New Liturgical Translation

Having used the new translation since the beginning of Advent last year, we seem to have made the transition quite smoothly. There are, understandably, a few times I automatically respond with the old text, but for the most part we have made the change without problems. I don't know about other parishes around New Zealand but we have incorporated the singing of the Kyrie Eleison (Greek) and Sanctus and Agnus Dei (Latin). I hope the choir manages the Gloria soon (particularly if it is the Missa de Angelis version).

At Mass this Sunday my thoughts briefly diverted to last week's news that some 'dissident' Irish priests are seeking to "... delay implementation of the new Roman Missal..." when it comes into effect Nov. 2011 for them. The reasons they gave left me shaking my head in disbelief... They were reported as saying. the new translation of the Mass  is “archaic, elitist, and obscure.” They also said that the language of the new translation “...demonstrates a lack of awareness of the insights gained from linguistics and anthropology during the past 100 years.”

Do they also consider the Lord God, Creator of the Universe to be “archaic, elitist, and obscure" I wonder?

When I returned to the practice of my Faith as an adult, I discovered that some priests were making changes to the Liturgy of the Mass that seemed to be on their own authority. Fr Dwight Longenecker, a convert from Anglicanism wrote a blog post that starts, "Will the new English translation of the liturgy make our worship more reverent? I doubt it." After reading his post I have to agree with him that it is up to the priest and the people to make the Mass more reverent, not the words alone. It is up to us.

Having said that, I have always felt that God deserved more reverence in our worship than we can possibly render here on Earth. If we are sloppy in how we reverence Him during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how will we manage when we enter Eternity, and join with the angelic host and all the saints who have gone before us in worshipping Him.

On Catholic Answers Forum I once had an exchange with a Protestant who seemed to think that having Jesus as his "personal Lord and Saviour" equated with a buddy attitude. My thoughts went to The Apocalypse Of Saint John Chapter 1 v17 "And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead." If the disciple Jesus loved was so overcome at the sight of his Beloved that he fainted dead away, what will it be like for us. I don't want to be spending my Eternity apologising to God for the careless way I approached His Altar during my life.

Reverence at Mass begins which each and every one of us. As adults we need always to be aware that others, especially children, non-Catholic visitors and those considering converting to the Catholic faith, are watching us. They need to see that we believe we are in the Real Presence of God when we are at Mass.