Mass for the Election of a Pope

Few Masses are rarer for the schola to sing than the Missa pro Eligendo Pontifice,the Mass for choosing a Pope, though we joke sometimes that the rarest votive Mass in a Monastery is the Pro Sponso et Sponsa (the Nuptial Mass), which, of course, is never said since we, as monks, have no formal pastoral ministry.

Introit

The Introit that is sung as the priest arrives at the foot of the altar is:

Introitus. 1. Reg. 2, 35. Suscitábo mihi sacerdótem fidélem, qui juxta cor meum et ánimam meam fáciet: et ædificábo ei domum fidélem, et ambulábit coram Christo meo cunctis diébus. Allelúja, allelúja. Ps. 131, 1. Meménto, Dómine, David: et omnis mansuetúdinis ejus. ℣. Glória Patri.

Introit. I Samuel 2:35. I will take to Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to My Heart and My Soul, and I shall build for him a faithful house, and he shall walk before My Christ all days. Alleluia, alleluia. Ps 131(132):1. Remember, O Lord, David, and all his Meekness. ℣. Glory be to the Father.

The Introit comes from God’s judgment upon Eli. Eli loved the Lord and wanted to follow him, but had not disciplined his sons, Hophni and Phineas. He knew of their wickedness, but he kept silent. They had stolen from the sacrifice, from the fat of the victims that was for the Lord alone. They had eaten the food with the blood in it, but the life is in the blood and it is for God alone. They had defiled the consecrated women at the door of the tent. And Eli, the high priest, did not intervene. And so God cast him aside and prophecied a faithful priest.

This priest is Jesus, and in the context of this Mass, we are to hear this as a prophecy of the Father about Jesus and about the faithful house He built, the Church, and, particularly in these days, the see of Peter, which will last until the end of the days, which is the centre of unity of the One Church, to which all creatures must be subject for their salvation. Jesus established the see of Peter, He built it. The Church wants us to have confidence. Though history has shown that, tragically, there have been “Eli”s and “Hophni”s and “Phineas”s in the papacy, God’s promise is not based off on the fidelity of Peter and his successors, but upon Christ. Not even the sins of Eli, nor of Hophni and Phineas his sons, can remove the fidelity of the Lord, and the Lord has given a sign of this in the Papacy.

This confidence is strengthed by the great messianic Psalm 131(132). It is worth meditating upon this Psalm in these days, which may be especially chosen because of the verse, “I will clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall rejoice with exceeding great joy.”

Another great Messianic Psalm is Psalm 88(89). It is divided into two portions. The first tells of the confidence we should have in the promises of God to Christ (and to His Church and the Vicar of Christ). The second part speaks of an apparent abandonment from God and the confusion that this causes. Yet God’s fidelity is not weakened even in these appearances. The ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises to David is Jesus, and Jesus’ promises will never fail.

Collect

Oratio.
Súpplici, Dómine, humilitáte depóscimus: ut sacrosánctæ Románæ Ecclésiæ concédat Pontíficem illum tua imménsa píetas; qui et pio in nos stúdio semper tibi plácitus, et tuo pópulo pro salúbri regímine sit assídue ad glóriam tui nóminis reveréndus. Per Dóminum.

Collect
We that supplicate before Thee, O Lord, beseech Thee with humility that Thine unmeasurable devotion (pietas) wouldst grant to the sacrosanct Roman Church that Pontiff who shall please Thee ever with a devoted zeal (pio studio) towards us, and be revered continually by Thy People for his salutary reign, to the glory of Thy Name. Through our Lord Jesus.

The Collect begins with a profound attitude of humility. A supplex is literally one folded over upon himself. By identifying ourself as the supplicants that humbly beseech, we are taking an extreme posture of humility.

What we ask for is for a Pontiff of the Church of Rome that will be have a pio studio for us and so please God. This pio studio refers back to the Roman virtue of pietas, which is especially tender, fatherly dutifulness. Think of the English phrase “a devoted husband”, or “a devoted father”, and you will have the idea.

Interestingly, we are appealing to God’s pietas for a Pope will will have a pio studio for us, that is, a zealous, careful, eager tender fatherly care. God said of Israel: “Israel is my first-born son.” The Church, as the New Israel of faith, is regarded like an adopted son in God’s Son. God has the same tender care for the Church as He has for His own Son, Jesus. The Church wants us to appeal to this tender care. But since the Vicar of Christ is to act in Christ’s place, we ask for him to have the quality of a true father, one that is dutiful and careful, tender and loving to his son. Finally, we ask that the rule of the Pope for the Church would inspire reverence towards the Pope and so honour God. The Church really wants a worthy Pope!

Epistle

The Epistle begins with the last verse from verse from Hebrews 4, a verse made dear to us because of the familiar melody that it is set to when it is used for the Introit of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Let us go with confidence to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid.

One of the names traditionally given to Mary is propiatorium, Mercy Seat. We spoke all about Mercy in the Introit Psalm, where it was used to inspire confidence in us in the promises God made when He made a Covenant with our true David, Jesus Christ. Now we are urged to go to Mary, the Throne of Grace, made bold by God’s promises and mercy, to ask for a Pope.

What sort of Pope?
The Epistle tells us: one that offers gifts and sacrifices for the sins of the People; one who has compassion on weakness, knowing his own infirmity, and so offers the Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ for his own sins and for ours; one who does not take the honour to himself but is called like Christ; one who is a priest like Christ, who joins in the prayer of Christ, interceding with tears and a mighty cry; one who
will be heard for his reverence.

And so may it be.
Our Lady, Queen and Mother of the Church, Mediatrix of all Graces, hear our prayer. Amen.

First Alleluia

The first Alleluia has a striking and unusual melody. It can be heard as Jesus’ own’ admonition.

Let him be a priest that is holy, just as I, the Lord, am also holy, I that sanctify all of you.

Who is it the Lord is addressing this to? Perhaps we should hear Him addressing the Cardinal Electors directly. We can ask the August
Queen of Heaven to carry this admonition to the Cardinal Electors this day by the hands of her holy angels.

Second Alleluia

In the Liturgical providence of God, the Second Alleluia is the
same as last Sunday’s Alleluia, the Alleluia of Good Shepherd Sunday.

I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own sheep, and My own know Me.

This text has been on our mind since Spy Wednesday, when we wrote about God’s merciful faithfulness to His Covenant, the need to pray for Popes, and how it is now time for the Lord to act. That post was inspired by the anniversary of the Servant of God Sister Clare Crockett, who remains a good intercessor for the Papacy.

Christ is the true shepherd of the Church. May whoever is elected Pope know that he acts in the place of the good shepherd. As Pope Benedict XVI prayed for himself in the homily that set the direction for the rest of Sister Clare Crockett’s life:

“Feed my sheep”, says Christ to Peter, and now, at this moment, he says it to me as well. Feeding means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God’s truth, of God’s word, the nourishment of his presence, which he gives us in the Blessed Sacrament. My dear friends – at this moment I can only say: pray for me, that I may learn to love the Lord more and more. Pray for me, that I may learn to love his flock more and more – in other words, you, the holy Church, each one of you and all of you together. Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.

Indeed, Lord, grant this also for the next Pope. Grant him to be ready to feed Thy sheep, to suffer for them, to nourish them with Thy Truth, with Thy Word, with Thy Most Precious Body and Blood. Grant that He loves Thy Mystical Body, the Holy Catholic Church. Grant him to never flee the wolves.

Gospel

The Gospel begins with a command to keep the commandments of the Lord. No one can love the Lord who does not do what He has said. The commands of the Lord are the non-negotiable centre of Christian love. The command above all that the Pope must follow is to love as Jesus loved, laying down His life for the Bride of Christ (Cf. Eph 5), and giving the Lord to His Bride in Word and and in the Most Holy Sacrament. But Jesus will not leave him an orphan in this, but will give him all the graces necessary, a “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over” (Luke 6:38).

Jesus also does not leave us orphans. He sends us the Pater Pauperum, the Father of the Poor, the Holy Spirit. Even visibly, He gives us the Bishops, and soon He will give us a Pope, a Papa. The Church desires this Pope to be a true representation of the Fatherhood of Jesus.

Offertory

Offertorium. 3. Esdræ 5, 40. Non participéntur sancta, donec exsúrgat póntifex in ostensiónem et veritátem. Allelúja.

Offertory. 3 Esdras 5:40. Let them not take part in the holy things until there arises a pontiff unto manifestation and unto truth.

This passage comes from the Septuagint version of 3 Esdras. 3 Esdras is not part of the canonical Scriptures. Perhaps its use shows the antiquity of using this text for this Mass. In the Septuagint, the word translated as ostensionem is δήλωσιν, from δηλόω, to make something clear, to show, to reveal. In the context of 3 Esdras, this admonition is given as a warning to those who had usurped the priesthood and been removed from executing its office.

God requires that we worship Him in the way He has taught. One needs to be orthodox, a word that means we give to God the right glory. If Aaron’s sons Nabad and Abihu were consumed for offering strange fire upon the altar that the Lord had not commanded (Lev 10:1-3), we can be sure that God takes the purity of His Divine Worship very seriously.

We hear this chant at the Offertory of the Mass, and it is reminder to us that Lord has given the charism of infallibility and the power of the keys to the Pope. We must offer the Holy Things in union with the Church founded on Peter, giving glory to God in true doctrine.

Secret

Secreta.
Tuæ nobis, Dómine, abundántia pietátis indúlgeat: ut per sacra múnera, quæ tibi reveréner offérimus, gratum majestáti tuæ Pontíficem sanctæ matris Ecclésiæ regímini præésse gaudeámus. Per Dóminum.

Secret.
May the abundance of Thy Devotedness, O Lord, render Thee indulgent that through the sacred gifts which we offer reverently to Thee, we may rejoice to have a Pontiff pleasing to Thy Majesty preside over the governance of Holy Mother Church. Through our Lord.

Once again, we encounter the word pietas. God’s fatherly care for the Church is the source of all our confidence. He is indulgent towards the Church. This may, in fact, be the best translation of indulgeat in this case, because it implies not only forgiveness, but a willingness to give gifts beyond merit. God is fond of the Church. She is the Bride of His Son, or, if you prefer, identified with His Son as His Son’s own Body. These two amount to the same thing, however, according to the words of Ephesians 5:28-30, which likens the wife to the husband’s own body. St John Paul II seems to have thought this comparison was done on purpose by Paul, since the Bride of Christ is also the Mystical Body of Christ. But regardless of which analogy we choose, the essential point remains the same: God is indulgent towards us, and we can confidently ask that, as we offer Him the Body of His Son as a pleasing sacrifice for an odour of sweetness, He will give us a Pope pleasing to Him.

Communion Antiphon

The Communion comes from description of the High Priest Aaron’s ordination that God gave to Moses. Aaron is to wear sacred vestments and enter the tabernacle of the covenant to minister. We should remember that in the early Church the one elected Pope would not have been a Bishop. He was often the Pope’s subdeacon. He would have to be consecrated like Aaron and his sons. As we receive the sacred Gifts, we are called to remember that soon there shall be another high priest who will offer these sacrifices.

Postcommunion

Postcommunio.
Pretiósi Córporis et Sánguinis tui nos, Dómine, sacraménto reféctos, mirífica tuæ majestátis grátia de illíus Summi Pontíficis concessióne lætíficet: qui et plebem tuam virtútibus ínstruat, et fidélium mentes spirituálium aromátum odóre perfúndat: Qui vivis et regnas.

Postcommunion
May Thy wondrous grace, O Lord, make us glad who have been refreshed by the Sacrament of Thy Precious Body and Blood, through granting a Supreme Pontiff to instruct Thy People in virtues and pour forth upon the minds of the faithful the fragrance of spiritual spices: Thou Who livest and reignest.

We close this Mass with a prayer addressed not to the Father, as we have been doing all Mass, but to Jesus, Whom we have just received. In that tender moment of Holy Communion, we ask Him to grant us a Pope who will instruct the Church in virtues and make of us a sweet smelling offering to the pleasure of God.

Amen.