I want to know what you love about the Latin mass.
As a Novus Ordo goer, who has only attended a handful of Latin masses (and probably only because she didn't make it in time to her preferred venue) I struggle to know why anyone becomes a devotee to that form of the mass.
It's not the Latin thing. I love Latin. I just really love the Novus Ordo.
Permit me a moment of gushing.
I love the Novus Ordo. I love its structure and flow. I love hearing the Word of God proclaimed in English. I love listening to the consecration prayers (when I can, over the kids) and I love feeling the mass resound in my soul - it's not this way all of the time, of course, but grace mostly comes.
I love the songs. My particular parish uses the Adoremus Hymnal, and I know many hymns by heart.
I love how we have options for how to receive the Eucharist. My particular parish uses a communion rail which I appreciate as my family can kneel together. But whether we kneel or stand (depending on how many kids we are holding or if I am pregnant), receive in the hand or on the tongue (because flu season) I appreciate that there are many ways to reverently receive Christ.
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| No kiss of peace or corn for you! |
I just love the Novus Ordo. Respectfully, reverently done, even with several traditional elements (we sing the Ave Maria in Latin at the end of every mass) with holy priests at the helm, it rocks my world.
The Latin mass...not so much. A bit of a spiritual dry well for me.
But maybe I'm missing something? Hence I want to hear from the Latin mass goers: why do you prefer the Latin mass? In responding, please limit your answers to the Latin mass, or the spirituality of the mass itself and how it feeds you personally.
The reason for this is that many times when I've posed this question, I've received more of a venting response against the Novus Ordo. Responses like, "The people who go to the Latin mass dress better and are more respectful," or "It's high mass (implied tone: why would I ever want to go to a low mass?)..." or "The Latin mass used to be the treasure of the Church..." which as nice as that is, still doesn't answer my question about why they personally attend the Latin vs. any other form nowadays.
By the way: the same Novus Ordo mass that I profess to love is not perfect by any means. People don't always dress like it's Easter or come on time (Guilty! Yes, flip flops do happen in California I am afraid!). Sometimes you hear a cell phone and many enthusiastic individuals elbow their way to the communion rail to receive Jesus in a shameless display of eucharistic line olympics.
So why do I still love the Novus Ordo, in sprite of that? Because I go to mass to go to mass and for no other reason. And I attend one that feeds me. Period.
How about you, Latin massers? I want to know! Comments are now unmoderated just for you! Go!
