The life, death and resurrection of Jesus as expressed in the liturgical seasons and the various feasts and solemnities are the only themes we need. Mass is not play school.
Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.
Has this been revised? If so, in which document can I read of it?
Thanks everyone. I hope that you're all enjoying a fulfilling Paschaltide.
For many years, I have been telling people that the readings refract the face of Christ. Imagine looking at the face of Christ through a prism. You only need to turn the prism slightly to have a change of refraction and a different impression of the face.
This is precisely what having different readings does for us at Mass. When we reach the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are different because we have experienced different scriptures. It's a great richness. So, yes, Fr Serpa is right about every Mass being "themed" on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, but the "theme" of the readings each day is also our prism.
That's very different from what went on in the "bad old days" (Sr Monica Mary Cantwell began it) when people concocted a "theme" for each Mass, but a theme independent of the readings. "Today we'll celebrate peace and justice" when the scriptures of the day were all about healing, or whatever.
I've now used the word "theme" with three different meanings. Perhaps we should retire this word for a while!
The people who compiled the lectionary were obviously wasting their time, then.
The lectionary is fine, compiling as it does, scripture readings for celebrations of Holy Mass.
I think the problem may have crept in through a sort of liturgical back door; published lists of hymns/songs/ditties intended to inspire those whose ministry it is to sensibly chose music. Unfortunately not all planning guides are alike. For example, one might encounter suggestions in a planning guide for a Sunday/Holy Day where the world "light" appears in one of the scripture readings, the suggestions for such a Sunday/Holy Day would simply be a list of hymns/songs/ditties containing the word Light. It wouldn't be at all uncommon to hear "Well, this Sunday it's all about Light. Let's look through the index at the back and find four hymns about light".
There is such a need for catechesis around this and many other aspects of liturgical celebration. What shall we do? What and where exactly is the problem? Are WE the problem? Can we be the solution?
S.C. wondered whether:
Perhaps we should retire this word (theme) for a while!
It's worth considering S.C. We need catechesis, we need leadership.
Your "light" example has nothing to do with acknowledging the thematic links the lectionary compilers have striven for. That is latching on to a single word. That would be desperate indeed.
To my mind it would be not very Catholic or theologically aware to pick musical materials with no reference to the thematic links contained within the readings , 1 and 3 in particular. The lectionary compilers didn't stick a pin in the bible and let random chance dictate their selections.
When I was studying liturgy back in the day I was taught that one of its many functions was to educate the faithful ...... whether some of them want it or not.
alan29 wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:44 pmTo my mind it would be not very Catholic or theologically aware to pick musical materials with no reference to the thematic links contained within the readings , 1 and 3 in particular. The lectionary compilers didn't stick a pin in the bible and let random chance dictate their selections.
Yes, I think this is right. Quite often the psalm response is the key text which captures the thematic link between the first reading and the Gospel text. Of course that isn't the sum total of scriptural themes which the Lectionary proposes for a given day: there's also the second reading and the Entrance/Offertory/Communion antiphons. But there's perhaps a case for saying that the first reading/psalm/Gospel articulate the day's central topic. They are certainly the texts that you'd most expect to inspire the homily.
So perhaps it's not too wide of the mark to say that the theme of next Sunday's Mass is Show us, Lord, the path of life.
Indeed. Maybe Alan's"To my mind", and MCB's "Yes, I think this is right", is focusing on the issue. In the absence of quality catechesis it's left for us to freely and broadly interpret.
It's an interesting subject and one on which guidance is required. I won't hold my breath.
Gwyn wrote: Mon May 01, 2017 10:00 am
Indeed. Maybe Alan's"To my mind", and MCB's "Yes, I think this is right", is focusing on the issue. In the absence of quality catechesis it's left for us to freely and broadly interpret.
It's an interesting subject and one on which guidance is required. I won't hold my breath.
