest, stretching the fingers of his right hand over the head of each candidate, addresses each candidate by his Confirmation name and annoints each candidate's forehead with his thumb dipped in holy chrism. He confirms then with the words below
"N., I sign thee with the sign + of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation; in the Name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Ghost."
"N., signo te signo crucis + et confirmo te chrismate salutis, in nomine Patris + et Filii + et Spiritus + Sancti."
The newly-confirmed reply:
R. Amen.
The Bishop or priest then gently strikes each candidate on the cheek, symbolizing that the Christian is now a soldier for Christ and must endure suffering and the persecution that comes from conflict with the world. A hymn might now be sung if the candidates are numerous.
III. Concluding Prayers
When all have been confirmed, the following antiphon is sung or read:
ANT: Confirm, O Lord, what Thou has wrought in us, from Thy holy temple which is in Jerusalem. Alleluia.
ANT: Confirma hoc, Deus, quod operatus es in nobis, a templo sancto tuo, quod est in Jerusalem. Alleuia.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
V. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
R. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
After the antiphon has been repeated, the Bishop or priest turns to the Altar and sings:
V. Lord, show up Your mercy.
V. Ostende nobis, Domine, misericordiam tuam.
R. And grant us Your salvation.
R. Et salutare tuum da nobis.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
V. Domine, exaudi orationem mean.
R. And let my cry come to You.
R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
V. The Lord be with you.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. And with your spirit.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
V. Let us pray. O God, You gave Your Holy Spirit to Your apostles, and willed that through them and their successors the same gift should be delivered to all the faithful: look graciously on the service we humbly render to You; grant that the same Spirit, coming down upon those whose foreheads we have annointed with the holy chrism, and signed with the sign of the holy cross, may by His gracious indwelling make them a temple of His glory, You Who are God, living and reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end.
R. Amen.
The Bishop then gives to the confirmed a special blessing in this form:
V. Behold, thus shall every man be blessed who fears the Lord: May the Lord bless + you out of Sion, that you may see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of your life, and have life everlasting.
V. Ecce sic benedicetur omnis homo qui timet Dominum: Benedicat + vos Dominus ex Sion, ut videatis bona Jerusalem omnibus diebus vitae vestrae, et habeatis vitam aeternam.
R. Amen.
The Bishop sits down, and puts on his mitre. The newly confirmed recite aloud the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary. The Bishop then gives the Pontifical Blessing to the entire congregation. A Te Deum or the Psalm Laudate pueri (Psalm 112) might be sung.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would not be honest if I did not say that I wish that is the Rite I will be confirmed with !
But the new Rite is also beautiful and powerful. From The Catechism :
"In the Roman Rite the bishop extends his hands over the whole group of the confirmands. Since the time of the apostles this gesture has signified the gift of the Spirit. The bishop invokes the outpouring of the Spirit in these words:
All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,by water and the Holy Spirityou freed your sons and daughters from sinand gave them new life.Send your Holy Spirit upon themto be their helper and guide.Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding,the spirit of right judgment and courage,the spirit of knowledge and reverence.Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.We ask this through Christ our Lord.
The essential rite of the sacrament follows. In the Latin rite, "the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred through the anointing with chrism on the forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words: 'Accipe signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti' [Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.].
The sign of peace that concludes the rite of the sacrament signifies and demonstrates ecclesial communion with the bishop and with all the faithful."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what are my thoughts now, with a little over 4 hours to go ? Joy, and fear, and the feeling of great responsibilty. When the I am anointed, I become a new new creation. Officially, sacramentally, the Holy Spirit inhabits me. That must inspire awe as well as joy-- and it does. I know that this is the moment I have been preparing for my entire life up to this point; yet far from being an end, it is but The Beginning. I am reminded of that scene in the movie "Jesus of Nazareth", where the disciples are discussing what life will be like if they continue to follow the Lord. Their lives will be forever changed, and they know it; they are afraid as well as excited, but they follow anyway. I feel all those emotions, because although I've been sober for 3 1/2 years, and have actively tried to live the Christian life, for me this is the point of "no return". There may be others in my life, of course-- but this is the one that starts them all. As of tonight, I am finally and completely a full member of Holy Mother Church : Unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostalicam ecclesiam. And I reply with the great St. Augustine :
Te Deum laudamus:
te Dominum confitemur.
Te aeternum Patrem
omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes Angeli;
tibi caeli et universae Potestates;
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim
incessabili voce proclamant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus
Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra
maiestatis gloriae tuae.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
Te per orbem terrarum
sancta confitetur Ecclesia,
Patrem immensae maiestatis:
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,
non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti
credentibus regna caelorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni:
quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.
Salvum fac populum tuum,
Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.
Per singulos dies benedicimus te;
Et laudamus Nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.
Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
Miserere nostri domine, miserere nostri.
Fiat misericordia tua,
Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
In te, Domine, speravi:
non confundar in aeternum.
(We praise thee, O God
we acknowledge thee to be the Lord
All the earth doth worship thee
the Father everlasting.
To thee all the angels cry aloud
the heavens and all the powers therein.
To thee cherubim and seraphim do continually cry
Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth
are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The Holy Church
throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee;
the father of an infinite majesty;
thine honourable true and only Son;
also the Holy Ghost the comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the hand of God
in glory to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants.
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting
O Lord save thy people
and bless thine heritage
Govern them and lift them up for ever
Day by day we magnify thee;
and worship thy name, ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.
O Lord in thee have I trusted let me not be confounded.)
May the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ Our Lord !!!
The Rite of Confirmation
I. Preparatory Ceremonies
The Invocation
Turning to the candidates, the Bishop or delegated priest sings or says:
May the Holy Spirit come down upon you, and the power of the Most High keep you from all sin.
Spiritus Sanctus superveniat in vos, et virtus Altissimi custodiat vos a peccatis.
R. Amen
The Bishop or priest then makes the Sign of the Cross and says:
V. Our help + is in the Name of the Lord.
V. Adjutorium + nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Who made Heaven and earth.
R. Qui fecit caelum et terram.
V. O, Lord, hear my prayer.
V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
R. And let my cry come unto You.
R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
V. The Lord be with you.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. And with your spirit.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
The Collective and Preparatory Imposition of Hands
The Bishop or delegated priest stretches out his hands over the candidates and says:
Let us pray. Almighty, everlasting God, You have been pleased to regenerate these Your servants by water and the Holy Spirit, and have given them remission of all their sins; send forth upon them from Heaven Your sevenfold Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Oremus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui regenerare dignatus es hos, famulos tuos ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto, quique dedisti eis remissionem omnium peccatorum: emitte in eos septiformem Spiritum tuum sanctum Paraclitum de caelis.
R. Amen.
V. The Spirit of Wisdom and understanding.
V. Spiritum sapientiae et intellectus.
R. Amen.
The Spirit of Counsel and fortitude.
Spiritum consilii et fortitudinis.
R. Amen.
The Spirit of knowledge and piety.
V. Spiritum scientiea et pietatis.
R. Amen.
Fill them with the spirit of Your holy fear, and sign them with the sign of the cross + of Christ in mercy for eternal life. Through the same Jesus Christ... in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end.
Adimple eos Spiritu timoris tui, et consigna eos signo crucis + Christi, in vitam propitiatus aeternam. Per eumdem Dominum... in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
II. The Sacrament
The candidates may come up in two ranks with hands joined, carrying a card bearing their Confirmation names. Each sponsor places his right hand on the right shoulder of the candidate they are sponsoring.The Bishop, or delegated priest, stretching the fingers of his right hand over the head of each candidate, addresses each candidate by his Confirmation name and annoints each candidate's forehead with his thumb dipped in holy chrism. He confirms then with the words below
"N., I sign thee with the sign + of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation; in the Name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Ghost."
"N., signo te signo crucis + et confirmo te chrismate salutis, in nomine Patris + et Filii + et Spiritus + Sancti."
The newly-confirmed reply:
R. Amen.
The Bishop or priest then gently strikes each candidate on the cheek, symbolizing that the Christian is now a soldier for Christ and must endure suffering and the persecution that comes from conflict with the world. A hymn might now be sung if the candidates are numerous.
III. Concluding Prayers
When all have been confirmed, the following antiphon is sung or read:
ANT: Confirm, O Lord, what Thou has wrought in us, from Thy holy temple which is in Jerusalem. Alleluia.
ANT: Confirma hoc, Deus, quod operatus es in nobis, a templo sancto tuo, quod est in Jerusalem. Alleuia.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
V. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
R. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
After the antiphon has been repeated, the Bishop or priest turns to the Altar and sings:
V. Lord, show up Your mercy.
V. Ostende nobis, Domine, misericordiam tuam.
R. And grant us Your salvation.
R. Et salutare tuum da nobis.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
V. Domine, exaudi orationem mean.
R. And let my cry come to You.
R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
V. The Lord be with you.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. And with your spirit.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
V. Let us pray. O God, You gave Your Holy Spirit to Your apostles, and willed that through them and their successors the same gift should be delivered to all the faithful: look graciously on the service we humbly render to You; grant that the same Spirit, coming down upon those whose foreheads we have annointed with the holy chrism, and signed with the sign of the holy cross, may by His gracious indwelling make them a temple of His glory, You Who are God, living and reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end.
R. Amen.
The Bishop then gives to the confirmed a special blessing in this form:
V. Behold, thus shall every man be blessed who fears the Lord: May the Lord bless + you out of Sion, that you may see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of your life, and have life everlasting.
V. Ecce sic benedicetur omnis homo qui timet Dominum: Benedicat + vos Dominus ex Sion, ut videatis bona Jerusalem omnibus diebus vitae vestrae, et habeatis vitam aeternam.
R. Amen.
The Bishop sits down, and puts on his mitre. The newly confirmed recite aloud the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary. The Bishop then gives the Pontifical Blessing to the entire congregation. A Te Deum or the Psalm Laudate pueri (Psalm 112) might be sung.
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I would not be honest if I did not say that I wish that is the Rite I will be confirmed with !
But the new Rite is also beautiful and powerful. From The Catechism :
"In the Roman Rite the bishop extends his hands over the whole group of the confirmands. Since the time of the apostles this gesture has signified the gift of the Spirit. The bishop invokes the outpouring of the Spirit in these words:
All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,by water and the Holy Spirityou freed your sons and daughters from sinand gave them new life.Send your Holy Spirit upon themto be their helper and guide.Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding,the spirit of right judgment and courage,the spirit of knowledge and reverence.Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.We ask this through Christ our Lord.
The essential rite of the sacrament follows. In the Latin rite, "the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred through the anointing with chrism on the forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words: 'Accipe signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti' [Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.].
The sign of peace that concludes the rite of the sacrament signifies and demonstrates ecclesial communion with the bishop and with all the faithful."
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So what are my thoughts now, with a little over 4 hours to go ? Joy, and fear, and the feeling of great responsibilty. When the I am anointed, I become a new new creation. Officially, sacramentally, the Holy Spirit inhabits me. That must inspire awe as well as joy-- and it does. I know that this is the moment I have been preparing for my entire life up to this point; yet far from being an end, it is but The Beginning. I am reminded of that scene in the movie "Jesus of Nazareth", where the disciples are discussing what life will be like if they continue to follow the Lord. Their lives will be forever changed, and they know it; they are afraid as well as excited, but they follow anyway. I feel all those emotions, because although I've been sober for 3 1/2 years, and have actively tried to live the Christian life, for me this is the point of "no return". There may be others in my life, of course-- but this is the one that starts them all. As of tonight, I am finally and completely a full member of Holy Mother Church : Unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostalicam ecclesiam. And I reply with the great St. Augustine :
Te Deum laudamus:
te Dominum confitemur.
Te aeternum Patrem
omnis terra veneratur.
Tibi omnes Angeli;
tibi caeli et universae Potestates;
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim
incessabili voce proclamant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus
Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra
maiestatis gloriae tuae.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
Te per orbem terrarum
sancta confitetur Ecclesia,
Patrem immensae maiestatis:
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,
non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti
credentibus regna caelorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni:
quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.
Salvum fac populum tuum,
Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.
Per singulos dies benedicimus te;
Et laudamus Nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.
Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
Miserere nostri domine, miserere nostri.
Fiat misericordia tua,
Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
In te, Domine, speravi:
non confundar in aeternum.
(We praise thee, O God
we acknowledge thee to be the Lord
All the earth doth worship thee
the Father everlasting.
To thee all the angels cry aloud
the heavens and all the powers therein.
To thee cherubim and seraphim do continually cry
Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth
are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The Holy Church
throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee;
the father of an infinite majesty;
thine honourable true and only Son;
also the Holy Ghost the comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the hand of God
in glory to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants.
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting
O Lord save thy people
and bless thine heritage
Govern them and lift them up for ever
Day by day we magnify thee;
and worship thy name, ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.
O Lord in thee have I trusted let me not be confounded.)
May the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ Our Lord !!!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Good Friday.or
Aoine Chéasta
("Passion Friday" in Irish Gaelic)
"Behold, Mother : I make all things new."
Isaiah 53 (KJV)
1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.
Sancte Deus !
Sancte Fortis !
Sancte Immortalis !
...miserere nobis !
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tuesday in Holy Week.
Well, Good Friday comes on apace.
I've been trying to get into a more spiritual mode, with some difficulty. Today I wanted to go to confession, but I forgot all the priests were at the Chrism Mass with the Bishop. Looks like I'll have to go tomorrow during my lunch hour. I better make it good...it'll be my last chance before the big event.
Tonight is our last RCIA before The Vigil. We're scheduled to rehearse; then three more weeks after, of mystagogy.
Tomorrow night, I'll go to Our Lady Maronite Church, for their Wednesday in Holy Week anointing service. It sounds like a very interesting and edifying liturgy.
Then Maundy Thursday at the Cathedral with the Bishop again, and Good Friday evening at St. Austin's, since I have to work.
Dear Lord, draw me to yourself, and help me to be ready to dedicate myself to You wholly.
Well, Good Friday comes on apace.
I've been trying to get into a more spiritual mode, with some difficulty. Today I wanted to go to confession, but I forgot all the priests were at the Chrism Mass with the Bishop. Looks like I'll have to go tomorrow during my lunch hour. I better make it good...it'll be my last chance before the big event.
Tonight is our last RCIA before The Vigil. We're scheduled to rehearse; then three more weeks after, of mystagogy.
Tomorrow night, I'll go to Our Lady Maronite Church, for their Wednesday in Holy Week anointing service. It sounds like a very interesting and edifying liturgy.
Then Maundy Thursday at the Cathedral with the Bishop again, and Good Friday evening at St. Austin's, since I have to work.
Dear Lord, draw me to yourself, and help me to be ready to dedicate myself to You wholly.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Palm Sunday
A beautiful Mass today at the Cathedral, with the Bishop presiding. (I've slacked off with my attendance at The Stone, which I plan to remedy next week.)
Bishop Aymond gave a good homily, as he usually does; he called us to not look at Holy Week as a mere spectator would, but to live it with Jesus.
I've not left myself enough time to write today, but I hope to write something substantive tomorrow.
A big week ahead. The big week.
Help me to walk it with you, Lord.
A beautiful Mass today at the Cathedral, with the Bishop presiding. (I've slacked off with my attendance at The Stone, which I plan to remedy next week.)
Bishop Aymond gave a good homily, as he usually does; he called us to not look at Holy Week as a mere spectator would, but to live it with Jesus.
I've not left myself enough time to write today, but I hope to write something substantive tomorrow.
A big week ahead. The big week.
Help me to walk it with you, Lord.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Friday in Passion Week
(Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Well. I must say that if this blog was supposed to be a spiritual journal of my path to Confirmation, it has been a dismal failure. One more week, and I'm there...but my writing has been scanty at best. I just read an installment of Ben Stein's excellent Ben Stein's Diary in American Spectator, though, and as always Ben encourages me. He is such a great writer, and a great patriot as well. And he loves the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. There is a link to the side of some of his stuff. If you aren't familiar with it, check it out. You'll be glad you did.
So. Eight days and some odd hours until Confirmation. Am I ready ? I guess that depends on what is meant by ready. If the question is "Do you believe all that the Church teaches ?", the answer is a resounding YES. Over the course of RCIA I have had the last little bits of doubt about theology questions washed away, in particular the teaching about the perpetual sinlessness of the Virgin. That was one thing I thought I would have to accept entirely on faith in the Magisterium (not a bad thing at all), but thankfully God showed me intellectually how it made perfect sense as well. If God loved Mary so much (and valued her purity so much) that He would allow her to be immaculately conceived, and for her body to not see corruption, then that same Love would provide such a vast wealth of grace for her that she could avoid sin for the entirety of her life. Not in her own strength or on her own merits, but due to God's beautiful overflow of grace. Mary was not only the first disciple, she was the best disciple, following her Son perfectly in every way. The mind still boggles a little, but my intellect no longer rebels at the possibility.
If the question is "Are you prepared spiritually for Confirmation ?", though, the answer is : probably not. I have not read enough, prayed enough, written enough, fasted enough...my Lent has been very mediocre, even for a normal Lent. For the Lent preceeding my Confirmation, it has been very poor.
But -- I have a full week left. I am improving a little, and hope to improve a lot more. The good thing is that I usually perform better under pressure, and the proximity of the day may help me to cut out the extra stuff and concentrate on what is most important.
And incidentally, my original choice for my Confirmation saint was J.H. Newman, but unfortunately "venerables" are discouraged as choices. So I went with St. Maximilian Kolbe, a man whose faith and courage has always touched my heart in a deep way.
St. Max, pray for me as I begin this last week of preparation !
(Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Well. I must say that if this blog was supposed to be a spiritual journal of my path to Confirmation, it has been a dismal failure. One more week, and I'm there...but my writing has been scanty at best. I just read an installment of Ben Stein's excellent Ben Stein's Diary in American Spectator, though, and as always Ben encourages me. He is such a great writer, and a great patriot as well. And he loves the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. There is a link to the side of some of his stuff. If you aren't familiar with it, check it out. You'll be glad you did.
So. Eight days and some odd hours until Confirmation. Am I ready ? I guess that depends on what is meant by ready. If the question is "Do you believe all that the Church teaches ?", the answer is a resounding YES. Over the course of RCIA I have had the last little bits of doubt about theology questions washed away, in particular the teaching about the perpetual sinlessness of the Virgin. That was one thing I thought I would have to accept entirely on faith in the Magisterium (not a bad thing at all), but thankfully God showed me intellectually how it made perfect sense as well. If God loved Mary so much (and valued her purity so much) that He would allow her to be immaculately conceived, and for her body to not see corruption, then that same Love would provide such a vast wealth of grace for her that she could avoid sin for the entirety of her life. Not in her own strength or on her own merits, but due to God's beautiful overflow of grace. Mary was not only the first disciple, she was the best disciple, following her Son perfectly in every way. The mind still boggles a little, but my intellect no longer rebels at the possibility.
If the question is "Are you prepared spiritually for Confirmation ?", though, the answer is : probably not. I have not read enough, prayed enough, written enough, fasted enough...my Lent has been very mediocre, even for a normal Lent. For the Lent preceeding my Confirmation, it has been very poor.
But -- I have a full week left. I am improving a little, and hope to improve a lot more. The good thing is that I usually perform better under pressure, and the proximity of the day may help me to cut out the extra stuff and concentrate on what is most important.
And incidentally, my original choice for my Confirmation saint was J.H. Newman, but unfortunately "venerables" are discouraged as choices. So I went with St. Maximilian Kolbe, a man whose faith and courage has always touched my heart in a deep way.
St. Max, pray for me as I begin this last week of preparation !
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