THAT LITURGY IN WHICH WE OFTEN PARTICIPATE WITHOUT KNOWING THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT WE RECITE AND CELEBRATE. LET'S BEGIN WITH A BRIEF JOURNEY THROUGH THE PREFACE OF THE SEASON OF ADVENT ...

Advent, try to live it and celebrate it in churches, not on social media. And if you have any doubts, or things to clarify, turn to us Priests, that however inadequate, sinners, inept and disappointing - as many write in their vents on the Internet - something more than the improvised theologians on Facebook e Twitter, rest assured that we know it and are able to offer it to you, always free the amor Dei.

— Pastoral Liturgical —

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There are many Catholics, even those devoted and animated by sincere faith, unaware of the meaning of the words spoken and the gestures made by the Priest during the Holy Mass. The sacred rite which through the Holy Mass renews the bloodless sacrifice of Christ is full of signs and symbols, each of which is loaded with a profound theological and mystagogical meaning. Since it is always necessary to explain every word, remember that “mystagogy”, word of Greek origin, whose meaning is "initiation into the mysteries", in the Christian lexicon it indicates the discovery of the new life of grace that we have received through the sacraments. The Catechism teaches:

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“The liturgy is the culmination towards which the action of the Church tends e, together, the source from which all its virtue flows. Catechesis is intrinsically linked to all liturgical and sacramental action, because it is in the Sacraments, and above all in the Eucharist, that Jesus Christ acts fully for the transformation of men" [cf.. n. 1074]. Liturgical catechesis aims to introduce into the mystery of Christ (it is in fact “Mystagogy”) as it proceeds from the visible to the invisible, from the signifier to what is signified, from the "sacraments" to the "mysteries" [cf.. n. 1075].

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I was saying that the sacred liturgy is rich in signs and symbols, each of which has a profound meaning. Even the silences or nods of reverence of the Priest have their theological and mystagogical meaning. To understand it, it would be enough to listen to the masters, instead of chasing improbable theologians and liturgists who rant about social media. Let's try to clarify everything with an example taken from the First Eucharistic Prayer, also said Roman Canon. In the above where reference is made to Communion of Saints the Priest recites:

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«[…] In communion with the whole Church we remember and venerate above all the glorious and ever virgin Mary Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ".

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Mentioning the Blessed Virgin Mary the Priest hints at a slight bow with his head, when a little later he mentions Jesus Christ, hints at a deeper bow. Because? The reason is contained in the words themselves: the "Virgin Mary Mother" is a creature, that is, a created creature, which is venerated as such (hence the slight bow), while Christ is "our God and Lord", which is not a creature, but "begotten not created of the same substance as the Father", that is, it is God, so you love it. These are very important steps, even if not always known to sorcerer's apprentice who from one day to the next began to "play" with the ancient Missal of St. Pius V and who never miss an opportunity, in their exasperations you often border on mariolatry, to demonstrate the inability to distinguish the incarnate God, Second Person of the Holy Trinity, from the purest of creatures, that however immaculate it still remains a created creature, with the serene peace of those who claim her co-redemptrix, despite the clear refusal of the Supreme Pontiffs, last in order of series Benedict XVI and Francis. This substantial distinction between "creature" and "God", in the sacred liturgy it is not expressed with words and least of all with lessons of dogmatic theology, of Christology or Mariology, but with two simple bows: a light one to Mary created creature, a deep one, to Christ God begotten not created, which does not need co-redeemers and co-redeemers, as delicately expressed by Benedict XVI, in a slightly more “rough” way, but equally incisive and clear, by Pope Francis [cf.. Catechesis on prayer – Pray in communion with Mary].

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Said amiably: Fathers de The Island of Patmos, when they celebrate and thus exercise the the task of sanctifying, they know what they are doing. When they thus teach and exercise the the task of teaching, they know well what they teach. Without making a fool of themselves in front of the listeners like those circus phenomena who fill their serious theological gaps by listing the theological doctorates obtained. Of course, every reference is completely involuntary, not to mention casual…

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In the liturgy it is called the Preface the solemn praise which introduces the Eucharistic Prayer and which constitutes its introductory first part. A prayer in both the old missal of St. Pius V and in the missal of St. Paul VI begins in both with a dialogue between the celebrant and the faithful:

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The Celebrant: "The Lord be with you". The people respond: "And with your spirit". The Celebrant resumes: "Lift Up Our Hearts". The people: "They are addressed to the Lord". The Celebrant (nodding his head) "We give thanks to the Lord our God". And the People concludes: "It's good and right".

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The part recited by the Celebrant alone follows, whose central section varies according to the celebration, because the prefaces are numerous and for this reason they vary from Ordinary Time to that of Lent, from Advent to Christmas, from Easter to Pentecost, to follow with other "proper prefaces" used in celebrations in memory of the Blessed Virgin, of the saints, of the martyrs, of the dead. For this reason the second part is always variable, because its purpose is to explain, like a short catechesis, the reason why glory and thanksgiving from the whole universal Church is due to God. Let us take the III Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example to understand this catechetical element contained in the sacred liturgy. Recite the text:

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At the announcement of the Angel, welcomed your Word in the immaculate heart and deserved to conceive him in the virginal womb; becoming the mother of her Creator, marked the beginnings of the Church.

At the foot of the cross, for the testament of love of your Son, extended her motherhood to all men, generated by the death of Christ for a life that will never end.

Image and model of the praying Church, joined in the prayer of the Apostles waiting for the Holy Spirit.

Assumed to the glory of heaven, accompany the Church with maternal love and protects it on its way to the homeland, until the glorious day of the Lord.

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In the end the final part, structurally always the same, except for the difference of a few words from one Preface to another, whose purpose is to introduce the singing and acclamation of the Holy of all the People of God gathered in assembly:

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And we, together with the Angels and the Saints,

we sing endlessly

the hymn of your praise: Santo …

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The time of Advent we are about to enter it has a double feature, as the liturgical norms explain:

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«[…] It's time to prepare for the solemnity of Christmas, commemorating the first coming of the Son of God among men and, at the same time, is the time when, through this memory, the spirit is led to expectation of the second coming of Christ at the end of time» [cf.. General norms for the organization of the liturgical year and the calendar, n. 39].

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Over the course of the centuries, the short but intense “strong” liturgical Season of Advent has always preserved these two great aspects of Preparation to the memorial celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in time and of wait of his glorious final return. These two dimensions are recalled both by the biblical and patristic texts used both in the Eucharistic celebration and in the Liturgy of the Hours. To this period which marks the mystery of the incarnation of the Word of God made man, from which the new revelation and the mystery of salvation will come to life, precisely because of its fundamental importance, great Holy Fathers and doctors of the Church dedicated writings and sermons to it. We could name just a few, by Saint Irenaeus of Lyons [cf.. Inside, 1,88-95.99] to St. Gregory the Great [cf.. Homilies 1, 8], by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux [cf.. Fourth Discourse on Advent 1. 3-4], to follow in more recent times with St. Charles Borromeo who explains how the time of Advent requires to be piously sanctified by men [cf.. Pastoral Letters].

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Among the many texts which enrich the liturgy of this liturgical season, the Prefaces proper to Advent deserve particular attention, which constitute in themselves a real liturgical-spiritual itinerary suitable for enriching the Christian life.

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For the Advent season, the Italian Roman Missal contains four texts: the first two (I e I/A) they are used from the First Sunday of Advent until 16 December, seconds (II by II/A) for the remaining days. Prefaces I and I/A especially emphasize the final coming of Christ at the end of time, in what is called Russia. The other two (II by II/A) they are an invitation to prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of his first coming, while not losing sight of the emphasis made in the first two.

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Now we come to the texts, obviously taking into consideration only the "movable part" or the second part of the Preface, what we have previously indicated and defined as catechetics.

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In the I Preface of Advent the double coming of Christ is announced with these words:

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"At his first advent in the humility of the human condition he fulfilled the ancient promise and opened for us the way to eternal salvation. When he comes again in the splendor of glory, he will call us to possess the promised kingdom that we now dare to hope vigilantly in expectation".

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The title already expresses all the meaning of this liturgical season: memory of Christ's first coming in the flesh and anticipation of his glorious return. Three important passages stand out in the first part: the emphasis on the abasement of the Son of God, which immediately brings to mind the famous Christological hymn:

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"Christ Jesus, while it is of divine nature, He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but he stripped himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness; appeared in human form, humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death and death on a cross" [Fil 2,5-8].

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Follows the “fulfilment of the ancient promise”. Jesus, with his Incarnation, it gives ultimate and definitive fulfillment to all the prophecies and promises made to the Fathers throughout the First Testament. Or to quote the solemn opening of the letter to the Hebrews:

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"It gave, who had already spoken in ancient times many times and in different ways to the Fathers through the Prophets, lately, in these days, he spoke to us through his Son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he also made the world" [EB 1, 1-2].

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In the end, in the conclusion, the definitive opening - operated by the One who will present himself as the Way, Truth and Life [cf.. GV 14, 6] - of eternal salvation and life without end. The second part takes us to the end of time, where humility will be replaced by glory. In this glory, eternal and definitive the Word will introduce all who believe in him and that with hope, already in this life, they look at this moment.

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I would like to emphasize the presence of these two verbs that concern us: one in the future ― «he will call us to possess» ― and one in the present - «we dare» ― which say the "already and not yet" in which every believer is inserted with Baptism and which is renewed in every Eucharistic celebration and in every sacramental sign.

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In the Preface I/A Christ is celebrated, Lord and judge of history, through these words of praise:

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«You have hidden from us the day and the hour in which Christ your Son, Lord and judge of history, will appear in the clouds of heaven clothed with power and splendor. On that tremendous and glorious day the present world will pass away and new heavens and a new earth will arise. Now he comes to meet us in every man and in every time, because we welcome him in faith and bear witness in love to the blessed hope of his kingdom".

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In this text everything is projected on the final coming of the glorious Christ. The language is solemn and emphatic: "Lord and Judge", "clothed in power and splendor", "on that awful and glorious day". However, this "not yet" is compared with the present, in which every believer is called to recognize the coming of Christ in the face of the brother he meets in everyday life in the experience of the three Theological Virtues explicitly referred to here: Faith, Hope and Charity. The hope, typical Virtue of Advent, it is welcomed with Faith and witnessed with an authentic Charity.

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In Preface II we have the two expectations of Christ pictured and explained in these words:

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«He was announced by all the prophets, the Virgin Mother waited for him and carried him in her womb with ineffable love, John proclaimed his coming and indicated him present in the world. The same Lord, who invites us to joyfully prepare for his Christmas, find us vigilant in prayer, exultant in praise".

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Extraordinary educational text which summarizes all of salvation history in preparation for the coming of the Son of God in the flesh: the prophetic announcement, the Holy gestation of the Virgin, the preaching and testimony of the Baptist and who not only announces the coming of the Lord but who also has the grace to see its realization. The believer is invited to rejoice because Jesus is already present and we can experience this presence both in personal prayer, as "vigilantes in prayer" and in the liturgical one, or: «rejoicing in praise».

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Preface II/A focuses on Maria new Eve, clarifying the role entrusted to her by God in the mystery of salvation, or as they say in the economy [the greek economy] of salvation:

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« We praise you, we bless you, we glorify you for the mystery of the Virgin Mother. From the ancient adversary came ruin, from the virginal womb of the daughter of Zion the one who feeds us with the bread of angels germinated and salvation and peace arose for all mankind. The grace that Eve took from us is given back to us in Mary. In her, Mother of all men, motherhood, redeemed from sin and death, opens to the gift of new life. Where guilt abounded, your mercy abounds in Christ our Savior".

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The text of this Preface of Marian imprint leads us directly to the contemplation of the Virgin Mother of God: Holy Mary, protagonist par excellence of the last days of Advent. Mary is paralleled with Eve, using the category of “motherhood”. From the womb of Eve - tempted by the Ancient Adversary, the serpent - a humanity marked by the experience of sin arose, a real "ruin". Mary is the new Eve, the Mother of a new humanity, not so much and no longer in a biological sense but in a spiritual sense. If on the one hand it is true that we are all men born in a flesh marked by the experience of sin, the Incarnation of the Divine Word - here exquisitely indicated with two images with a strong biblical flavour: "bread of angels" and "sprout" - opens wide before us the gift of Redemption and a new life, divine and spiritual. In the last period the words of the Apostle Paul have reverberated almost literally:

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«The law then came to give full awareness of the fall, but where sin abounded, abounded grace, because like sin he had reigned with death, so let also grace reign with justice for eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord". [RM 5, 20-21].

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This is what we should always remember too, in every moment of our life, especially when we feel the weight of our shortcomings, of our faults, when life seems like a litany of failures and even when faith itself risks faltering for internal and external causes. Why about everything, even about sin, his infinite mercy abounds, his love.

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Let us meditate carefully on these texts that the Mother Church gives us to prepare us for the Birth of the Lord and much more for our personal encounter with Him, when we will see him no longer as in a mirror, but face to face, and we will know him as we are now recognized by him [cf.. 1 Color 13, 12].

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I close with a recommendation: the Advent, try to live it and celebrate it in churches, not on social media. And if you have any doubts, or things to clarify, turn to us Priests, that however inadequate, sinners, inept and disappointing - as many write in their vents on the Internet - something more, compared to improvised theologians on Facebook e Twitter, rest assured that we know it and are able to offer it to you, always free the amor Dei.

Florence, 17 November 2022

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