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Home , Ecclesiastical Latin, Last Gospel

In Defense of Preserving Readings in by Peter Kwasniewski photo by Ron Lawson

n the wake of the Summorum we should stalwartly resist such a vernacularization of Pontificumthere has been considerable discus- the readings. sion of its provision for doing the readings of the traditional Latin in the . The of the Western Church I Although this permission is said to apply With the passing of ages, and even with considerable only to low Masses (in high Mass the readings be organic development in the various rites and uses of chanted in Latin), and although it the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the is only an option that need never be Changing the readings never jettisoned the chosen, the very mention of the idea mother tongue of the . has prompted proponents of a “modi- of the usus antiquior into Latin became a sacral and hieratic fied”usus antiquior to suggest that the vernacular as a rule language and served a role that has in the future we should simply drop would be a major change been compared with that of ancient Latin readings altogether and replace Greek for the Greek Orthodox, of them with vernacular versions, in in the manner in which this Hebrew for the Jews, of Quranic keeping with their understanding form of the Roman Rite is Arabic for the Moslems, and of San- of the desire of the Second Vatican skrit for the Hindus. Such languages Council to make the Mass more “ac- celebrated; it would mark a are not simply exchangeable with a cessible” to the people. rupture in the way the Mass vernacular, as if the two stand on the Needless to say, changing the has come down to Catholics same level, or as if any translation readings of the usus antiquior into offered to the people could be said to the vernacular as a rule would be of the Latin rite for well convey the full meaning of the origi- a major change in the manner in over 1,500 years. nal religious text, which serves as which this form of the Roman Rite is a perennial gravitational center that celebrated; it would mark a rupture keeps the forces of diverse cultures in the way the Mass has come down to Catholics of the and circumstances from assuming control. Latin rite for well over 1,500 years. In this article, I Put differently, it is not equivalent to do the read- would like to reflect on some of the many reasons why ings in Latin and in the vernacular, because the former,

10 Summer 2013 In Defense of Preserving Readings in Latin as perfected and fixed over time, is for us the very ary, reading out the in the vernacular), it is language of formal , while the latter is a diverse the ministerial who comes to the fore and acts and ever-changing medium of communica- in propria persona. The priest’s acting in persona tion. It is a rationalist fallacy to think that languages Christi, on the other hand, is symbolized by the use are all equal to one another, so that it is a matter of of Latin throughout the rest of the Mass, the formal- indifference whether readings are given in Latin or ity, the unchanging prayers, the appointed readings in in a vernacular language. Every language is a bearer a tongue consecrated for worship, the or Rule of cultural, aesthetic, and even political values; every which brings the entire people to the foot of the Cross language flows from, evokes, and reinforces a certain on Calvary and communicates to them none other than world, greater or smaller, older or younger. It is there- the Body and Blood of the Lord Himself, Who as fore not the same experience to give or to hear readings true God and true man is at once the Sacrifice offered, in Latin and to give or to hear them in English; for the the Priest Who offers It, and the God Who receives It. one vehicle is universal, tied down to no particular The integrity of the parts of the Mass—that fact that people or nation or age, redolent of the ages of faith, many disparate elements come together in one great suited to the sacred ambiance of the church, while the offering of worship—is strongly brought home to the other, whatever its merits, has not worshiper by the use of this the same qualities. The chanting of the noble, ancient, and worshipful towards the people, the language. The whole is a flow- Seamless Garment of the Lord ing river, a seamless garment, a Another argument in favor of towards the (pagan) North, and landscape in which the various preserving Latin for the lections the towards the , distinct objects are gathered at Mass—and by no means a neg- itself symbolizes the and together into a natural unity of ligible one, given the sanctifying environment. Think of mountains function of the liturgy—comes total conversio ad Deum which covered with pine trees—one can from the experience of worship- is the entire purpose of Scripture see many individual items, but ers accustomed to the unity and the whole view is utterly one. coherence, formality and dignity and the Holy Sacrifice. There is no awkward transition of the traditional Roman Rite. or lack of transition from part Akin to the seamless garment of the Lord, this rite is to part; there is simply the flow of one great action of woven of from top to bottom. To Christ the High Priest, teaching, ruling, sanctifying. shift from Latin dialogues and orations to vernacu- lar readings is experienced as a jarring disruption, an Symbolism of Solemn Readings awkward movement away from theocentric focus and One may not, of course, deny that the word of God is ceremonial formality. One steps outside of the realm the word of God regardless of what language it is in. of the liturgical action which is oriented towards the The point is rather a symbolic one, at least as regards adoration of God into a didactic mode directed to the the lections at Mass, and it should be readily appar- people. There is a time and place for such instruction, ent that symbolism is not something incidental to the namely, the ; and it is neither inappropriate nor liturgy but is rather a constitutive dimension of the surprising that in many places the readings are read in entire sacramental system. Put differently, how we do the vernacular from the pulpit prior to the homily. The the readings, how we treat the book and the handling inclusion of such vernacular readings is not considered of it and the chanting of it, is just as important, and in to be part of the liturgical action, and for good reason: it some ways more important, than the specific message is a moment of teaching the people, and is not directed delivered in any given set of readings. The special way to God per se. In the classical Roman rite, in contrast, Scriptures are treated at the Extraordinary Form is al- the readings, whether spoken or chanted, are offered up ready a powerful formation of the soul of the believer. to God as a kind of verbal incense, a spiritual offer- Among the most moving and beautiful signs of the ing of the word to the Word before Whom we come in latreutic or adorational function of the readings in adoration. The words here are a prayer of praise and pe- the usus antiquior are those times in the course of the tition. They teach us, indeed (how could they not?), but when the priest, ministers, and faithful their function in the Eucharistic liturgy goes far beyond genuflect during the reading of the Gospel at a passage conveying a doctrinal message. that narrates some reality that cries out for the total At the time of the homily (and, where it is custom- response of the believer, in body and soul. Thus, on

Summer 2013 11 In Defense of Preserving Readings in Latin

Epiphany and during its , The Sacrality of when the priest reads or chants the Act of Reading that the Magi fell down and One way in which the ancient worshiped the Christ-child, he, Mass sets apart the word of God and everyone with him, bends for special veneration and allows the knee in silent adoration. In the faithful to perceive its unique Lenten Masses the priest kneels character is by treating it in a at the Adiuva nos; on the way that mere profane texts are second Passion Sunday, the Find- never treated, namely, by chant- ing of the Holy Cross, and the ing it in its entirety. Right away, Exaltation of the Holy Cross, at we are catapulted, as it were, into the Epistle (“ut in nomine Jesu a different world, the world of omne genu flectatur”); and on a God, in which His holy words, so number of other occasions, such beautiful and so beloved, must be as at the third Mass of , lovingly lingered over, savored when the Prologue of Saint John and reverenced, lifted up in a is read; at the end of the Gospel solemn sacrifice of song. One for Wednesday of the Fourth cannot overestimate the formative of (Jn. 9:1-38); dur- power of the chanted readings to ing the before the Veni, communicate immediately to the Sancte Spiritus ; and at faithful that we are plunged into photo by Ron Lawson votive Masses of the Holy Spirit, the very midst of God’s holiness the Passion of the Lord, and De- when we encounter His word in liverance from Mortality. In the usus antiquior, exactly Scripture. This liturgical action of Sadly, in the revised Roman lit- reading puts us in contact with the urgy, this passionate yet peaceful parallel to the kneeling at the source of sanctification, and does gesture is reduced to Palm Sunday Et incarnatus is the kneeling so in a way that deserves a treat- and Good Friday, at the moment at Et Verbum caro factum est ment no less noble than any part of the narration of the death of of the Ordinary (, Gloria, our Lord. One might compare this of the . In these , , ) or reduction to the parallel reduction and many other instances, the Preface of the Mass receives. of the number of times the faithful How strange it would be to chant genuflect at the Et incarnatus est. we see how the traditional so many other prayers, written by In the 1962 Missale Romanum, the Mass literally embodies our holy men but not equivalent to the faithful kneel for that statement faith by bringing into play not revealed and infallible word of every time the Creed is recited or God, and yet to leave unchanted sung, in a poignant reminder that only man’s mind or voice, but the very words of God Himself! If the Incarnation of the Son of God his entire body—as befits a it is only the lover who sings, ac- is the center of all time and indeed cording to Saint Augustine, should of all reality; in the revised Mis- religion founded on the Word not the lover of God sing most of sale Romanum, the call for made flesh. all the words of God? such kneeling at the Et incarnatus With this theological back- est exclusively on Christmas and the Annunciation, and ground in mind, it is fair to say that the chanting of in practice, such kneeling is often omitted through lack the lections would suffer considerably if a sudden and of familiarity, or causes confusion when attempted. rash change were to be made in favor of vernacular In the usus antiquior, exactly parallel to the kneeling readings. The chanting tones for the various classes at the Et incarnatus is the kneeling at Et Verbum caro of readings are ancient, solemn, noble, and perfectly factum est of the Last Gospel. In these and many other fitted to the language. Although can be instances, we see how the traditional Mass literally em- sung by those capable of adapting the tones to the bodies our faith by bringing into play not only man’s character of a particular language, the Church of the mind or voice, but his entire body—as befits a religion Roman Rite had never done this historically, and so an founded on the Word made flesh. organic opportunity for developing vernacular chant

12 Summer 2013 In Defense of Preserving Readings in Latin never occurred. In any event the Widespread Literacy very worst thing that could hap- Lastly, in this age of widespread pen would be the loss of chanted literacy and hunger for the sa- readings right at a time when this cred, there is no really pressing magnificent custom is beginning need for the change from Latin to make a return thanks to the to vernacular. In the words of the solemn celebration of the usus ’s Con- antiquior. stitution on the Sacred Liturgy In the , by contrast, , “there when the Epistle and Gospel are must be no innovations unless merely spoken, reverence the good of the Church genuinely for the Word of God is assured and certainly requires them” by the priest reading it at the (SC 23). It is clear to all who altar, signifying two things: first, are involved in the movement to that this word of Scripture is recover the traditional worship derived from and ordered to the of the Roman Rite that the Latin primal Word of God, Jesus Christ language is a dearly loved and the High Priest, the Lawgiver, particularly beautiful sign of the the very life of the word; sec- unity of the Catholic Church and ond, that this word of Scripture the grandeur of our millennial Four Fathers of the (detail) by Jacob Jordaens is so sacred that it is not treated history. As far as participatio like any other word (e.g., an- actuosa is concerned, either the nouncements or homily), but is It is therefore not the same readings can be given in the reserved to the spiritual domain vernacular after they are read or symbolized by the altar of divine experience to give or to hear chanted in the Church’s mother sacrifice. This is a guarantee that readings in Latin and to give tongue, as is done in many the uniquely sacred character of places; or today’s faithful can the text will be appreciated and or to hear them in English; for follow along in their daily mis- respected. There is ample room the one vehicle is universal, sals or with a pamphlet prepared in the homily to apply the word tied down to no particular for the occasion. of God to the lives of the faithful, No one goes to the tradi- so that there is no need to fear too people or nation or age, tional Mass in order to “hear great a “separation” between the redolent of the ages of faith, Scripture,” since that is hardly domain of the spiritual and the the main purpose of the Holy domain of life in the world. The suited to the sacred ambiance Sacrifice; we go to worship God word of Scripture should never of the church, while the other, and be nourished by His Word be severed from its home—the whatever its merits, has not and His Flesh, and to this pro- Word, the font of life, the fire of found and specific purpose the love, the pleasing and acceptable the same qualities. modest but well-chosen Scrip- sacrifice of holiness. ture passages make a decisive That is why it is not only not confusing for the contribution. It is my conviction, and that of many of priest to chant or read the readings at the altar, but my fellow Catholics in the new , eminently fitting when the liturgy is not of a more that the use of the traditional Latin language makes a solemn character, with a greater diversity of hierarchi- similarly decisive contribution, one that deserves to cal ministers. The more solemn the liturgy, the more be understood, cherished, and preserved for all future appropriate it is to separate out the elements and give generations. ✠ each of them greater prominence. Thus, the chanting of the Epistle towards the people, the Gospel towards Dr. Peter A. Kwasniewski is Professor of the (pagan) North, and the Preface towards the altar, Theology and Philosophy at Wyoming Catholic itself symbolizes the gradual and total conversio ad College in Lander, Wyoming. He is also a Deum which is the entire purpose of Scripture and the composer of sacred music and directs the Holy Sacrifice. College’s and Schola.

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