Multicultural Byzantine Mass for the "Dormition of Our Lady"

Prayer Before Holy Communion

O Lord, I believe and profess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.

Accept me today as a partaker of Your mystical Supper, O Son of God, for I will not reveal Your mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief, I profess You.

Remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom.

Remember me, O Master, when You come into Your Kingdom.

Remember me, O Holy One, when You come into Your Kingdom.

May the partaking of Your holy mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment or condemnation but for the healing of soul and body.

O Lord, I also believe and profess that this, which I am about to receive, is truly Your Most Precious Body and Your Life-Giving Blood, which, I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

O God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy of me.

Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number.

My husband and I attended our first Byzantine Mass Saturday night, the celebration of the “Dormition of Our Lady,” which parallels our feast of the Assumption. The celebrant, Fr. Daniel Nash, said we look at the same mystery from a different angle. This was a truly unique, multicultural Mass, as it was Eastern Rite, part in English, part in Spanish, and attended by different segments of the Catholic community of Long Island. It took place at St. Patrick Church in Glen Cove, New York.

I must admit, I was confused through the Mass and cannot explain very much about it. My ability to see was limited since I was all the way in the back. Still, I found it greatly enriching. I am now interested in the Byzantine Mass and would like to go again, to a more standard one, and really get my brain around it.

We can see similarities with the Latin Rite prayers, with some interesting differences. I don’t think anyone can say the above “Prayer Before Holy Communion,” and receive Our Blessed Lord unworthily. This prayer effectively accomplishes 3 things:

1) A profession of faith. This takes away any doubt about the Real Presence.

2) Acknowledgment of one’s unworthiness and contrition for sins. This should hopefully prevent any sacrilege and prepare us to receive with proper humility.

3) An appeal to God’s mercy and acceptance prior to the consummation of Holy Communion. This extends from the spirit of humility. We are asking for His agreement before entering into this most sacred union.

You can see in the first picture a similarity with the Tridentine Rite, in the facing away from the people. Also, much of the Mass is sung. There are several customs which are different, which you can see in the two other photos. The overall feel of the Mass was that something extraordinary and other-worldly was happening. There was a sense that our Creator, the Divine Majesty, was being interacted with…that this was not just a worship service, not just a social event, not something that could take place anywhere out in the world…but something reserved for the Elect, the spiritual royalty of the Body of Christ. There was little room for misinterpretation.

Whichever Mass we attend, Holy Church reminds us that there are two worlds and we must choose only one. As the two worlds continue to divide further apart, the choice becomes more and more obvious, and also more difficult.

The Solemnity of Solemnities!

+++ EASTER SUNDAY +++

THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

+++

From the Tridentine Mass:

I arose and am still with Thee, alleluia!

Thou hast laid Thy hand upon Me, alleluia; Thy knowledge is become wonderful, alleluia, alleluia!

O God, who, on this day, through Thine only-begotten Son, hast conquered death, and thrown open to us the gate of everlasting life, give effect by Thine aid to our desires, which Thou dost anticipate and inspire.

This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Give praise unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Alleluia, alleluia!

The earth trembled and was still when God arose in judgment, alleluia!

Pour forth upon us, O Lord, the spirit of Thy love, that those whose hunger Thou hast satisfied with the Sacraments of Easter may in Thy kindness be one in heart.

(With great sorrow, we have not been satisfied with the Sacraments this Easter, Lord have mercy!)

+++

I woke up today very late and depressed about not being able to attend Mass. We all love the Easter Mass and the wonderful joy of celebrating it with our dear priests and friends at church. Some of my greatest memories are of the Easter Mass and the joy it instills. To have that taken away is a tremendous sadness, which we must offer up for our Church and our world.

I had forgotten that the Mass I wanted to watch (my own parish) was at a certain time, and I woke up just before it was starting. I am not so energetic in the morning. So there I was with my husband in his home office watching Mass, sitting in a chair hanging my head, in my pajamas, drinking coffee and trying to keep my dog from jumping on me. (Hmmmm in my pajamas drinking coffee? Maybe this ain’t so bad after all!) As I began to read the above words, my spirit began to lift. My pastor gave the most beautiful and appropriate homily for this sad Easter Sunday. He remarked that Christ has conquered death and we have the victory. And that we must not fear death like the world does. By the end of the Mass, I was singing the Easter “Alleluia” in my heart and my joy returned to me!

This is the wonder of Holy Mother Church and the Holy Mass! How many, even practicing Catholics, are not bothering to watch the Mass during this dreadful separation. If they would only come unto the font of living water, their spirits would be greatly uplifted!

Blessings to my readers and your families on this Easter Sunday and this coming Easter Week. How will you celebrate Easter Week this year, when we MUST start giving God our very best? Give it some thought and prayer. How about joining with me each day this week in the Rosary? Let our prayers resound to Heaven to secure mercy, not wrath for the world. And each day when we wake up, let us remember the words: “I arose and am still with Thee, alleluia!”

Feast of Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church

From The New Marian Missal:

"To be convinced how much the intercession of Saint Joseph prevails with Jesus Christ, we have only to consider these words of the Evangelist:  'And He was subject to them'....This humble obedience of Jesus teaches us that the dignity of Joseph is above that of all the other Saints, except that of the Queen of Saints."

Excerpts from the traditional Mass:

"The just shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus:  planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God."

"We beseech Thee, O Lord, that we may be helped by the merits of the Spouse of Thy Most Holy Mother:  so that what we cannot obtain of ourselves, may be given to us through his intercession."

"Lord, Thou has prevented him with blessings of sweetness:  Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.  He asked life of Thee, and Thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever."

"The Lord loved him, and adorned him; He clothed him with a robe of glory.  Alleluia.  The just shall spring as the lily; and shall flourish for ever before the Lord.  Alleluia."

"We render unto Thee, O Lord, the bounden duty of our service, humbly entreating Thee to preserve Thine own gifts within us by the prayers of blessed Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, on whose holy festival we offer up to Thee this sacrifice of praise."

"It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God:  and that we should magnify with due praises, bless and proclaim Thee on the Feast of blessed Joseph; who, being a just man, was given by Thee as a Spouse to the Virgin Mother of God, and, as a faithful and prudent servant was set over Thy Family, that, with fatherly care, he might guard Thine only-begotten Son, conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, even Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, and the Powers stand in awe.  The heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it.  Together with them we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say with lowly praise...."

"Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.  Pleni sunt Coeli et terra gloria tua.  Hosanna in excelsis.  Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.  Hosanna in excelsis!"

Image courtesy http://communio.stblogs.org/index.php/tag/st-joseph/

More Info on Tridentine Mass at USC

With a little research, I discovered that the Tridentine Mass at the University of Southern California this past Sunday was NOT the first. There was another held May 3, 2014. There is an old Facebook page and also a YouTube video of the entire Mass. The video states that the Mass was "student initiated" and assisted by various Latin Mass organizations in California. The music was performed by USC music students and was absolutely first rate!

There is an interesting page on the Our Savior Parish/Caruso Catholic Center's website, which explains the Catholic history at USC. A history which seems to have come full-circle. It states that USC possesses "one of the most influential Catholic constituencies in the country." USC is taking the lead in bringing back Catholic tradition in a bold and surprising way. Catholic universities: are you listening?

Sexagesima Sunday....A Tridentine Mass at the U of Southern California???

I heard it through the grapevine....

No, you're not still dreaming and no one slipped LSD into your coffee. It's true. The University of Southern California's Caruso Catholic Center is celebrating a Solemn High Tridentine Mass today at 1:00 PM.

Don't ask me how or why this was arranged-I have very little info...but its pretty amazing-its not even a Catholic college! The Devil will be fuming from the Hollywood sign on the hill in the distance...a new, fresh generation of young people introduced to "that most beautiful of all things outside Heaven!" * Let us pray that the Caruso Center at Our Savior Parish will begin to raise up an army to face the moral degradation all around them, to pave the way for the resurrection of Christendom...and let's take back the exquisite land of California, which once was authentically Catholic.

The University of Southern California is just south of downtown Los Angeles and has one of the largest Catholic student populations...probably in the world-about 10,000 (roughly 25% of its population). Our Savior Parish ministers primarily to the students, but is open to the surrounding community as well.

There is no mention of the Tridentine Mass on the Caruso Center's website, but there is a Facebook page promoting it. If you would like to contact the Center to voice your support, their email is: info@catholictrojan.org . The Caruso Center also accepts donations.

So let's rejoice in this wonderful event in the midst of the time of Septuagesima and keep these dear young students in our prayers!

_* Quote by Fr. Frederick Faber (1814-1863)