Second Vatican Council: Sacrosanctum Concilium in my life
Before I gave birth to Clémence, I had convinced my husband that I could take a Spring semester course through our Houston-Galveston Archdiocese's "Formation towards Christian Ministry." The classes run from January to May. I figured if I gave birth end of March I would miss 2 or so classes of the Introduction to the New Testament course, and I thought we could find a way to manage before I gave birth while I worked and had to pick up our toddler from daycare, along with all of the other activities we do the rest of the other week days. Ha, it has been a difficult task so far.
Besides coming in to class late every time, I've also been behind on the reading list. Now I've been trying to catch up while taking care of my newborn and taking advantage of Lucia, our toddler, being in daycare. Except as most mothers know... the first post-partum weeks are difficult to get anything done at home, and especially when some days you really just want to sit on the couch and watch movies and old T.V. re-run episodes. But, regardless, I'm picking up where I've left off and hoping to attend my remaining classes soon.
One of the required readings was Dei Verbum, or the "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation," one of the important documents that came out of Vatican II. Since our church group was soon to have an exposition on Vatican II, I went ahead and bought the book Vatican II: Essential Texts with introductions from Pope (elect) Benedict XVI and James Carroll. And I went ahead and started from the beginning.
A striking thing about some people's response to Vatican II is the blind objection to the 'radical' changes in the Church. I was watching a YouTube video on Vatican II and many of the user comments were on the lines of how the post-Vatican II popes, beginning with Pope John XXIII, are illegitimate, how the council has brought Catholicism closer to Protestantism, and how Catholic numbers in seminaries and mass attendance are down as a result of the council. It almost sounds as if many people are complaining that the vernacular acceptance and the encouraged laity participation has stripped the sacredness out of the traditional Latin mass.
But, an even more striking view is how incredibly fruitful and rich the Vatican II documents are. It's absolutely beautiful. I hope those who have difficulty with the council will read the documents with an open mind and realize the clarity of our rich faith, of our re-centered faith in Christ Jesus. The documents have a strong desire for unity within the Body of Christ -- both within the Catholic Church, and outside of it with our fellow Christian brothers. For the purpose of this post let's leave our differences aside and focus on what we live and witness now.
So let's get back to the basics: what does the Second Vatican Council have to do with my life today? The council was called back in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, so what have we received from it now in 2018? I'll focus on the first part of the text Sacrosanctum Concilium.
This past Saturday night was my first Eucharist back in the Church after my cesarean surgery. I was so happy to go. I made dinner early and we began getting ready at 7pm. (A side note, our Neo-Catechumenal Eucharists are at 8pm). I was so pumped that nothing was to deter me away from going. And then reality set in -- our toddler needed attention, her dress wasn't ironed, the baby wanted to continue breastfeeding, my husband was ironing his shirt and trying on his new shirt suspenders, I was applying makeup in between attending the kids-- lots of noise, crying, and running around. Hey, we are a normal family, what can I say? Nevertheless we made it in the car by 8:30. Oh dear... I thought we would've missed the readings by now. I dropped off our toddler at the babysitter and had to leave her crying, and I was still thinking, "it's all worth it." Finally I sat down by my husband and our serenely sleeping baby by 8:45pm, and surprisingly the mass hadn't begun although our priest had just arrived. And so I entered this celebration, like we all do, bringing my own baggage of thoughts, worries, and stress.
In the council, the first text that passed with ease was Sacrosanctum Concilium, "Constitution of Sacred Liturgy." It begins in clearly pointing out the meaning of the eucharist in a believer's life:
Finally, one last point (since this is much longer than I anticipated): awareness.
Let us strive to take a full, conscious and active part next time we go to the mass. I believe this is a continuing process since there is always something to learn in the eucharist, and God always speaks to us differently as we progress in our lives.
So I end with my (quick) mass experience last Saturday. It was the readings pertaining to the Good Shepherd. I came full of noise in my head, and I was able to take rest in the readings. I was given hope again to continue to strive towards holiness this week, as a mother and a spouse. "I am the good shepherd," Jesus says, "and I will lay down my life for the sheep" (Jn 10:11). By receiving Jesus in the eucharist I am given the strength to fight the good fight, with the affirmation that Jesus has already conquered death -- my death -- and leaning on him I can forgive and ask for forgiveness this week to whatever it holds for me. And so Easter season continues! Christ is Risen!
Besides coming in to class late every time, I've also been behind on the reading list. Now I've been trying to catch up while taking care of my newborn and taking advantage of Lucia, our toddler, being in daycare. Except as most mothers know... the first post-partum weeks are difficult to get anything done at home, and especially when some days you really just want to sit on the couch and watch movies and old T.V. re-run episodes. But, regardless, I'm picking up where I've left off and hoping to attend my remaining classes soon.
One of the required readings was Dei Verbum, or the "Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation," one of the important documents that came out of Vatican II. Since our church group was soon to have an exposition on Vatican II, I went ahead and bought the book Vatican II: Essential Texts with introductions from Pope (elect) Benedict XVI and James Carroll. And I went ahead and started from the beginning.
A striking thing about some people's response to Vatican II is the blind objection to the 'radical' changes in the Church. I was watching a YouTube video on Vatican II and many of the user comments were on the lines of how the post-Vatican II popes, beginning with Pope John XXIII, are illegitimate, how the council has brought Catholicism closer to Protestantism, and how Catholic numbers in seminaries and mass attendance are down as a result of the council. It almost sounds as if many people are complaining that the vernacular acceptance and the encouraged laity participation has stripped the sacredness out of the traditional Latin mass.
But, an even more striking view is how incredibly fruitful and rich the Vatican II documents are. It's absolutely beautiful. I hope those who have difficulty with the council will read the documents with an open mind and realize the clarity of our rich faith, of our re-centered faith in Christ Jesus. The documents have a strong desire for unity within the Body of Christ -- both within the Catholic Church, and outside of it with our fellow Christian brothers. For the purpose of this post let's leave our differences aside and focus on what we live and witness now.
So let's get back to the basics: what does the Second Vatican Council have to do with my life today? The council was called back in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, so what have we received from it now in 2018? I'll focus on the first part of the text Sacrosanctum Concilium.
This past Saturday night was my first Eucharist back in the Church after my cesarean surgery. I was so happy to go. I made dinner early and we began getting ready at 7pm. (A side note, our Neo-Catechumenal Eucharists are at 8pm). I was so pumped that nothing was to deter me away from going. And then reality set in -- our toddler needed attention, her dress wasn't ironed, the baby wanted to continue breastfeeding, my husband was ironing his shirt and trying on his new shirt suspenders, I was applying makeup in between attending the kids-- lots of noise, crying, and running around. Hey, we are a normal family, what can I say? Nevertheless we made it in the car by 8:30. Oh dear... I thought we would've missed the readings by now. I dropped off our toddler at the babysitter and had to leave her crying, and I was still thinking, "it's all worth it." Finally I sat down by my husband and our serenely sleeping baby by 8:45pm, and surprisingly the mass hadn't begun although our priest had just arrived. And so I entered this celebration, like we all do, bringing my own baggage of thoughts, worries, and stress.
In the council, the first text that passed with ease was Sacrosanctum Concilium, "Constitution of Sacred Liturgy." It begins in clearly pointing out the meaning of the eucharist in a believer's life:
[...] the divine sacrifice of the eucharist, "the act of our redemption is being carried out," becomes thereby the chief means through which believers are expressing in their lives and demonstrating to others the mystery which is Christ, and the sort of entity the true church really is. [...] Thus, since the liturgy is each day building up those who are within into a holy temple in the Lord, into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit, until they reach the stature of the age of Christ's fullness, it is, by the same token, also strengthening remarkably their capacity to preach Christ. (Sacrosanctum Concilium: Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 2)This is where I stood at the beginning of our mass, coming as I was to worship God through the memorial of Christ's life, death, and resurrection --the paschal mystery. I come to eucharist, in a way, empty and through my emptiness I am ready to receive God's message in the liturgy of the Word, to be built up into a dwelling place for God in the Spirit, and to receive our savior Christ in the liturgy of the Eucharist, to be strengthened to preach Christ.
In the liturgy on earth, we are sharing by anticipation in the heavenly one, celebrated in the holy city, Jerusalem, the goal towards which we strive as pilgrims, where Christ is seated at God's right hand [...] We are singing the hymn of God's glory with all the troops of the heavenly army. (SC Ch 1 v. 8)This passage is so encouraging. As I join my voice in singing the Holy Holy Holy, the hymn adapted from the book of Revelations, I join my voice with, like the priest says at mass, all of the angels and saints as we sing His glory. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the Highest. And the greatest part is yet to come as our hearts race for excitement as we stand in the presence of God.
The renewal of the Lord's covenant with human beings in the eucharist really does have the effect of drawing believers into the overwhelming love of Christ, and fires them with it. From the liturgy, then, especially from the eucharist, grace comes flowing to us as if from a fountain [...] (SC Ch 1 v. 10)It is with this joy and desire to receive Christ in the liturgy of the eucharist that allows me to let go of whatever judgement or anger or resentment I may have with my husband and my community around me and to seek peace right before receiving the eucharist. Well, it's not always easy -- especially if we arrived at mass angry at each other and completely ignore each other because we're so angry, which definitely has happened before. But even then, the grace that we receive from being present in the liturgy of the eucharist, even if I was so stubborn as to not forgive and seek forgiveness before, allows me to open up and seek peace with my spouse. It's a grace that allows me to be vulnerable -- like Christ -- and offer the other cheek by asking for forgiveness. It doesn't come from within me alone, but from Christ acting through me.
Finally, one last point (since this is much longer than I anticipated): awareness.
The church very much wants all believers to be led to take a full, conscious and active part in liturgical celebration. This is demanded by the nature of the liturgy itself; and, by virtue of their baptism, it is the right and the duty of the christian people, "the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the people of whom God has taken possession" (1 Pt 2, 9; see 2, 4-5). This full and active sharing on the part of the whole people is of paramount concern in the process of renewing the liturgy and helping it grow, because such sharing is the first, and necessary, source from which believers can imbibe the true christian spirit. (SC Ch 1, v. 14)To be active participants has a lot of meanings as I see it -- lectors, commentators, and cantors as the most visible ones, but more importantly, simply as witnesses and participants to the eucharist. "We proclaim your death oh Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come again." We say this before the great Amen. It is through our awareness of what is taking place before our eyes that we can truly say this -- even though, we will never be fully aware until we come into full knowledge with Christ.
Let us strive to take a full, conscious and active part next time we go to the mass. I believe this is a continuing process since there is always something to learn in the eucharist, and God always speaks to us differently as we progress in our lives.
So I end with my (quick) mass experience last Saturday. It was the readings pertaining to the Good Shepherd. I came full of noise in my head, and I was able to take rest in the readings. I was given hope again to continue to strive towards holiness this week, as a mother and a spouse. "I am the good shepherd," Jesus says, "and I will lay down my life for the sheep" (Jn 10:11). By receiving Jesus in the eucharist I am given the strength to fight the good fight, with the affirmation that Jesus has already conquered death -- my death -- and leaning on him I can forgive and ask for forgiveness this week to whatever it holds for me. And so Easter season continues! Christ is Risen!
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