CandleMiss Sunday (That's Right)
Sometimes a guy just has to rant. At a future moment, maybe even later today, I may pause, recollect myself, and offer due thanks to God for all of His abundant blessings. But not now. Not after yet another failure. Later it will have to be.
I rant, or whine, about another failed attempt to attend the traditional Latin Mass (TLM). This time it occurred on the Feast of the Presentation, or Candlemas.
Now you need to understand the difference between the Novus Ordo vs. TLM on Candlemas. I grew up my entire life not knowing the purpose of this feast. It had some vague references to candles (in the form of one quick prayer at the beginning of Mass), and then usually ended with the priest telling us we are all called to be the light for others.
A few years ago I took my family to Candlemas at the traditional Latin Mass. It was the first time in my life that I started, even in an infinitesimal way, to grasp the significance of this feast. A trite yet necessary statement: the focus was placed on Christ being the light. Christ was shown definitively to be the fulfillment of all the yearnings of the Old Testament. From one of the five beautiful prayers at the beginning of traditional Candlemas:
“O Lord Jesus Christ, the true
Light Who enlightenest every man that cometh into this world: pour forth thy
blessing upon these candles, and sanctify them with the light of Thy grace, and
mercifully grant, that as these lights, enkindled with visible fire, dispel the
darkness of night…”
Now to rant.
We tried to go to this Mass this morning, but once again were stymied. It was a restless night, as all nights are before driving 2.5 hours to the city for Mass. It turns out that the “flurries” which were supposed to end by 10pm Saturday continued to “flurry” all night. I shovelled for 10 minutes just to get the van ready to leave. We hauled out the kids and hit the highway at 6:15am. It was surreal driving by businesses that were having their parking lots plowed - though the businesses were closed on Sunday - while the highway never had a single snow plow touch it. That’s the difference between public vs. private companies. Well the highway was treacherous, and so we returned home.
Speaking of treacherous, that is an apt word to describe the Mass we will be forced to attend later this morning. I think “hippy” is simply a synonym for “Catholic” sometimes. But it is still better than lighting emergency heating-candles in our vehicle, while stranded in a ditch, for a Candlemas celebration.
Sigh.
Last week there was freezing rain. The week before had -35 temperatures. The week before that we had company. It seems impossible to attend a traditional Latin Mass. Our oldest son hasn’t been to a catechism class there in two months. He’s supposed to receive First Communion and confirmation in April. Overall, it feels at times like we’re gasping for the clear air of tradition, beauty, and liturgical sanity. Hence, a bitter rant today. But I really shouldn’t. I’m called to be light for the world, after all…
Later, I pray, I will shake the cobwebs of tiredness and disappointment and render due thanks to God for all our blessings.
And I do mean this sincerely when I say: Happy Feast Day.
NB: Thanks for the many offers from friends to host our family the night before the Mass. Unfortunately, at the moment this is not feasible with our little 5 month old baby. We’ll keep praying we can move soon.
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My Rant ...
ReplyDeleteI have similar questions to what I just read by Daniel Nine 27 on your article for One Peter Five: "When is the Reformed Finally Reformed?"
In addition I have a genuine concern for young families such as yours as to the efficacy of Baptism without exorcism, either because the Priest has no power of exorcism or the new rite is being used.
My training tells me that true Holy Water, that is both the water and salt have been exorcized and the combination has been blessed to have the power of exorcism, not only has the power to remit venial sin but also has the power to cleanse you from airborne demons. Additional
benefits of true Holy Water: when you come into Mass so that they're not disturbing you or your neighbors; or when you or your family members come into your home, you can be cleansed and/or protected from similar demons that might even come in with your pets.
I'm also highly concerned with the aspect of your still having with you, after your confession, the very demons who tempted you to the sins you just confessed, especially if you had the misfortune of falling into mortal sin.
The point also of strong concern for me is that well meaning and good Catholics like yourself and your family are only concerned with Ordination to the Priesthood ceremony and not, because of lack of knowledge, with whether or not the Priest is an Exorcist. There could be many problems in your family's interpersonal relationships because of residual demons who have taken up residence in your home. It would also be advisable for your wife to use exorcized/blessed salt in her cooking and perhaps a small baggie of exorcized salt for everyone to carry with them in a pocket, in your lunch pail, in your glove box, etc.
I have read that every Catholic is assigned at least nine demons. Wouldn't you want to give your Guardian Angels the help of your good practices with true Holy Water and true Blessed Salt? The devil doesn't have to do much with those who are walking around in mortal sin or unbaptized because of the Priest, and so guess who his prime targets are with his spare demons? The pre- Vatican II Church gave us all these good things for our protection. I assure you, the demons took note and advantage when the Novus Ordo Church deemed them unnecessary and treated them like fairy tales and superstition.
Please use this information to protect yourself and your family and anyone else that you love, and please accept this comment as coming from the "Primo Exorcist" Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Who gave this power to all of His Apostles and Disciples, Who inspired His Church to write it into the Sacraments, and Who had each of the Priests in His Church, until Vatican II, to be trained and Ordained in the use of these powers.
If you have such a Church near you, would it not make good sense to go there? There may even be one closer than 2.5 hours; or at the very least, when you move, move near one.
In the Love of Christ,
John John II
I just responded to the commentator you speak of over at 1P5. You can check it out there if you wish. God bless you.
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