I have read only parts of Cardinal Sarah's book on silence, so my thoughts this afternoon on this are tentative. I would also have to review Joseph Ratzinger's Spirit of the Liturgy.
Let us distinguish between interior silence, which is recollection or the result of recollection, from exterior silence. Interior silence is a necessary condition for "active participation"; another condition which is needed for the perfection of active participation would be charity.
Would it be correct to claim that it is the position of Ratzinger, Sarah, Latin traditionalists and those who would pursue a reform of the reform that moments of exterior silence are an essential feature of the Roman-rite Eucharist? But perhaps even Roman-rite "renovators" would not disagree. (Examples at Pray, Tell: Where has all the silence gone?, A Silent Reality, Seeking Sacred Silence, Cardinal Sarah on Silence, Read Cardinal Sarah Accurately)
Rather, the problem with the "renovators," besides their failure to preserve the integrity of the Roman rite and use of all of the propers and a "few" other issues, is their advocacy of contemporary worship music, as well as their acceptance of an erroneous sentimentalism in liturgical praxis, especially in its oral or verbal dimension (culminating in the casualness which some take to be a mark of the turn to the horizontal), which destroy interior recollection.
What then of the Byzantine rite? It may give the impression that the singing of the Divine Liturgy is almost continuous. There may be some pauses in the singing, or after the readings, occasions of exterior silence. But these are short and not as pronounced as they are in the Roman rite? The practice of keeping a silent temple for the purpose of recollection and preparation is generally observed in Byzantine communities, something that has been lost in many Latin parishes in the United States.
Does all that singing constitute a form of "busy-ness" which perturbs interior recollection? Does continuous singing fatigue the mind? I think preservation of interior silence can be aided by pauses or longer transitions between sung texts if necessary. But if we become trained in frequent vocal (not in a loud voice but in the manner that Fr. Gabriel Bunge claims is ancient) and sung prayer (something that tends to be neglected in the United States at least) may it be that we can slowly become used to the entirety of the Divine Liturgy as prayer as well? (It seems to me that at home, private prayer should often be vocal or spoken as well as being silent when necessary, but prayer in common should be sung as much as possible.)
Not that the more sophisticated lovers of the Roman liturgical tradition are saying this, but some populists may claim that silence is needed for "private prayer" or "thanksgiving" as if the Eucharist were not a prayer or THE act of Thanksgiving. I would even claim that the adaptations and changes that the "renovators" seek to spread vitiate the Eucharist as prayer.There may be an
existential or spiritual need for private prayer if the liturgy is unintelligible (being in a language with which one is not fluent) and thus not accessible in itself as prayer. But that should be an indication of a problem with liturgical praxis.
What of the use of silence in other rites of the Church? Are there any such native breaks of exterior silence which are not Latinizations or consequences of persecution and a minimization of the liturgy?
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Friday, July 28, 2017
(St.) Photios on Icons
St. Photius: On the Essence of Icons by Fr. Ted Bobosh
Living in the literary culture of the 21st Century, and being shaped by the literary tradition of recent centuries, it is hard to imagine that at one time Christians, like Photius, thought the pictured icon to be “truer” than the written text – a more certain witness to the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
Living in the literary culture of the 21st Century, and being shaped by the literary tradition of recent centuries, it is hard to imagine that at one time Christians, like Photius, thought the pictured icon to be “truer” than the written text – a more certain witness to the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Elder Ephraim
The Elder Ephraim of Arizona: His contribution to North America by Igumen Gregory (Zaiens)
I will introduce this topic with a question: What has Elder Ephraim done for monasticism in our land?
I will introduce this topic with a question: What has Elder Ephraim done for monasticism in our land?
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Elder Paisios
Closer Than My Own Father: Elder Paisios and His Spiritual Children, Part 1 by Ekaterina Stepanova
The path to Athos is open to men only. But in Greece there is a women’s monastery where they live according to strict Athonite rules and serve without electricity, by candlelight. This monastery, in the village of Souroti, was founded by Elder Paisios the Athonite, whose books have been so popular in the past few years in America and Russia. A correspondent of “Neskuchnii Sad” headed to Souroti to meet with people who remember Elder Paisios.
Part 2
Related:
New church of St. Paisios the Athonite consecrated in Syria
The path to Athos is open to men only. But in Greece there is a women’s monastery where they live according to strict Athonite rules and serve without electricity, by candlelight. This monastery, in the village of Souroti, was founded by Elder Paisios the Athonite, whose books have been so popular in the past few years in America and Russia. A correspondent of “Neskuchnii Sad” headed to Souroti to meet with people who remember Elder Paisios.
Part 2
Related:
New church of St. Paisios the Athonite consecrated in Syria
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
2017 Hillenbrand Lecture by Bishop Steven Lopes
The Worship of God in the Beauty of Holiness by Most Rev. Steven J. Lopes
Bishop Lopes' June 21, 2017 Hillenbrand Lecture at the Liturgical Institute of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, where he offered a presentation on Divine Worship.
Bishop Lopes' June 21, 2017 Hillenbrand Lecture at the Liturgical Institute of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, where he offered a presentation on Divine Worship.
Fractured Chalcedonian Orthodoxy
‘Pan-Orthodox’ = Non-Orthodox? by Archpriest Andrew Phillips
Sadly, the phrase ‘Pan-Orthodox’ really means ‘only for selected Orthodox’. In fact, it means ‘for new calendarists only’ (thus, excluding 85% of Orthodox), and for ecumenists, modernists, freemasons and liberal intellectuals (thus, excluding 99.9% of the rest). How has this distortion of meaning come about?
Sadly, the phrase ‘Pan-Orthodox’ really means ‘only for selected Orthodox’. In fact, it means ‘for new calendarists only’ (thus, excluding 85% of Orthodox), and for ecumenists, modernists, freemasons and liberal intellectuals (thus, excluding 99.9% of the rest). How has this distortion of meaning come about?
Monday, July 24, 2017
Eastern Christian Books: Cyril Hovorun on the Church's Scaffolds
Eastern Christian Books: Cyril Hovorun on the Church's Scaffolds: At the end of May I noted some initial thoughts on Fr Cyril Hovorun's new book, Scaffolds of the Church , which I was then half-way thr...
Sins that Cry to Heaven for Vengeance?
Catholic.com: What are sins that cry to heaven for vengeance and sins against the Holy Spirit?
There is no mention of tyranny in the Old Testament -- were tyrants seen as a punishment deserved by the people in all instances? If the list is scriptural, one should be hesitant to add to it, but what seem to be other candidates? Social Justice Warriors may have their own choices; I think of tyranny and the imposition of a feminist legal and social order, which is contrary to Natural Law. (Catholics who have been indoctrinated in liberalism would disagree.)
There is no mention of tyranny in the Old Testament -- were tyrants seen as a punishment deserved by the people in all instances? If the list is scriptural, one should be hesitant to add to it, but what seem to be other candidates? Social Justice Warriors may have their own choices; I think of tyranny and the imposition of a feminist legal and social order, which is contrary to Natural Law. (Catholics who have been indoctrinated in liberalism would disagree.)
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