Second Sunday of Lent
March 5, 2023 •
One of the things (Pope Benedict) clearly explains in Spirit of the Liturgy is why he thinks God wants, at least for a while in the history of the Church, two different rituals to be celebrated in one rite of the Church. One r-i-t-e of the Church.
You see, the definition of a "rite" within the Catholic Church is a "way of celebrating the liturgy". So different rites are ways of celebrating the Mass. There's the Coptic rite, Ukranian rite... it's all the same Mass. The same Last Supper of the Catholic Church. But they're different rites.
We are the Roman rite. That's what we are. We're Roman Catholics.
Every rite should have a singular celebration of the Mass. It is illogical for any singular rite to have multiple celebrations. That doesn't make any sense! Those (different celebrations) would be separate rites. Ultimately, Roman Catholics can't have two rites in the Church.
Benedict XVI explains this in Spirit of the Liturgy. Why would God be allowing this right now in history? It's confusing.
Look what it's doing to the Body of Christ in the Roman rite. It's causing disunity and disagreements. . . .
Why would this be the will of God? To have two rites (within the Roman church) at least for a time.
It's because of the abuses and bad implementation of the Novus Ordo after the Second Vatican Council. There was nothing wrong with the Council, it was how its teachings were applied which was not always good. . . .
Pope Benedict XVI explains in his book that the reason the Holy Spirit is allowing both of these celebrations to go on in the Church - at least temporarily even though it is causing division - is because the Extraordinary form needs to "rub off" and correct the errors in the ordinary form. Meaning: the ordinary form has to pick back up the good habits that were lost after the Second Vatican Council.
Pope Benedict XVI clearly says that's why only for a time are we supposed to have these two forms. But it's supposed to end. (The Extraordinary form) is supposed to be abrogated from the Roman rite because we are Roman rite Catholics and there should be only one rite of the Mass. Not two.
Theologically, the last three popes are in agreement. And that has to be the will of God, there's no doubt about it.
Why is it happening at this time and in this way? Many of my brother priests and laypeople to whom I speak on this topic are struggling so much. To lose the ability to celebrate and experience the Extraordinary form, is a cross to them because they love it so much. It's like losing a loved one. It's like experiencing a type of death.
Why would God be asking this of them at this time? Why is this the will of God for them and for the rest of the Church?
Gn 12:1-4a; Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22; 2 Tm 1:8b-10; Mt 17:1-9
Due to technical issues, we were unable to stream this Sunday's Mass. We apologize.