I have heard the complaint that the Latin Mass is too rigid. My immediate reaction to this statement is, “Too rigid for what?” I don’t know the answer to this question but I can’t imagine that anything that is designed to carry us safely to our Heavenly destination could be too rigid.
Picture a deep canyon with sharp, jagged cliffs and a rocky floor at the depths of the abyss. There’s no chance for survival should you fall from the precipice. There are two means to get across; you must choose which one to use. One is a rope bridge made with very little effort. No attempt was made to procure the best materials that would withstand the test of time or endure under the weight of the heavy traffic. The rope bridge sways precariously to and fro making it difficult to maintain balance when attempting to traverse it. It easily gives way to outside forces. Some of the flooring is broken, and ropes are torn. It has been patched repeatedly, and it barely resembles its original form. The other bridge is a sturdy structure, precisely engineered and constructed of materials which have performed reliably in the given environment, and will continue to do so in the future. It stands firm under a heavy weight and assuredly resists outside forces. There is a toll for the use of this bridge, but those who know the return on investment are glad to pay the fee and are rewarded with a certain amount of confidence.
Now return to the discussion of the Mass and recall that it is a reenactment of the Sacrifice on Calvary - our Lord’s crucifixion and death. He carried the weight of the sins of the world, and this great burden was placed upon the Cross where He died for mankind. The Cross did not yield under this weight, nor did it conform to our Lord’s battered body. It just stood firm, rigid if you will, bearing the price of our sins and the means for our salvation. There was no attempt to soften the harsh scene of an innocent Man being brutally tortured. No concern was placed on how His disciples felt during this sacrificial event. This was not a performance given for the sake of entertaining the spectators. It was an act of fulfilling His mission, for God’s glory and the salvation of mankind. Our Lord paid dearly in order for us to have life everlasting, yet it remains that each of us must pay his own part of the debt. He built the bridge, still we must pay the toll.
Finally, back to the Latin Mass in particular. It is very structured – the rubrics for the priest, the duties of the altar servers, the prayers in Latin, the proper assisting of the congregation, the music. It has been the reenactment of Calvary, the treasure of the Holy Catholic Church – unchanged over time. There is no levity, no ad-libbing, no socializing, no popular music. It is prayed in a manner worthy to be offered to God in a language that is universal. The music is sacred, the demeanor is reverent. The focus is on the sacrifice taking place. The emphasis is not placed on what you get out of it, but how much you put into the highest form of worshipping God. Is that what makes it rigid? Then call it rigid if you wish, but too rigid? Too rigid for what?
“The emphasis is not placed on what you get out of it, but how much you put into the highest form of worshipping God.” Well said, Felicitas. Time was when everything surrounding the Mass had to be precise and near perfection. Candles had to be natural beeswax (at least 51%), three altar linens—always clean and starched—were needed on the altar, hosts were uniform in shape and perfectly white, chalices were gold plated—no earthenware please. Tabernacles were veiled. Those who looked after these things—like the nuns and sodality women—did not think the customs “too rigid” but a way to show their love for God—you know, like Martha and Mary Magdalene serving Our Lord and using precious ointments on Him. Then the “reform” came and the experts wondered why all this was being done instead of helping the poor. Sound familiar?
Thomas, of course it sounds familiar. That was right around the time we became a self-centered society. A shift occurred which resulted in placing “me” before “Thee.” The so-called experts encouraged it and humanism made great strides while individuals became self-indulgent to the point of seeking “feel-good” encounters at Mass.
Meanwhile virtues like piety, humility and fear of God suffered tremendously.
"Unchanged over time." Sorry, nobody at the original Calvary spoke Latin. When did time begin?
Somebody at Calvary spoke Latin because Our Lord's Name and Title were posted in Latin above His head.