Worship Schedule
Sacrament of Reconciliation:Tues – Fri: After 9:00 am Mass
and Saturday: 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Daily Prayer (Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; John 4:11-16; John 17:11-19)
For your reflection and sharing:
[Jesus prayed to his Father,] “I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.”
Adult: Who needs you to pray for them this week, as Jesus prayed for his disciples?
Child: Who will you pray for this week?
“And with your Spirit”
By Deacon Rich Longo
Why the change? At the most basic level, “and with your spirit” is the proper translation of the original Latin text: “Et cum spiritu tuo.” By correctly expressing this dialogue in English, we are actually aligning our translation with that of all the other major language groups, which have long been translating the Latin properly. For example, in Spanish, the response is “Y con tu espíritu.” There is an oft-told story of how Venerable Pope John Paul II initiated this new English translation.
John Paul II was renowned as a world traveler, and he was also a very accomplished linguist, fluent in eight languages. During his trips abroad, he prayed from many different translations of the Roman Missal, and he began to notice discrepancies. So, he examined multiple books side by side – such texts as the Latin, Italian, German, French, Polish, and English. What he discovered was that our existing English translation was in need of considerable improvement. It is likely that the Holy Father’s attention was particularly drawn to the fact that the English did not say, “And with your spirit.”
But even beyond the linguistic, the recovery of the word “spirit” also carries Scriptural meaning. One form or other of “The Lord be with you” appears multiple times in the Bible, including the greeting given by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary at the Annunciation: “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28). Then, in the Pauline epistles, multiple variations of “The Lord be with your spirit” are employed as parting words to different church communities. Understood together, this liturgical dialogue in the Mass is an exchange whereby all present – both priest and congregation – ask that the Holy Spirit (whom we call “the Lord, tthe giver of life” in the Nicene Creed) establish a stronger communion among us. In addition, for the congregation to answer the priest, “And with your spirit,” is actually a theological statement about what we Catholics believe regarding ordained ministers.
The Catechism (#367) speaks of how “spirit” can refer to an elevation of the soul, whereby the soul “is raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.” Through Holy Orders, Christ has forever configured the priest’s soul to Himself in a special way, by the power of the Holy Spirit. By specifically referencing the priest’s spirit, we can affirm this transformation and pray for his ministry. This new response of “And with your spirit” will be a difficult change to remember – perhaps one of the most difficult for us laity. Although it is a seemingly minor adjustment, our current response has become second nature to us. However, it will not take long to grow accustomed to the new wording, especially given its frequency. Above all, we should reflect on how it conveysthe content of Sacred Scripture, as well as the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church.
The Mystery of Faith Liturgy of the Word: Profession of Faith In early Christianity the Profession of Faith was primarily associated with Baptism. The candidate went down into the water and was required to confess personal belief by responding to a series of questions dealing with the three Persons of the Trinity. After each question and answer the person was immersed. As the catechumenate developed, the candidates finished their preparation for the Sacrament by memorizing a creedal formula and reciting it back to the Bishop prior to the baptismal celebration. This is the distant origin of what is known as the Apostles’ Creed, a profession of faith which, according to pious legend, was a joint composition by the twelve Apostles. The date of its present text is not earlier than the beginning of the sixth century.
The Creed professed at Mass, however, is a summary of the faith expressed by the Councils of Nicaea (325) and the Constantinople (381) as ratified by the Council of Chalcedon (451). In the east it entered the Mass in the early part of the sixth century, most often before the Eucharistic Prayer. Toward the end of the same century the Creed appeared in Spain where it was chanted before the Lord’s Prayer. From there it spread to Ireland where it served to conclude the Liturgy of the Word. Under the influence of Charlemagne its use spread throughout the Carolingian empire (9th century). In 1014 Emperor Henry II arrived in Rome for his coronation and expressed surprise that the Creed was missing from the Mass as celebrated in that city. Pope Benedict VII thereupon included it in the Roman Mass on all Sundays and on those feasts mentioned in the Creed. In the following centuries its use was extended to other festive occasions.
The Order of Mass retains the Profession of Faith on Sundays and solemnities, although ti may also be used on especially festive occasions. The Missale Romanum, Third Edition, allows both the Nicine Creed or the Apostles’ Creed to be used as a response of faith on the part of the community. However the text’s opening words are now I believe rather than We believe, the former being the liturgical usage of both east and west.
The Creed is a corporate profession of faith whereby the community responds, assents and adheres to the word of God proclaimed in the Scriptures and preached in the homily. It is a response not only to doctrinal propositions but also to the person of Christ present in the word. At the same time the profession links the Liturgies of the Word and Eucharist as the congregation recalls the mysteries of faith which will again be proclaimed in the Eucharistic Prayer. The people accept God’s word before they move on to the celebration of the Eucharist, which itself is a profession of faith.
Weekly Meditation on next week’s Collect from Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord:
Nourished with these sacred gifts,/we humbly beseech you, O Lord,/that, jut as through the death of your Son/you have brought us hope for what we believe,/so by his Resurrection/you may lead us to where you call. We pray for the same patient suffering that Jesus had, as well as a share in the Resurrection. This prayer has been in place for this day since at least the Gelasian Sacramentary.
Alleluia/Gospel Acclamation The Hebrew “Halleluyah” (rendered in Latin and Greek as “Alleluia”) means “Praise YHWH” (the Hebrew letters for the divine name, never pronounced aloud in Judaism out of a profound respect for its holiness) or “Praise the Lord.”In the Old Testament this joyful cry appears at the beginning or end of certain psalms that are thought to have been intended for use in the Temple liturgy.
The only occurrence of the alleluia in the New Testament appears in the Book of Revelation (19:1-9) where it forms part of the victory hymn sung by the redeemed in heaven. The introduction of the alleluia into the liturgy of the west posed an initial problem as to the occasion of its use. According to St. Augustine (354-430) it was sung every Sunday, but in fifthcentury Rome, where it was perhaps introduced under eastern influence, it was sung only on Easter. Roman practice eventually extended its use to the whole Paschal season and then throughout the liturgical year except during Lent. The acclamation was linked to the Gospel (yet its verse was not necessarily taken from the Gospel) and often accompanied a procession with the Gospel book.
This practice has now been restored, with the verse for Sundays often being taken from the Gospels. During the week texts from the Book of Psalms and other Scriptural writings are also found. At an early period soloists were accustomed to ornament the final syllable of the alleluia with the jubilus, a long musical extension described by St. Augustine as “joy without words.” In the early Middle Ages words were set to these vocalizations, and this in turn gave rise in Germanic countries to the composition of numerous sequences, i.e. somewhat independent musical compositions, often having rhymed texts, which immediately followed the alleluia. Over five thousand of these compositions existed in the Middle Ages. Their melodies were quite simple, thereby encouraging popular singing. The number of such pieces used in the liturgy was greatly reduced in the sixteenth century. Today the Sequence is obligatory on Easter and Pentecost; it may be used on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord and the optional Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Because of its Paschal connotations the alleluia was not used during the season of Lent when it was replaced by a psalm chant known as the tract, i.e., a solo chant sung all the way through without any repetition. Still omitted during Lent, the alleluia is usually replaced by an equivalent acclamation of praise. The alleluia or its equivalent is followed by a verse, often taken from the following Gospel reading. The acclamation is repeated after this verse. It has often been said that the alleluia is the victory song of a Paschal people. In the words at times attributed to St. Augustine, “We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song.” Used as the Gospel Acclamation, the Alleluia accompanies the Gospel procession during which the whole liturgical assembly praised Christ who comes to proclaim the good news of salvation. The acclamation is to be sung; when not sung, it is to be omitted. The people stand to express their readiness for the Gospel reading. Weekly Meditation on next week’s Collect from the Third Sunday of Lent May this sacrifice, O Lord, we pray, cleanse us of our faults and sanctify your faithful in body and mind for the celebration of the paschal festivities.
This highly penitential prayer asks God to lift up those who are “bowed down by our conscience,” and who spend this season in fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The Gelasian Sacramentary (eighth or ninth century) assigned this prayer to Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent. It was restored to the missal after the Second Vatican Council and moved to this day. The collect for the first scrutiny prays that the elect may worthily and wisely come to confess God’s praise. This very prayer is found in the Gelasian Sacramentary for the first scrutiny on the same Sunday.
Congratulations to all those who were confirmed this past Wednesday, March 1!! May God bless you on this amazing new journey! Many thanks to: Bishop Waltersheid for presiding over the evening. Parents and CCD teachers who prepared our candidates.
DON’T FORGET! 4 MORE WEEKS OF FISH FRY! EVERY FRIDAY UNTIL GOOD FRIDAY GARDEN ROOM 4-7PM
Hope you are as blessed as I was by this story.
There once was a man named George Thomas, pastor in a small New England town.
One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak….
“I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, “What do you have there, son?”
“Just some old birds,” came the reply.
“What are you going to do with them?” I asked.
“Take ‘em home and have fun with ‘em,” he answered. “I’m gonna tease ‘em and pull out their feathers to make ‘em fight. I’m gonna have a real good time.”
“But you’ll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?”
“Oh, I got some cats,” said the little boy. “They like birds.
I’ll take ‘em to them.”
The pastor was silent for a moment. “How much do you want for those birds, son?”
“Huh?? !!! Why, you don’t want them birds, mister. They’re just plain old field birds. They don’t sing. They ain’t even pretty!”
“How much?” the pastor asked again.
The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, “$10?”
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy’s hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free. Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor began to tell this story:
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. “Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn’t resist. Got ‘em all!”
“What are you going to do with them?” Jesus asked.
Satan replied, “Oh, I’m gonna have fun! I’m gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I’m gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I’m really gonna have fun!”
“And what will you do when you are done with them” Jesus asked?
“Oh, I’ll kill ‘em,” Satan glared proudly.
“How much do you want for them?” Jesus asked.
“Oh, you don’t want those people. They ain’t no good. Why, you’ll take them and they’ll just hate you. They’ll spit on you, curse you and kill you.
You don’t want those people!!”
“How much? He asked again.
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, “All your blood, tears and your life.”
Jesus said, “DONE!” Then He paid the price.
The pastor picked up the cage and walked from the pulpit.
I thank God everyday for my blessed life. I’m not rich, don’t live in a mansion and don’t have the nicest of material things, but, I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on my table, a family that loves me and lifelong friends to get me through. I’d say I have a lot to be thankful for.
Have you counted your blessings today?
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