GESTURES AND WORDS, ABOUT THE LITURGY. LET'S BREAK A SPEAR IN FAVOR OF "KISS ME TUCHO”, EVEN IF HE SEEMS TO HAVE FORGOTTEN THERE THE SACRAMENT OF REDEMPTION

Many, to put it mildly, they turned up their noses when the Pontiff chose the current Prefect. There was no shortage of criticism. By responding with respect and to lighten up the whole discussion so far with a joke, we could remember the saying that goes: «Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day»

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By a curious law of retaliation many who had rejoiced at the publication of Begging for confidence, confused and ambiguous statement from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published on 18 December last year, before which entire episcopates rose up, they felt like arguing with the most recent Note from the same Dicastery on the validity of the Sacraments of 2 February of this year and entitled: By gestures and words.

The question arises spontaneously: In the 2004 the Instruction was published Sacramentum which is a masterpiece of sacramental theology, of discipline of the Sacraments and liturgical pastoral care. Education that, according to what continued to happen in our churches, it was beautifully ignored by armies of creative priests and lay movements who continued undaunted to create their own personalized liturgies, Neocatechumenals in the head, all in total carelessness and lack of vigilance on the part of the bishops, although the document speaks very clearly in its final conclusion:

«This Instruction, drafted, by order of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in agreement with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was approved by the Pontiff himself on 19 March 2004, on the solemnity of St. Joseph, who ordered its publication and immediate compliance by all those responsible ".

Why not call for compliance with this instruction, so well made and detailed, if anything, establishing precise sanctions for anyone who disregarded the provisions given? Because this is the underlying problem that has characterized the last fifty years of life of a Church that asks, exhorts, instructs and recommends, but it still looks good, in these documents, to establish precise sanctions for violators. Not only: in 64 reminder notes of By gestures and words the Sacramentum it has never been recalled and cited once, something objectively serious.

As even the stones now know the first aforementioned Declaration, in the broader context of the meaning to be given to blessings in the Church, it opened up the possibility of spontaneously blessing couples in irregular situations and of the same sex. Something that for many bishops and priests of the various regions of Northern Europe was not necessary, they've been doing it arbitrarily for years. This controversial Declaration provides for Blessings to be given in places and in ways that are not in any way similar to those given to regular couples, ma: «In other contexts, such as a visit to a sanctuary, the meeting with a priest, the prayer recited in a group or during a pilgrimage. Indeed, through these blessings which are imparted not through the ritual forms of the liturgy, but rather as an expression of the maternal heart of the Church, similar to those that emanate from the depths of popular piety, it is not intended to legitimize anything but only to open one's life to God, ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values ​​of the Gospel can be lived with greater fidelity" (no 40).

So far everyone is happy, at least the supporters of this opening, as if we had previously withheld blessings from individuals, especially to those who lived in irregular conditions, or who were guilty of the most serious sins and crimes.

Ironically, precisely those who had rejoiced before the Begging for Confidence, shortly afterwards they launched into harsh criticism regarding the Note of 2 February, Gestures and words, because it uses traditional language in defining what is needed for a Sacrament to be valid, as well as lawful. The criticism, in particular, points out the insistent use of the terms "form" and "matter" used by the Note as irreplaceable components of every celebration of the Sacraments, together with the intention of the celebrant. Criticism that concerns the disconnection of these three constitutive elements from the entire celebration of the Sacrament, by the subjects who participate in it and by the various signs that intervene, which they should be, by their very constitutionality, significant e, how do you say, speakers. The wavy notes, so, refer to the way in which the Note does not examine the entirety of the Sacrament celebrated e, as a return wave, they also pour onto the Begging for confidence, as there: «…A blessing without form (without space, time, words, all over) It's nonsense." (cf.. See WHO).

It's not up to me to defend myself of a strategic Dicastery such as that for the Doctrine of the Faith. But, reading and rereading that Note comes to mind «Ockham's Razor» which could be summarized more or less like this: «All things being equal, the simplest explanation is the one to prefer"; or even «Do not consider plurality if it is not necessary».

this Note, and in the accompanying letter from the Prefect, than in his body itself, remember that they were detected by Cardinals and Bishops, and therefore requested clarifications, on the serious changes made to the matter and form of the Sacraments, effectively rendering them null and void. It would be enough to read the few clues and examples, sometimes bizarre and curious, to which the Prefect refers to understand the simple purpose of the Note itself: call everyone to a correct celebration of the Sacraments, loyal, ecclesial. That if they are granted, where permitted by the Episcopal Conferences, spaces of creativity, these do not instead become an invention that actually arbitrarily manipulates the celebrated Sacrament.

It is from this background and that is from the concern of the Pastors of the Churches, that the Note must be read. Which then summarizes what is needed for a Sacrament to be valid, recalling the traditional doctrine, which is true, in its salient features it dates back to the Council of Trent which Vatican II took up and reworked in harmony with everything that the Church in the meantime, in quell’assise, rediscovered about herself and how she intended to present herself to today's world.

It is no coincidence that the Note takes its inspiration from the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium to remember that the Council: «It analogically refers the notion of Sacrament to the entire Church». And from The light which states about the Church that the latter is: «In Christ as Sacrament, that is, a sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the entire human race". And this is achieved mainly through the Sacraments, in each of which the sacramental nature of the Church is realized in its own way, Body of Christ... The Church is aware of this, since its origins, he took particular care of the sources from which he draws the lifeblood for his existence and his testimony: God's Word, attested by the sacred Scriptures and Tradition, and the Sacraments, celebrated in the liturgy, through which it is continually brought back to the mystery of Christ's Easter" (cf.. no. 6, 7 e 10).

For the magnitude of it all the church, if he says, receives the Sacraments, who administered, but she is not the owner of it. Which instead seems to have happened with the creative variations of various ministers and various lay movements. It is only at this point that the Note briefly recalls - it is not a treatise on liturgy - what are the essential elements. First of all, the "form" of the Sacrament which corresponds to the words that accompany the matter, transcends it, conveying the Christian meaning, salvific and ecclesial of what is being accomplished in the celebration. Therefore the "matter" of the Sacrament which instead consists in human action, through which Christ acts. Sometimes there is a material element in it (water, pane, vino, oil), other times a particularly eloquent gesture (sign of the cross, laying on of hands, immersion, infusion, consent, anointing). This corporeality appears indispensable because it roots the Sacrament not only in human history, but also, more fundamentally, in the symbolic order of Creation and leads it back to the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word and the Redemption carried out by Him (cf.. no 13).

Finally, the "intention" of those who celebrate, which has nothing to do with his morality and faith, rather with the conviction to accomplish: «At least what the Church does» (Council of Trent). This provision removes the celebrant from the automatism and possible arbitrariness of the individual, since this exquisitely human act is also ecclesial. Internal and subjective act yes, which, however, manifesting itself in the Sacrament, it becomes of the entire ecclesial community and: «For what the Church does is nothing other than what Christ instituted, also the intention, together with matter and form, contributes to making the sacramental action the extension of the saving work of the Lord" (cf.. no 18).

In this regard the Church he has prepared the liturgical books which must not be altered or used at will, rather faithfully observed in the words and even in the gestures indicated in them. They provide spaces for creativity and the Episcopal Conferences of the various countries have prepared possible adaptations and variations that correspond to the sensitivity and situation of the participants. Think of celebrations with children, for instance, to the various Eucharistic canons prepared for them and approved by the CEI.

The Note also reminds, and this seems to respond to the critical notes, that: «Materia, form and intention are always inserted into the context of the liturgical celebration, which does not constitute a decorated ceremonial of the Sacraments and not even a didactic introduction to the reality that takes place, but overall it is the event in which the personal and community encounter between God and us continues to take place, in Christ and in the Holy Spirit, meeting in which, through the mediation of sensitive signs, «perfect glory is given to God and men are sanctified». The necessary concern for the essential elements of the Sacraments, on which their validity depends, it must therefore accord with the care and respect of the entire celebration, in which the meaning and effects of the Sacraments are made fully intelligible by a multiplicity of gestures and words, thus favoring theactive participation of the faithful (cf.. no 20).

In this context all the importance of liturgical presidency and the art of celebrating is included. These require knowledge of the theological reasons behind them, like those to act, when it is celebrated, In persona Christi e In the name of the church. As well as knowledge of liturgical books and theirs To be noted which are often skipped over because they are boring. But what if we wanted to make a comparison, which I hope doesn't seem out of place, between celebrating and sporting gesture, we can see how the latter is effective if it is backed by good knowledge and implementation of the so-called fundamentals. A champion, especially those disciplines that require repeated, identical and precise gestures, a lot of time passes, years even, to study, to train and then express themselves with an ease that amazes. A very difficult athletic gesture that we see performed, during an Olympics for example, It required considerable preparation, yet it seems simple and natural to us.

To conclude, I know many, to put it mildly, they turned up their noses when the Pontiff chose the current Prefect. There was no shortage of criticism. By responding with respect and to lighten up the whole discussion so far with a joke, we could remember the saying that goes: «Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day». But, honestly, this Note sounds good this time. There is nothing objectionable about it, if the intention is precisely to invite us to safeguard and present such a precious asset in a dignified and ecclesial way. In fact, this is how it ends:

"We […] we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that it appears that this extraordinary power belongs to God, and it doesn't come from us" (2Color 4, 7). The antithesis used by the Apostle to underline how the sublimity of God's power is revealed through the weakness of his ministry as an announcer also describes well what happens in the Sacraments. The whole Church is called to safeguard the richness contained in them, so that the primacy of God's saving action in history is never obscured, despite the fragile mediation of signs and gestures typical of human nature" (no 28).

Florence, 21 February 2024

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