{"id":13718,"date":"2016-08-14T05:30:51","date_gmt":"2016-08-14T04:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/?p=13718"},"modified":"2016-08-14T14:21:59","modified_gmt":"2016-08-14T13:21:59","slug":"with-mary-into-the-love-of-things-invisible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/2016\/08\/with-mary-into-the-love-of-things-invisible\/","title":{"rendered":"With Mary, into the love of things invisible"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"gress-CZESTOCHOWA-650x340\"
\nI gave the following homily at the Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa in J\u00f3zef\u00f3w on Saturday morning 13th August 2016. The Polish text, translated by Natalia Lajszczak was read by the Reverend Father Bartosz Porzezi\u0144ski. For the English text of the homily, scroll down.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"IMG_0020\"J\u00f3zef\u00f3w, 13 sierpnia 2016<\/p>\n

Msza na \u015bwi\u0119ta Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny rozpoczyna si\u0119 s\u0142owami bezpo\u015brednio zwr\u00f3conymi do Matki Bo\u017cej. To samo w sobie jest bardzo niezwyk\u0142e. Zdecydowana wi\u0119kszo\u015b\u0107 antyfon na wej\u015bcie w rycie rzymskim to s\u0142owa zaczerpni\u0119te z psalm\u00f3w, to wo\u0142anie do Boga: wo\u0142anie z niepokojem, wo\u0142anie z niezachwian\u0105 wiar\u0105, wo\u0142anie w smutku, w rado\u015bci, wo\u0142anie z uwielbieniem czy z dzi\u0119kczynieniem. Dzi\u015b natomiast Ko\u015bci\u00f3\u0142 czerpie z tw\u00f3rczo\u015bci Seduliusza, poety chrze\u015bcija\u0144skiego z V wieku.
\nDusza Ko\u015bcio\u0142a wznosi si\u0119, by pozdrowi\u0107 Naj\u015bwi\u0119tsza Matk\u0119, kt\u00f3ra wyda\u0142a na \u015bwiat Kr\u00f3la. Druga cz\u0119\u015b\u0107 antyfony pochodzi z psalmu 44, kt\u00f3ry jest kr\u00f3lewsk\u0105 pie\u015bni\u0105 weseln\u0105. Matka Bo\u017ca odpowiada w niej na pozdrowienie Ko\u015bcio\u0142a. Jakimi s\u0142owami? \u201eZ mego serca p\u0142ynie pi\u0119kne s\u0142owo; pie\u015b\u0144 moj\u0105 \u015bpiewam dla Kr\u00f3la\u201d (Ps 44,2). C\u00f3\u017c jest tym pi\u0119knym s\u0142owem wypowiedzianym przez Maryj\u0119? Czy to nie to samo s\u0142owo, na kt\u00f3re czeka\u0142o ca\u0142e stworzenie? Czy to nie odpowied\u017a na zwiastowanie? \u201eOto ja s\u0142u\u017cebnica Pa\u0144ska, niechaj mi si\u0119 stanie wed\u0142ug s\u0142owa twego\u201d (\u0141k 1, 38). A jak\u0105 pie\u015b\u0144 Maryja \u015bpiewa dla Kr\u00f3la? Czy to nie ta sama pie\u015b\u0144, kt\u00f3r\u0105 ma na ustach w domu \u015bwi\u0119tej El\u017cbiety? \u201eUwielbia dusza moja Pana.<\/p>\n

I rozradowa\u0142 si\u0119 duch m\u00f3j w Bogu, Zbawicielu moim. I\u017c wejrza\u0142 na uni\u017cenie s\u0142u\u017cebnicy swojej. Bo oto b\u0142ogos\u0142awion\u0105 zwa\u0107 mi\u0119 b\u0119d\u0105 wszystkie
\nnarody\u201d (\u0141k 1, 46-48).<\/p>\n

Dzisiejsza antyfona wyra\u017anie ma form\u0119 dialogu. To rozmowa mi\u0119dzy Ko\u015bcio\u0142em
\nna ziemi, a Kr\u00f3low\u0105 nieba. Po fragmencie z psalmu niebo i ziemia \u0142\u0105cz\u0105 si\u0119
\nwe wsp\u00f3lnym wychwalaniu Ojca, Syna i Ducha \u015awi\u0119tego. Poprzez t\u0119 antyfon\u0119 spogl\u0105damy na tajemnic\u0119 ka\u017cdej Mszy \u015awi\u0119tej. Jest ona wype\u0142nieniem tego, co zobaczy\u0142 Jakub: \u201eWe \u015bnie ujrza\u0142 drabin\u0119 opart\u0105 na ziemi, si\u0119gaj\u0105c\u0105 swym wierzcho\u0142kiem nieba, oraz anio\u0142\u00f3w Bo\u017cych, kt\u00f3rzy wchodzili w g\u00f3r\u0119 i schodzili na d\u00f3\u0142.\u201d<\/p>\n

W czytaniu zaczerpni\u0119tym z M\u0105dro\u015bci Syracha s\u0142yszymy s\u0142owa samej Matki Bo\u017cej. Maryja przemawia do Ko\u015bcio\u0142a zebranego na \u015awi\u0119tej Ofierze. Ta, kt\u00f3ra jest \u201epe\u0142na \u0142aski\u201d (\u0141k 1,28) m\u00f3wi nam o miejscu, kt\u00f3re od zawsze mia\u0142a w sercu Boga, o swoim udziale we Wcieleniu, o swojej roli w \u017cyciu Ko\u015bcio\u0142a na ziemi i w niebie. \u201eA przebywanie moje \u2013 m\u00f3wi Maryja \u2013 w zgromadzeniu \u015bwi\u0119tych\u201d (Syr 24, 16).<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0069\"
\n\u015apiewaj\u0105c gradua\u0142 i alleluja, Ko\u015bci\u00f3\u0142 odpowiada na s\u0142owa Maryi. Tu tak\u017ce, podobnie jak w antyfonie, Ko\u015bci\u00f3\u0142 zwraca si\u0119 bezpo\u015brednio do Matki Boga, kontempluj\u0105c j\u0105 jakby w uniesieniu. U\u017cy\u0142em s\u0142owa \u201euniesienie\u201d celowo, bowiem kontempluj\u0105c Niepokalan\u0105 zawsze wznosimy si\u0119 ponad samych siebie ku Bo\u017cemu \u015bwiat\u0142u. Spogl\u0105daj\u0105c bowiem na Maryj\u0119 lub s\u0142uchaj\u0105c tego, co m\u00f3wi, jeste\u015bmy porywani do \u201eumi\u0142owania rzeczy niewidzialnych\u201d, in invisibilium amorem rapiamur, jak \u015bpiewamy w prefacji o Bo\u017cym Narodzeniu.<\/p>\n

Dzisiejsza Ewangelia jest bardzo kr\u00f3tka. G\u0142\u00f3wn\u0105 rol\u0119 odgrywa w niej anonimowa kobieta znajduj\u0105ca si\u0119 w t\u0142umie zebranym wok\u00f3\u0142 Jezusa, by s\u0142ucha\u0107 Jego s\u0142\u00f3w.
\nTo niezwyk\u0142e. T\u0142um ten jest obrazem Ko\u015bcio\u0142a ws\u0142uchanego w Ewangeli\u0119 \u015bwi\u0119t\u0105. Kobieta jest tak poruszona\u00a0 s\u0142owami Jezusa, \u017ce nie potrafi milcze\u0107. W Ewangelii czytamy, \u017ce odezwa\u0142a si\u0119 dono\u015bnym g\u0142osem, extollens vocem. Chce chwali\u0107 Jezusa, ale najlepszym sposobem na wychwalanie Syna wydaje jej si\u0119 wys\u0142awianie Jego Matki. Jezus zwraca si\u0119 do niej bezpo\u015brednio: \u201eRaczej ci s\u0105 b\u0142ogos\u0142awieni, kt\u00f3rzy s\u0142uchaj\u0105 s\u0142owa Bo\u017cego i strzeg\u0105 go\u201d (\u0141k 11, 28). S\u0142owa te maj\u0105 znaczy\u0107: \u201eTy tak\u017ce mo\u017cesz by\u0107 uczestnikiem \u015bwi\u0119to\u015bci mojej dziewiczej Matki, je\u015bli tak jak ona b\u0119dziesz s\u0142ucha\u0107 moich s\u0142\u00f3w i zachowasz je w sercu.\u201d<\/p>\n

W antyfonie na ofiarowanie Ko\u015bci\u00f3\u0142 w duchu rado\u015bci powtarza s\u0142owa archanio\u0142a Gabriela\u00a0 i \u0142\u0105czy je ze s\u0142owami \u015bwi\u0119tej El\u017cbiety. Znacz\u0105ce jest to, \u017ce mamy tu do czynienia ze s\u0142owami pochodz\u0105cymi z nieba, przyniesionymi na ziemi\u0119 przez anio\u0142a oraz ze s\u0142owami wypowiedzianymi na ziemi, w g\u00f3rzystej Judei, w okrzyku podziwu wydanym przez El\u017cbiet\u0119, \u017con\u0119 Zachariasza. Gdy zatem pozdrawiamy pe\u0142n\u0105 \u0142aski Maryj\u0119 s\u0142owami tej modlitwy, szczeg\u00f3lnie powtarzaj\u0105c j\u0105 pokornie w r\u00f3\u017ca\u0144cu, niebo przybli\u017ca si\u0119 do ziemi, a ziemia do nieba.<\/p>\n

Antyfona na komuni\u0119, kt\u00f3r\u0105 w dawniejszych czasach powtarzano kilkakrotnie podczas\u00a0 podchodzenia wiernych do Komunii, potwierdza, \u017ce Naj\u015bwi\u0119tsza Eucharystia jest prawdziwie Cia\u0142em Chrystusa utworzonym w \u0142onie Maryi przez Ducha \u015awi\u0119tego, noszonym przez Ni\u0105 pod sercem przez dziewi\u0119\u0107 miesi\u0119cy, narodzonym w Betlejem i wykarmionym przez Naj\u015bwi\u0119tsz\u0105 Matk\u0119. Przyjmuj\u0105c Komuni\u0119 \u015awi\u0119t\u0105, \u0142\u0105czymy si\u0119 w jedno Cia\u0142o, kt\u00f3rego g\u0142ow\u0105 jest Chrystus. Podobnie ka\u017cda Komunia \u015awi\u0119ta zacie\u015bnia nasz\u0105 wi\u0119\u017a z Maryj\u0105, jako matk\u0105 ca\u0142ego Chrystusa, matk\u0105 g\u0142owy Ko\u015bcio\u0142a i matk\u0105 cia\u0142a Ko\u015bcio\u0142a. Ta, kt\u00f3ra urodzi\u0142a tu na ziemi Syna Przedwiecznego Ojca, opiekuje si\u0119 dalej jak matka wszystkimi cz\u0142onkami Cia\u0142a Chrystusa, czyli Ko\u015bcio\u0142a. Wszyscy, kt\u00f3rzy przyjmuj\u0105 Cia\u0142o Jej Syna s\u0105 bliscy Jej matczynemu sercu, bowiem w ka\u017cdym z nich rozpoznaje Ona Jego samego, kocha Go i stale ofiarowuje Ojcu.<\/p>\n

To tylko kilka drobnych rozwa\u017ca\u0144 na temat dzisiejszej liturgii. Oby w jaki\u015b spos\u00f3b pozwoli\u0142y wam one otworzy\u0107 si\u0119 na skarby doktryny i pobo\u017cno\u015bci, i na \u017cycie zawarte w liturgii Ko\u015bcio\u0142a. Liturgia bowiem nigdy si\u0119 nie starzeje, nigdy nie jest nudna i nigdy nie traci smaku. Liturgia Ko\u015bcio\u0142a, wszystko to, co znajduje si\u0119 w Mszale, jest niewyczerpanym \u017ar\u00f3d\u0142em. Zawsze \u015bwie\u017ca, zawsze nowa, zawsze pe\u0142na czystej s\u0142odyczy Boga. Gustate et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus. \u201eSkosztujcie i zobaczcie, jak dobry jest Pan\u201d (Ps 33,9).<\/p>\n

\"gress-CZESTOCHOWA-650x340\"
\nThe Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday opens with an Introit addressed directly to the Mother of God. This, in itself, is most unusual. The vast number of introits of the Roman Rite, taken from the Psalms, are a cry going up to God: a cry of distress, of confidence, of hope, of sorrow, of jubilation, of praise, or of thanksgiving. Today, however, the Church draws upon the artistry of Sedulius, a Christian poet of the fifth century. The soul of the Church rises to greet the Holy Mother who brought forth the King. The verse is taken from Psalm 44, a royal wedding song. In it the Mother of God responds to the greeting of the Church. And what does she say? \u00abMy heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King\u00bb (Psalm 44:1). What is the good word that Mary has uttered? Is it not the word for which the whole creation waited? Is it not her response to the message of the Angel? \u00abBehold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word\u00bb (Luke 1:38). And what are the works that Mary speaks to the King? Are they not the verses of praise that came to flower on her lips in the Magnificat? \u00ab My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed\u00bb (Luke 1: 46\u201348).<\/p>\n

It is clear that today\u2019s Introit is a dialogue: a conversation between the Church on earth and the Queen of Heaven. After the psalm verse, earth and heaven join together in praise of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. In this one introit, we are given a window into the mystery of every Holy Mass. The liturgy is the fulfilment, daily, in our churches of what Jacob saw at Bethel in a dream: \u00abAnd he saw in his sleep a ladder standing upon the earth, and the top thereof touching heaven: the angels also of God ascending and descending by it\u00bb.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0073\"In the lesson of the Mass, taken from the book of Ecclesiasticus, it is the Mother of God who speaks. She opens her mouth in the assembly, that is in the Church gathered for the Holy Sacrifice. She who is \u00abfull of grace\u00bb (Luke 1:28) speaks to us of her place from all eternity in the heart of God, of her place in the economy of the Incarnation, of her place in the life of the Church on earth and in heaven. \u00abAnd my abode\u00bb, says Mary, \u00abis in the full assembly of the saints\u00bb (Ecclesiasticus 24:16).<\/p>\n

In the chant of the Gradual and the Alleluia, the Church responds to Mary\u2019s discourse. Here again, as in the Introit, the Church addresses the Mother of God directly in a kind of ecstatic contemplation. I say \u00abecstatic\u00bb designedly, because the contemplation of the Immaculate always draws us out of ourselves and upwards into the light of God. One cannot gaze upon Mary, nor can one listen to her utterances, without being caught up, as we sing in the Preface of the Mass of Christmas, \u00abto the love of things unseen\u00bb, in invisibilium amorem rapiamur<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Gospel given us in this Mass is very brief. It is unique in that, in it, the central place is occupied by an anonymous woman in the multitude of those who are gathered about Jesus to listen to Him. The multitude listening to Jesus is already an image of the Church, here present, listening to the Holy Gospel. A woman in the multitude is so touched by the words of Jesus that she cannot contain herself. The Gospel says that she lifted up her voice, extollens vocem. She wants to praise Jesus, but can think of no better way of praising the Son than by glorifying the Mother. Jesus then addresses the woman directly: \u00abYea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it\u00bb (Luke 11:28). He is, in effect, saying to the woman: \u00abYou also can participate in my Virgin Mother\u2019s blessedness, if you, like her, hear my word and hold it in your heart\u00bb.<\/p>\n

In the Offertory Antiphon, the Church, in a spirit of jubilation, repeats the words of the Angel Gabriel and joins them to the words of Saint Elizabeth. This is significant: there is phrase originating in heaven, and brought to earth by an Angel, and a phrase originating on earth, in the hill country of Judea, and uttered in a cry of admiration by Elisabeth, the wife of Zachary. The \u00abAve Maria\u00bb antiphon of the Offertory suggests that, whenever we address Mary full of grace, in these words, especially in the humble repetition of the rosary, heaven is brought closer to earth, and earth brought closer to heaven.<\/p>\n

The Communion Antiphon, which, in ancient times, would have been repeated throughout the procession of communicants, confesses that the Most Holy Eucharist is the very Body of Christ, formed by the Holy Ghost, carried for nine months in Mary\u2019s virginal womb, born of her at Bethlehem, and nourished at her breast. The reception of Holy Communion unites us as one Body to Christ our Head, and as members of that same Body joined to each other. At the same time, every Holy Communion intensifies and deepens our relationship with Mary, for she is Mother of the whole Christ, Head and members. She who bore the Son of the Eternal Father, giving Him birth once in time, continues to mother His members. She holds close to her maternal Heart all who receive the Body of her Son, for in each one of His members she recognises Him, loves Him, and offers Him again and again to the Father.<\/p>\n

These are but a few little thoughts on this Mass of Our Lady on Saturday. May they serve, in some way, to awaken each of you to the treasures of doctrine, of piety, and life contained in the liturgy of the Church. The liturgy of the Church never grows old, it is never dull, and never without savour. The liturgy of the Church \u2014 all that you find in the Missal \u2014 is an inexhaustible source. It is always fresh, always new, always full of the very sweetness of God. Gustate et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus<\/em>. \u00abO taste, and see that the Lord is sweet\u00bb (Psalm 33:9).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I gave the following homily at the Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa in J\u00f3zef\u00f3w on Saturday morning 13th August 2016. The Polish text, translated by Natalia Lajszczak was read by the Reverend Father Bartosz Porzezi\u0144ski. For the English text of the homily, scroll down. J\u00f3zef\u00f3w, 13 sierpnia 2016 Msza na \u015bwi\u0119ta Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,234],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blessed-virgin-mary","category-silverstream-monks-in-poland"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paVypq-3zg","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13718"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13718"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13730,"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13718\/revisions\/13730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vultuschristi.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}