Like an Old Friend

Mass is essentially the same wherever you go.  It might be in a different language or have different music than you are accustomed to, but you can still follow along with relative ease.  I have been privileged to travel to Europe several times, and I have heard Mass in Latin, German, French, and Hungarian.  On my most recent trip two years ago this month, my mother was amazed that I was able to follow along so well with the music at a Mass in a small village in Hungary.  I told her that because I know the basic rules of pronunciation for the language, it wasn’t that difficult.  Mass is Mass.

This week at St. Ambrose, we had a funeral Mass with many elements in Latin.  It is important to note that, while the Second Vatican Council allowed the use of the vernacular in Masses and sacraments, it did not say that Latin could not be used (Sacrosanctum Concilium).  And yes, there were parts of the Mass I did not understand.  However, it felt more like a greeting from an old friend than an imposition of times past.

I realize that I may come at this from a unique perspective.  I learned many Latin Mass settings during my years at the Madeleine Choir School.  It’s always fun to get to sing them again.  It had been over ten years since I had sung the setting of the “Pie Jesu” we used at this funeral.  Pulling it out again brought back memories of the last time I sang it.

I think it is good for us to revisit the “old ways” from time to time.  It reminds us where we came from and where we have been.  We need the lessons of history to help us move forward.  For me, using the Latin texts makes me feel as if I am strengthening my prayers.  It makes me feel as if I am closer to God.  Anything that draws us closer to God is worth pursuing.  I am grateful for the opportunities I have now, and those I have had in the past, to participate in varied liturgies.

What do you use to enhance your own prayer life?  How might you incorporate different elements to deepen your relationship with God?