Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Fruitful participation

Since I'm working away on tomorrow evening's talk on the new Missal*, I thought I would give you a sneak preview. (Please join us live online for the video stream tomorrow at 6:30 Central Time!) One of the new little bits that stuck out for me at first comes from the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer. When the priest introduces the cup (excuse me, "chalice"), he now says that Christ "took the cup, filled with wine..." Come Advent, he will say that the chalice was "filled with the fruit of the vine."


In this case, the new phrasing is not only less prosaic, it is more “environmentally conscious”: our attention is drawn not to the human product “wine,” but to the presence of God's original creation with overtones about the Promised Land, and God's abundant blessings that bring us joy and gives fullness to life. The created world itself is made more manifest to us, and when we receive the gifts “back” after they have become the body and blood of Christ, we get a stronger message about the future transformation of the whole universe. So there is a cosmic level that just isn't expressed as richly when we hear the word “wine.”

This is just one example of how the new, more literal translation gives biblical language a chance to get “into” us. When we come across the same expression in reading the bible or hearing a reading, we'll intuitively make the connection. So this supports our grasp of the unity of Scripture, with Jesus as the cornerstone.

4 comments:

Lisa said...

That is a profound and deeply engaging reflection on the new phrasing and words. I am looking forward to these changes and the journey to understand them deepening the experience of the Eucharistic Liturgy.

Thank you for sharing the fruits of your contemplation!

Anonymous said...

Just when I thought I had mastered when to sit and when to stand. Voila

Lisa said...

Sister Anne, the presentation on the new translation of the Roman Missal was phenomenal! So thorough and filled with reflection and practical ideas for more deeply experiencing the Eucharistic Liturgy.

I totally recommend you and your presentation to any parish or group who is considering an invite.

Chris Dickson, F.L.A. said...

I am looking forward to the new translation, Sister. As a young Altar Boy being made to go from Latin to English, our current wording is a very poor translation or the original.

Keeping you in my daily prayers.