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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
New Translation
I’m very motivated to write after this past weekend, as the realization of the weekend’s importance shows itself. My attitude is always optimistic and I remain excited about the upcoming changes to the English translation of some of the texts in the Mass. Even so, this past weekend is extremely interesting to me. It was the last time I will play some of the music that I’ve come to know well over the last several years – some for my whole life.
Some of the music has become so second nature that I don’t need to concentrate on it very much at all. I find the page easily and can concentrate on the congregation rather than the notes. There is a parallel here, of course. We have texts – spoken or sung – that we have all become so familiar with that we don’t even think about them when we sing or speak them during Mass. Next week and following (for a little while, at least) we will all need to concentrate on what we are saying and – I hope – gain a deeper meaning and understanding. I hope everyone knows that this is not the primary reason for the new translation, but I think it is a positive secondary outcome.
Much has been written regarding the upcoming changes. It seems that each writer picks a few of the changes to discuss. I would like to do the same.
The USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) have a clickable, side-by-side comparison of both old and new texts on their website.
Many
I’m thankful that most of the time when I hear something that sounds wrong or upsetting that there is a usually a logical explanation. Several years ago I remember playing a service for a different Christian denomination and hearing the text while taking the cup “this is my blood… which is shed for many.” Having always heard “for all” at that time, I thought “many” sounded rather exclusive. Who would be left out? In truth, “many”, I believe, is meant to show a large number of people (as opposed to the small group of 12 Apostles to whom Jesus was speaking). After His death and resurrection they were to “go, therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) See the USCCB commentary for more information.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
I understand the fact that this option for the Memorial Acclamation will be removed – the other three options are much richer in their text (at that moment) because they are opportunities for the community to directly address Christ and they show the relationship between Christ and us. “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again” is true of course, but at that time during the Mass it does not show that same relationship.
Credo
When I travel to other countries I’ve often wondered about the Nicene Creed – about why we say “we believe” in English while everyone else seems to say “I believe” (and the Latin “Credo”, of course, means “I believe”. At the time of the first English translation, the idea was to use “we” to show the sense of the community. I’m excited to see how the statement “I believe in one God” said by each individual at Mass together with the rest of the community works to build an even greater sense of community. Though it will – at first – feel new, we can remember that Catholics throughout the world have proclaimed this Nicene Creed since its first adoption by the Church in the year 325.
I hope my comments here show that the upcoming changes are not so big. Of course, the Mass itself is not changing. However, for the first time in my life (I did not live during the Second Vatican Council) I played/said certain things at Mass this past weekend that will not be said in exactly the same way after this week. Very powerful!
Are you reading this blog? Let me know!
Some of the music has become so second nature that I don’t need to concentrate on it very much at all. I find the page easily and can concentrate on the congregation rather than the notes. There is a parallel here, of course. We have texts – spoken or sung – that we have all become so familiar with that we don’t even think about them when we sing or speak them during Mass. Next week and following (for a little while, at least) we will all need to concentrate on what we are saying and – I hope – gain a deeper meaning and understanding. I hope everyone knows that this is not the primary reason for the new translation, but I think it is a positive secondary outcome.
Much has been written regarding the upcoming changes. It seems that each writer picks a few of the changes to discuss. I would like to do the same.
The USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) have a clickable, side-by-side comparison of both old and new texts on their website.
Many
I’m thankful that most of the time when I hear something that sounds wrong or upsetting that there is a usually a logical explanation. Several years ago I remember playing a service for a different Christian denomination and hearing the text while taking the cup “this is my blood… which is shed for many.” Having always heard “for all” at that time, I thought “many” sounded rather exclusive. Who would be left out? In truth, “many”, I believe, is meant to show a large number of people (as opposed to the small group of 12 Apostles to whom Jesus was speaking). After His death and resurrection they were to “go, therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) See the USCCB commentary for more information.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
I understand the fact that this option for the Memorial Acclamation will be removed – the other three options are much richer in their text (at that moment) because they are opportunities for the community to directly address Christ and they show the relationship between Christ and us. “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again” is true of course, but at that time during the Mass it does not show that same relationship.
Credo
When I travel to other countries I’ve often wondered about the Nicene Creed – about why we say “we believe” in English while everyone else seems to say “I believe” (and the Latin “Credo”, of course, means “I believe”. At the time of the first English translation, the idea was to use “we” to show the sense of the community. I’m excited to see how the statement “I believe in one God” said by each individual at Mass together with the rest of the community works to build an even greater sense of community. Though it will – at first – feel new, we can remember that Catholics throughout the world have proclaimed this Nicene Creed since its first adoption by the Church in the year 325.
I hope my comments here show that the upcoming changes are not so big. Of course, the Mass itself is not changing. However, for the first time in my life (I did not live during the Second Vatican Council) I played/said certain things at Mass this past weekend that will not be said in exactly the same way after this week. Very powerful!
Are you reading this blog? Let me know!
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