Memorial in the Order of Malta - Our Lady of Liesse

Today is a feast day for the Order of Malta, for Our Lady of Liesse, who is more commonly known by the title “Cause of Our Joy.”

The Collect from the Missal of the Order:

O God, who brought joy to the world by the Incarnation of Christ your Son, grant to us, who honor his Mother as Cause of our Joy, the grace to follow your commandments and to set our hearts on the true joys of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings:
Prophet Zechariah 2, 14-17
Gospel of Luke 1, 39-47

There are a couple versions on the origin of the statue and it’s relation to the Order of Malta.

An ancient statue of Our Lady and child was brought from Egypt to northern France at the same time of the Crusades by three knights of our Order who had been captured by Saracens and later released. It was enshrined at Liesse, near Laon, in the diocese of Soissons (France). The original statue was destroyed during the French Revolution, Pbut the medieval basilica at Liesse remained a centre of devotion to the Mother of God: a new statue was installed and crowned there in 1857. Our Lady of Liesse is the patron of the diocese of Soissons and the focus of pilgrimages, especially an annual pilgrimage on Whit Monday.

Three knight’s, Lords of Eppes, set forth for the crusade to defend the tomb of Christ (towards 1134). The knights are caught in an ambush and taken to Cairo, in Egypt, as prisoners. The Sultan tries to persuade the knights to become Muslims. They resist pressure from the Sultan and the scribes. The sultan sends them his daughter, Princess Ismerie, to see if she can persuade them. The three Knights proclaim to her the Good News: "Jesus, the Son of Mary, is the Son of God." Princess Ismerie asks for an image of Jesus and Mary, but the knights do not know how to sculpt images. They pray, and that night the Angel of the Lord brings them a little statue. When Ismerie returns to them, she becomes more and more interested in their faith in Jesus Christ. Princess Ismerie, amazed at the statue, takes it to her apartments. During the night, Mary appears to her, asking her to free the knights from prison and to become a Christian. Princess Ismerie freed the prisoners and, trusting in the protection of God and Mary, she goes with them.

She carries with her the statue of Our Lady. Having crossed the Nile and exhausted by this long march, they fall asleep. When they awake, they find themselves near a village called Liance. Our Lady of Liance will soon become Our Lady of Liesse. Princess Ismerie is baptized by Blessed Barthelemi de Vir, Bishop of Laon. For 850 years, the Kings and Queens of France as well as pilgrims from every nation (50 000 to 100 000 each year) have come here to venerate Mary, the Mother of Jesus, she who is the Cause of our Joy, 'Laetitia', or Our Lady of Liesse.

Memorial in the Order of Malta - Our Lady of Liesse

Today is a feast day for the Order of Malta, for Our Lady of Liesse, who is more commonly known by the title “Cause of Our Joy.”

The Collect from the Missal of the Order:

O God, who brought joy to the world by the Incarnation of Christ your Son, grant to us, who honor his Mother as Cause of our Joy, the grace to follow your commandments and to set our hearts on the true joys of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings:
Prophet Zechariah 2, 14-17
Gospel of Luke 1, 39-47

There are a couple versions on the origin of the statue and it’s relation to the Order of Malta.

An ancient statue of Our Lady and child was brought from Egypt to northern France at the same time of the Crusades by three knights of our Order who had been captured by Saracens and later released. It was enshrined at Liesse, near Laon, in the diocese of Soissons (France). The original statue was destroyed during the French Revolution, Pbut the medieval basilica at Liesse remained a centre of devotion to the Mother of God: a new statue was installed and crowned there in 1857. Our Lady of Liesse is the patron of the diocese of Soissons and the focus of pilgrimages, especially an annual pilgrimage on Whit Monday.

Three knight’s, Lords of Eppes, set forth for the crusade to defend the tomb of Christ (towards 1134). The knights are caught in an ambush and taken to Cairo, in Egypt, as prisoners. The Sultan tries to persuade the knights to become Muslims. They resist pressure from the Sultan and the scribes. The sultan sends them his daughter, Princess Ismerie, to see if she can persuade them. The three Knights proclaim to her the Good News: "Jesus, the Son of Mary, is the Son of God." Princess Ismerie asks for an image of Jesus and Mary, but the knights do not know how to sculpt images. They pray, and that night the Angel of the Lord brings them a little statue. When Ismerie returns to them, she becomes more and more interested in their faith in Jesus Christ. Princess Ismerie, amazed at the statue, takes it to her apartments. During the night, Mary appears to her, asking her to free the knights from prison and to become a Christian. Princess Ismerie freed the prisoners and, trusting in the protection of God and Mary, she goes with them.

She carries with her the statue of Our Lady. Having crossed the Nile and exhausted by this long march, they fall asleep. When they awake, they find themselves near a village called Liance. Our Lady of Liance will soon become Our Lady of Liesse. Princess Ismerie is baptized by Blessed Barthelemi de Vir, Bishop of Laon. For 850 years, the Kings and Queens of France as well as pilgrims from every nation (50 000 to 100 000 each year) have come here to venerate Mary, the Mother of Jesus, she who is the Cause of our Joy, 'Laetitia', or Our Lady of Liesse.

Yesterday we attended Mass at our local parish which can often be a gamble as to which music genre we must be subjected to. Unfortunately it was the happy clappy music with the Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo, (clap, clap). I found this beautiful version by Palestrina to offset what I heard at Mass. I found one of the comments following on this YouTube clip truly telling.

this is my favorite recorded version of this piece :) I'm not a very religious person, but the music of this can literally give my entire body chills.

Perhaps this is why the Vatican has seen the need to create a new commission within the Congregation for Divine Worship tasked with improving Church architecture and music in the liturgy.

A team has been set up, to put a stop to garage style churches, boldly shaped structures that risk denaturing modern places for Catholic worship. Its task is also to promote singing that really helps the celebration of mass. The “Liturgical art and sacred music commission” will be established by the Congregation for Divine Worship over the coming weeks. This will not be just any office, but a true and proper team, whose task will be to collaborate with the commissions in charge of evaluating construction projects for churches of various dioceses. The team will also be responsible for the further study of music and singing that accompany the celebration of mass.

See the full story at Vatican Insider.

Yesterday we attended Mass at our local parish which can often be a gamble as to which music genre we must be subjected to. Unfortunately it was the happy clappy music with the Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo, (clap, clap). I found this beautiful version by Palestrina to offset what I heard at Mass. I found one of the comments following on this YouTube clip truly telling.

this is my favorite recorded version of this piece :) I'm not a very religious person, but the music of this can literally give my entire body chills.

Perhaps this is why the Vatican has seen the need to create a new commission within the Congregation for Divine Worship tasked with improving Church architecture and music in the liturgy.

A team has been set up, to put a stop to garage style churches, boldly shaped structures that risk denaturing modern places for Catholic worship. Its task is also to promote singing that really helps the celebration of mass. The “Liturgical art and sacred music commission” will be established by the Congregation for Divine Worship over the coming weeks. This will not be just any office, but a true and proper team, whose task will be to collaborate with the commissions in charge of evaluating construction projects for churches of various dioceses. The team will also be responsible for the further study of music and singing that accompany the celebration of mass.

See the full story at Vatican Insider.

Absolve Domine

As the Church's liturgical year winds down this week many people's thoughts are on the best deals they can find on Black Friday. In contrast I thought this video gives us a reminder of more eternal things. So even if we do go shopping today hopefully we find time to reflect on our spiritual needs as well as our material ones.

Absolve Domine

As the Church's liturgical year winds down this week many people's thoughts are on the best deals they can find on Black Friday. In contrast I thought this video gives us a reminder of more eternal things. So even if we do go shopping today hopefully we find time to reflect on our spiritual needs as well as our material ones.

Vivificat!: Long live Christ the King!

Vivificat!: Long live Christ the King!

Brethren, peace and good to you all in the name of our King, whose royal feast we observe today.

Pope Pius XI universally instituted The Feast of Christ the King in 1925 in his encyclical Quas Primas. Pope Pius connected the denial of Christ as king to the rise of secularism. At the time of Quas Primas, secularism was on the rise, and many Christians, even Catholics, were doubting Christ's authority, as well as the Church's, and even doubting Christ's existence. Pius XI, and the rest of the Christian world, witnessed the rise of dictatorships in Europe, and saw Catholics being taken in by these earthly leaders. Just as the Feast of Corpus Christi was instituted when devotion to the Eucharist was at a low point, the Feast of Christ the King was instituted during a time when respect for Christ and the Church was waning, when the feast was most needed. In fact, it is still needed today, as these problems have not vanished, but instead have worsened.

Pius hoped the institution of the feast would have various effects. They were:

1. That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity from the state (Quas Primas, 32).

2. That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas Primas, 31).

3. That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas, 33).

Today, the same distrust of authority exists, although the problem has gotten worse. Individualism has been embraced to such an extreme, that for many, the only authority is the individual self. The idea of Christ as ruler is rejected in such a strongly individualistic system. Also, many balk at the idea of kings and queens, believing them to be oppressive. Some even reject the titles of "lord" and "king" for Christ because they believe that such titles are borrowed from oppressive systems of government. However true these statements might be (some kings have been oppressive), these individuals miss the point: Christ's kingship is one of humility and service. Jesus said:

You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45, NAB).

and

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"... Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world,to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-37).

Thus, Jesus knew the oppressive nature of secular kings, and in contrast to them, he connected his role as king to humble service, and commanded his followers to be servants as well. In other passages of Scripture, his kingdom is tied to his suffering and death. While Christ is coming to judge the nations, his teachings spell out a kingdom of justice and judgment balanced with radical love, mercy, peace, and forgiveness. When we celebrate Christ as King, we are not celebrating an oppressive ruler, but one willing to die for humanity and whose "loving-kindness endures forever." Christ is the king that gives us true freedom, freedom in Him. Thus we must never forget that Christ radically redefined and transformed the concept of kingship.

Christ the King Sunday used to be celebrated on the last Sunday of October, but since the calendar reforms of 1969, the feast falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, which is the Sunday before Advent. It is fitting that the feast celebrating Christ's kingship is observed right before Advent, when we liturgically wait for the promised Messiah (King).

Vivificat!: Long live Christ the King!

Vivificat!: Long live Christ the King!

Brethren, peace and good to you all in the name of our King, whose royal feast we observe today.

Pope Pius XI universally instituted The Feast of Christ the King in 1925 in his encyclical Quas Primas. Pope Pius connected the denial of Christ as king to the rise of secularism. At the time of Quas Primas, secularism was on the rise, and many Christians, even Catholics, were doubting Christ's authority, as well as the Church's, and even doubting Christ's existence. Pius XI, and the rest of the Christian world, witnessed the rise of dictatorships in Europe, and saw Catholics being taken in by these earthly leaders. Just as the Feast of Corpus Christi was instituted when devotion to the Eucharist was at a low point, the Feast of Christ the King was instituted during a time when respect for Christ and the Church was waning, when the feast was most needed. In fact, it is still needed today, as these problems have not vanished, but instead have worsened.

Pius hoped the institution of the feast would have various effects. They were:

1. That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity from the state (Quas Primas, 32).

2. That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas Primas, 31).

3. That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas, 33).

Today, the same distrust of authority exists, although the problem has gotten worse. Individualism has been embraced to such an extreme, that for many, the only authority is the individual self. The idea of Christ as ruler is rejected in such a strongly individualistic system. Also, many balk at the idea of kings and queens, believing them to be oppressive. Some even reject the titles of "lord" and "king" for Christ because they believe that such titles are borrowed from oppressive systems of government. However true these statements might be (some kings have been oppressive), these individuals miss the point: Christ's kingship is one of humility and service. Jesus said:

You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45, NAB).

and

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"... Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world,to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-37).

Thus, Jesus knew the oppressive nature of secular kings, and in contrast to them, he connected his role as king to humble service, and commanded his followers to be servants as well. In other passages of Scripture, his kingdom is tied to his suffering and death. While Christ is coming to judge the nations, his teachings spell out a kingdom of justice and judgment balanced with radical love, mercy, peace, and forgiveness. When we celebrate Christ as King, we are not celebrating an oppressive ruler, but one willing to die for humanity and whose "loving-kindness endures forever." Christ is the king that gives us true freedom, freedom in Him. Thus we must never forget that Christ radically redefined and transformed the concept of kingship.

Christ the King Sunday used to be celebrated on the last Sunday of October, but since the calendar reforms of 1969, the feast falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, which is the Sunday before Advent. It is fitting that the feast celebrating Christ's kingship is observed right before Advent, when we liturgically wait for the promised Messiah (King).

Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy

Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy

Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy

Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy