One of the many problems with the New Order Mass is that it is focused on the community rather
than constantly and consistently on the Holy Sacrifice of Christ. It even has lay people bring up the "offering of the gifts", as if the Mass was about what we were giving to God of our own selves. In reality, the offering is Christ; the priest does act as an "alter Christe", sacrificing himself to bring down Christ in the Consecration, but we participate in the offering of Christ.
This focus as if the highest good is what we can do for one another in the name of Christ stems from the immanentistic basis on which the Novus Ordo Missae was intentionally formed. It was for this reason that inevitably, abuses would stem, while this breaks down into many specifics which for purposes of this post, I will defer to discuss at a possible future post.
This looking to one another in the name of worship, rather than looking chiefly to Christ in the context of worship is not just the reason we lost external solemnity with the New Order Mass, but also internal solemnity, as a result. Never-the-less, BOTH are necessary, not one or the other.
In preparation for this Lent, which begins tomorrow, I wanted to share with you the need to practice this internal solemnity by simply referring more to the saints in Heaven for assistance than to friends and family. I do not mean to advise you avoid speaking to them for advice if they are known to give good counsel, but do not do so then exclude first and foremost the saints. And when you speak to the saints, detach from the response, for it will not come as if you are having a dialogue (unless you are a highly advanced, Catholic mystic ... insert joke here as to why you would bother with this blog ....), both practice anticipating their intercession, and as God wills, re-devoting yourself to holy Providence. This heavenly community has "made it" already to being perfectly united to God and His Divine Will, and will guide you better by the most pious earthly community. Remember that charity is love first of God, and secondly, love of neighbor out of that first love, as He loved us first.
And their is no dichotomy in love of God vs. love of neighbor. God loves our neighbor more than you will ever love him, and for ANYONE to suggest that we could be too "rigid" in putting God and obedience to Him first, is suggesting that we put ourselves and the world before Him (if even in His name). Remember also that the grace of God TRANSFORMS, and not simply covers us and leaves as as "cow dung", as Luther would have you believe. Our Lord says that "my grace is sufficient" and to "be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect." No one says it happens over night, but only someone without the faith will say it is impossible.
Love God and seek Him. Find help in the Church Triumphant.
