Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Worth Repeating

The ongoing discussions both at El Camino Real and below regarding the Traditional Latin Mass vs. the Novus Ordo, prompted me to write in the comments here about what I see as one of the benefit of each of the rites. I think it is worth repeating now:

One of the benefits of the "quiet Mass", the traditional Latin Mass, is that it becomes very clear that the Priest is acting in persona Christi, the intercessor between man and God. He prays out loud to God as our intercessor - the prayers that are in our hearts.

One of the greatest benefits I see to the Novus Ordo, and in particular the Eucharistic Prayers being said in the vernacular, is that it becomes easier to pray those prayers in your heart - with understanding - while still keeping your face on the altar (as opposed to reading out of a missal).

Hopefully the correct implementation of the Novus Ordo will continue and become widespread; as we also hope that access to the traditional Latin Mass becomes widespread, so that both spiritualities can be satisfied to the fullest extent possbile.

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