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I'll try to visit an Internet cafe over the weekend, so I can see the Youth Mass video, as well as Benodette's photos.

Errr ... will I be terribly shocked, though?

On the Nativity of Christ

Prelude

Today the Virgin gives birth to him who is above all being,
and the earth offers a cave to him whom no one can approach.
Angels with shepherds give glory,
and magi journey with a star,
for to us there has been born
a little Child, God before the ages.1

1

Bethlehem has opened Eden, come, let us see;
we have found delight in secret, come, let us receive
the joys of Paradise within the cave.
There the unwatered root2 whose blossom is forgiveness has appeared.
There has been found the undug well
from which David once longed to drink.3
There a virgin has borne a babe
and has quenched at once Adam's and David's thirst.
For this, let us hasten to this place where there has been born
a little Child, God before the ages.

2

The mother's Father has willingly become her Son,
the infants' saviour is laid as an infant in a manger.
As she who bore him contemplates him, she says,
"Tell me, my Child, how were you sown, or how were you planted in me?
I see you, my flesh and blood, and I am amazed,
because I give suck and yet I am not married.
And though I see you in swaddling clothes,
I know that the flower of my virginity is sealed,
for you preserved it when, in your good pleasure, you were born
a little Child, God before the ages.

3

"High King, what have you to do with beggars?
Maker of heaven, why have you come to those born of earth?
Did you love a cave or take pleasure in a manger?
See, there is no place for your servant in the inn,
I do not say a place, not even a cave,
for that too belongs to another.
To Sara, when she bore a child,4
a vast land was given as her lot. To me, not even a fox hole.5
I used the cavern where willingly you made your dwelling,
a little Child, God before the ages."

4

As she spoke such words in secret
and entreated the One who knows what is hidden,
she heard the magi seeking the babe.
At once, the Maiden cried to them, "Who are you?"
They answered her, "And you, who are you,
that you have borne such a Child?
Who is your father, who is she who bore you,
that you have become mother and nurse of a son without father?
On seeing his star we understood that there had appeared
a little Child, God before the ages.

Icon: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America


5

"For Balaam laid before us precisely
the meaning of the words he spoke in prophecy,
when he said that a Star would dawn,6
a Star that quenches all prophecies and auguries;
a Star that resolves the parables of the wise,
and their sayings and their riddles,
a Star far more brilliant than the star
which has appeared, for he is the maker of all the stars,
of whom it was written of old, 'From Jacob, there dawns
a little Child, God before the ages.'"

6

When Mary heard these amazing words,
she bowed low and worshipped the offspring of her womb
and with tears, she said, "Great, my Child,
great is all that you have done for me in my poverty;
for see, magi are outside seeking you.
The kings of the East
and the rich among your people beg to see you,7
for truly your people are those to whom you have been made known as
a little Child, God before the ages.

7

"So, since they are your people, my Child, bid them
come under your roof, that they may see
rich poverty, precious beggary.
You I have as glory and pride,8 therefore I am not ashamed.
You are the grace and beauty
of my dwelling9 and of me. Nod and let them enter.
My poverty does not worry me;
I hold you as a treasure that the kings have come to see,
for kings and magi know that you have appeared
a little Child, God before the ages."

8

Jesus the Christ and truly our God
secretly touched his mother's mind
saying, "Bring in those I have brought by my word,
for it is my word which shone on those who were seeking me.
To the senses it is a star,
but to the mind a power.10
It accompanied the magi as my minister,
and still stands fulfilling its service
and showing with its rays the place where there has been born
a little Child, God before the ages.


Photo: Contemporary Icon from Coptic Orthodox Church of the Holy Virgin Mary


There are 13 more stanzas of dialogue between Mary and the Magi, which beautifully tell the story of the meaning of Christ's coming and include this pointed Q&A:

The magi at once hastened into the room
and, seeing Christ, they trembled as they saw
his mother and her betrothed.
And in fear they said, "This is a son without ancestry.13
And how is it, 0 Virgin, that at this moment we see
your betrothed within your house?
Was your conceiving blameless?
Will people not find fault at Joseph's living with you?
You have a multitude of jealous people enquiring where there has been born
a little Child, God before the ages."

11

"I will tell you", Mary said to the magi,
"why I keep Joseph in my house:
to refute all those who slander me.
He will tell what he has heard about my Child.
For in his sleep he saw a holy angel
who told him how I had conceived.
In the night a fiery vision told
the creature of thorn14 about the things which grieved him.
That is why Joseph is with me, to show that there is
a little Child, God before the ages.

For the rest go here.

Mag6nideum:

I am no musician and have never sung in a choir except when we all had to in school, so I'm not sure I've got all the terminology right, but here goes: Today was the Third Sunday after Pentecost according to the "old" calendar. It was the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the "new" calendar (in the old calendar it was 19 days after Pentecost, so on May 30 this year). In what I interpret as a gesture to the new calendar, the chants at High Mass had one or two of the chants of the Feast of the Sacred Heart interpolated with the ones for the Third Sunday: Dominica III. post Pentecosten. The website Christus Rex has listed most of the chants for choir that were sung (I've deleted those that were not sung) and I've listed those additional ones I recognized. The ordinary prayers were from the Missa de angelis.

First, the choir sang the Processional, Ubi Caritas, mixed choir.

Then the Asperges Me, also mixed choir.

Introitus: Ps. 24, 16.18 et 1-2 Respice in me (1m25s - 674 kb)

The Kyrie eleison was sung by female voices.

Gloria. Mixed choir.

Collect: Protector in te speriantium. Fr. Zuhlsdorf has a post about this prayer. Mixed choir.

Collect in commemoration of the Sacred Heart: Deus qui nobis in Corde Filii tui. Mixed choir.

Graduale: Ps. 54, 23 V.17a.18b.19a. Iacta cogitatum tuum (not available) Male voices

Alleluia: Ps. 7, 12. Deus, iudex iustus (not available) Mixed choir

Offertorium: Ps. 9, 11.12.13 Sperent in te omnes (1m40s - 793 kb) Male voices

Hymn: Ave Maria. First part, male choir; second part, female choir, repeats polyphonic, male and female voices. Beautiful!

Secreto: Ps. 24, 16.18 et 1-2 Respice in me (1m25s - 676 kb) Male voices

Commemoration of the Octave of the Sacred Heart: Respice quaseumus, Domine. Male voices.

Agnus Dei: alternating male/female voices

Communio: vel Lc. 15, 10 Dico vobis: Gaudium (35.9s - 563 kb) Male voices.

Here there was a hymn which is, as they say, "on the tip of my tongue," but I can't remember the name.

Postcommunio: Sancta tua nos, Domine. Male voices

Commemoration of the Sacred Heart: Praebeat nobis, Domine Jesu. Male Voices.

Recessional: Salve Regina (1m33.7s - 729 kb) Choir & congregation

Recessional: Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (in English) Choir & congregation.

What is most noteworthy about the service, I think, is how the personality of the celebrant is not a factor at all. Perhaps it's because the presiding priest had a lovely tenor voice. I suppose if he couldn't sing you might pay attention to him more. When the readings are chanted there isn't room for declamation the way we often hear it in the Novus Ordo, where the lectors put on different voices, add dramatic pauses and such. It's quite clear that the celebration is together, even though the congregation does not speak out loud as much: the Credo makes a much bigger impact. Then the intricate coordinated movements of the eight altar boys definitely show you that this isn't a celebration "performed" by the priest alone; they are helping in genuine ways. For instance, you see much more clearly how the celebrant cleanses his hands before consecration and washes them after communion. What struck me, too, this time was that many more of the prayers seek God's mercy, grace and forgiveness for our sins than in the Novus Ordo. There's more mention of penance and unworthiness. Finally, the Last Gospel reading from St. John should never have been omitted from the Novus Ordo. It is such a powerful summary of the core of the salvation story and our role as Christians.

I really urge all forum members who have the opportunity to seek out a Tridentine High Mass. Before you go, make sure there are missals so you can follow along, otherwise it will be more befuddling than mysterious. And try to find out if there's a celebrant and choir who sing decently. You don't need professionals; just folks who can find and hold a note. And if you've never attended such a Mass, don't go just once; try it at least twice and see what you think.