To the Band of Brothers: October 21, 2020

Fr. Willie ‘87
Good morning!

Even though yesterday I hit you with an email about the mass, I thought I would hit you again.
I’ve often heard it said Catholics don’t know much about the Bible. I admit, members of other Christian denominations seem to have the upper hand in knowing Scripture better than we do. They can find passages at the snap of a finger and locate parables and miracles quicker than you can say “Deuteronomy” (just in case, Deuteronomy is one of the books of the Bible… I think it’s in the Old Testament).

Our Christian brothers are also pretty fast at finding just the right verse for whatever the occasion. Is somebody sick? Bam… check out Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:21-24; 35-43) or any number of paralytics. Is your faith a little shaky? No problem. Take a couple of mustard seeds and call me in the morning or just check out the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30).

In reality, Catholics are very much rooted in Scripture and have nothing to be ashamed of. Not only did the Church write the New Testament, but also compiled it into its present form with a little help from the Holy Spirit and a few nods from a couple of ecumenical councils.

As if that were not enough, there’s something else. The most important exercise of Catholicity in our extensive and rich repertoire, the mass, is purely scriptural. From beginning to end, from the procession to the recession, the Catholic liturgy is a barrage of Bible that can make the hair on the back of St. Jerome’s neck stand and give Martin Luther goosebumps.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

Did you know the prayer between the preface and the Eucharistic Prayer is called the Sanctus or Holy, Holy? It goes like this: “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of host. Heaven and Earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.” These words are basically an echo of the words of Psalm 118 (25-26) and the gospels of Matthew (21:9), Mark (11:9), and John (12:13).
Here’s another. After the sign of peace, the priest stands at the altar and begins to break in half the Eucharist that will be distributed. Then he holds the two halves together over the patent and says the words of John the Baptist, “Behold, the Lamb of God; behold him who takes away the sin of the world, blessed are those called to his supper” (John 1:29). Then, the people respond with the words of the Roman centurion, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed” (Matthew 8:8).

Mind you, this is not to mention what we call the Liturgy of the Word (after the opening prayer and before the profession of faith… awesome homily included) that has readings from both the Old and New Testament with an emphasis on the Gospel. All readings are set up in an ingenious three-year cycle that guides the Church through the whole history of God’s chosen people from Abraham to the Apostles better than any Google Map or GPS.

The point is, the mass has its roots in the Bible and, I am convinced, when push comes to shove, we know more about the Bible than we let on. Attending mass is an extraordinary way to be fed with both the Body of Christ and with His word. In today’s COVID economy, where else can you get such a great two-for-one deal at such a bargain price?

Auspice Maria
Back
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow.  Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.