Thoughts on the Latin Mass

Today, I decided to alter my Sunday routine and attended the traditional Latin mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Grand Rapids. I hear a lot about the Latin mass, both in terms of the history of the Church, and in terms of the controversy that accompanies much talk of the sacred liturgy. And, more importantly, the Latin mass is in the midst of a comeback: there are now 360 Latin Sunday masses in over 150 United States dioceses, this is up 120 from 2007. This is not to mention incidences of the Latin mass outside of the U.S., which is no doubt also considerable. There is much speculation as to the rise in its popularity, but a trend I have personally observed at least in the Catholic Church 'round here is that the younger generations are far more conservative, and generally more devout, than their Baby Boomer elders. I have a few friends going into the priesthood, and they are far more committed to the Church than the parish priest down the road in terms of devotion to the sacraments, the Bible, and the teachings of the Church.

A bit of history and terminology needs to be clarified before delving into the subject further. First, Pope Benedict XVI clarified in his motu proprio letter Summorum Pontificum in 2007 that there are two forms, or expressions, of the Roman Rite of the Mass. Let us remember that the Roman Rite is the most common of the several liturgical rites of the Catholic Church. No rite is more right than another - a Catholic may satisfy his Sunday obligation at any Catholic parish whether it be Roman, Mozarabic, Byzantine, Melkite, Chaldean or what have you. In terms of numbers, however, the Roman Rite far outnumbers all of the other rites and is the liturgy most people, Catholic or not, identify as 'the Catholic Mass.' Anyway, the Roman Rite is expressed currently in two ways: the Ordinary Form, codified by Pope Paul VI in 1970 in the wake of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council; and the Extraordinary Form, contained in the missal codified and reissued by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1962. The Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is what is commonly known as the 'traditional Latin mass.'

Both forms of the Roman Rite are equally valid and acceptable in the eyes of the Church. They are two expressions of the same truth which flows from Christ's redeeming sacrifice, made present in the Eucharist. The liturgy, it must be remembered, means 'work of the people' and has never been set in stone. However, it is a sacred and profound mystery that must be treated as such, and it should not be changed lightly. We must recall that the mass is a manifestation of the eternal liturgy of heaven, so eloquently hinted at in the Book of Revelation.

That being said, the way each form of the mass manifests these mysteries is distinct. The Ordinary Form is of course more approachable, given its vernacular language. The Extraordinary Form is much more mystical and foreign, evoking the hidden majesty of God. As I said, whatever liturgical abuses that may accompany the Ordinary Form (i.e. liturgical dancing, morally lax homilies, decreased reverence for the Sacrament, etc.) we must recall that it is equal in dignity to the Extraordinary Form, and can perhaps learn a thing or two from it.

Anyways, to get on with today's Latin mass experience. Going into the thing, the characterization of what is often called 'the old mass' went something like this: "The priest faced away from the people, women wore veils, communion was received on the tongue while kneeling, and it was all recited in a dead language. Thank goodness for Vatican II which brought us out of the dark ages." It was a pretty depressing picture from that angle. But, I experienced things quite a bit differently today. Let me go through a few key points.

'Dead' Language
The most obvious difference, of course, was that the mass was said entirely in Latin, with exception of the Epistle, the Gospel, and the Homily. Many are put off by this 'dead, foreign language', because they cannot 'understand' what is going on. This is being a bit simplistic if you ask me. Yes, Latin is no longer a living language, which means it is not a changing language. Latin is basically eternal, it cannot change. This make it the perfect language for liturgy. Things said in 1344 mean the same as things said in 1994, whereas English and all other living languages have changed dramatically in the span of those six centuries.

Additionally, Latin is the language of the Church. It is an aspect of her sacred unity. With the Latin mass, a priest from Cambodia can be understood by a person from Cameroon within the context of the liturgy. They are taken away from their common, pedestrian language and put into communion with one another by a sacred language, reserved for the worship of God.

Which leads naturally to the next point about language in the mass: how do we speak to God in mass? It is my hope that such a sacred event would inspire language that is not often used in the course of the other six days of the week. This is a big deal. We dress up for church because it's important, perhaps we should start speaking like it's important.

The final point to be made about Latin is that it is not readily understandable. What? Did I read that correctly? Yes, candid reader, indeed you did. God and his ways are mysterious. If nothing else, Latin in the liturgy heightens that sense of the mysteriousness of God's workings in our hearts and lives.

Priest Faces the Wall
Yes, for most of the mass, the priest faces ad orientem or toward the (liturgical) east. Directions have special meanings in the liturgical realm. They may not always correspond with the actual direction one is facing, but they carry meanings within themselves. For instance, east is considered the direction of the coming of Christ. I immediately think of the hymn "People Look East". The ancient Jews believed the messiah would come from the East, and we know of course that Jesus comes to us 'from the east' during each mass. West, conversely, is often referred to as the direction of spiritual death. The sun 'dies' in the west. That is why one enters a traditional church through liturgical west and then marks himself with the sign of the cross from the baptismal font. He has left behind his spiritual death, gone through the saving waters of baptism and is ready to receive Christ, rising in the east.

There is a certain pattern, then, that can be discerned in the directionality of the mass. With the priest facing 'east' with the congregation, the entire gathering, symbolic of the people of God assembled, look east together toward Christ. Christ, then, becomes the focus of the entire action of the mass. The priest becomes the head of the people of God assembled, offering the sacrifice of Christ in persona Christi with us as witnesses.

And, on a less esoteric note; the mass is not about the priest, whether in the Ordinary or Extraordinary Form. The priest is a medium of God's grace during the sacred mass, he is not an attraction unto himself - ideally. Facing ad orientem reinforces this holy humility that the clergy are especially called to.

Communion kneeling, received on the tongue
This really seems to me not that large of an objection. Movement in the liturgy symbolizes the actions occurring. For instance, during the Creed, we bow during the sentence, "By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man." This is to emphasize, with our body language, the sacredness of God becoming man. Kneeling, in the same way, imparts a certain message by its very action. Kneeling to receive Jesus in the Eucharist is simply another way in which we acknowledge our humility in accepting the King of Kings into our bodies sacramentally. Likewise, receiving on the tongue allows us not to touch the host with our hands, a further emphasis of our unworthiness.

Final Thoughts
All in all, I found the Latin mass rather enriching. This was the exact way mass was said from the mid-1500s until 1963, with the pre-1500 masses differing little. It then emphasizes communion with the whole Church, including those legions of faithful who have gone before us and make up the Church Triumphant in heaven. The sense of sacredness was heightened not only by the aforementioned qualities, but also by the long periods of silence, when the priest was saying things very quietly at the altar. Silence is itself a gift of God in an increasingly noisy world. It allows time for meditative prayer, and simple wonder and awe, a gift of the Holy Spirit which is often hard to grasp.

That's my two cents. I encourage all to attend a traditional Latin mass. Side note: the church was quite full, with a very diverse crowd; young families, teenagers, middle-aged adults, old people, Latinos, Asians. This was an encouraging sign as to the continued relevance of this time-honored sacred event.

Latin Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Grand Rapids is at 12:30 p.m. each Sunday.

Merry Christmas!

A Merry and Very Blessed Christmas to All! Just thought I'd share with you this treasure which opens every Midnight Mass each Christmas. From the Roman Martyrology:

The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

* The twenty-fifth day of December.

* In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth;

* the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;

* the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;

* the one thousand five hundred and tenth year from Moses and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;

* the one thousand and thirty-second year from David's being anointed king;

* in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;

* in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad

* the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;

* the forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;

* the whole world being at peace,

* in the sixth age of the world,

* Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception,

* was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary, being made flesh

* The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

The Word of God became a man, and we have seen God's glory.

Blessings and the Joy of Christmas to All!

O Emmanuel

O EMMANUEL, rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium et salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Dominus Deus noster.

O EMMANUEL (Isaiah 7:14), our king and lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22), hope and salvation of the peoples (Genesis 49:10; John 4:42): come to save us, O Lord our God (Isaiah 37:20).

Yesterday was the day of this, the last of the O Antiphons. An interesting fact about the seven antiphons is that if you arrange them backward from today you get: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia. If you take the first letter of each of these words you get ero cras, which is a Latin phrase that means, "I will come tomorrow." Interesting how the work of God is often appreciated best in retrospect.

Anyways, it's Christmas Eve! Jesus comes tomorrow! I hope everyone has a very blessed, joyous, and pleasant Christmas. I shall leave you with this video, in lieu of a meditation. It is an excellent and witty piece of work, give it a watch:



Merry Christmas to all!

O Rex Gentium

O REX gentium et desideratus earum, lapis angularis qui facis utraque unum: veni et salva hominem quel de limo formasti.

O King of the nations (Jeremiah 10:7) and their desire (Haggai 2:7), cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16), who reunites Jews and pagans into one (Ephesians 2:14): come and save the man whom you formed from the earth (Genesis 2:7).

There are a number of points in yesterday's antiphon that jump out at me. Firstly, Jesus as King of the nations evokes the universality of Christ's message and mission. Since Christ died for all men, each person has the potential to call upon him as their Lord. All nations are equal in the eyes of the creator, for God shows no partiality. One of the aspects of the New Covenant was that is fulfilled God's relationship with humanity by broadening it from one nation, that of Israel, to all people, gathered together - his church. Indeed, the original Greek word for church, ecclesia, means "a gathering together." The story of all salvation history is written in God's Covenant with men, his desire to draw humanity into his love.

Indeed, this antiphon refers to the King of the nations as our desire. God desires us, and places within us the grace to desire him. That is the covenantal relationship that the Church has entered into through the person of Jesus Christ. He desires our salvation through himself, and thus becomes our cornerstone of faith, on which we build our relationship and struggle for ongoing sanctification.

We are not called to do this alone, though. God would not leave something as important as our salvation to our own struggles in darkness. He sent a light in the person of Jesus, who founded his Church as a sacrament of the unity between God and man in the New Covenant of his Body and Blood. The Church stands as the rule of God in our hearts on earth. It administers the love of Christ to all, seeking to fulfill our divine command to make disciples of all the nations, over whom Christ is already king.

The church, the New Israel, the calling together of all people to embrace God, is a visible and united sign of our potential for holiness. The Church is described in many figures of speech, but her primary mission can be summed up as these three: people of God, body of Christ, and temple of the Holy Spirit. The Trinity animates the mission of the Church. Firstly, we are a nation set apart: a holy people, a royal priesthood, and in this aspect we Christians are called to be ambassadors of Christ's great love for all of humanity. Secondly, with Christ we form his body, a united assembly of believers working to advance his mission on earth with the intercession of those already perfectly united to him in heaven. Lastly, as temple of the Holy Spirit, we rely on the continuing presence of God in the Church to guide our actions. We must cultivate our prayer lives and our sacramental lives in order to truly discern how the Spirit of God is calling us to act. But, like the Trinity itself, these three figures of the Church are distinct, yet mysteriously united.

Understanding the Church theological bases (ecclesiology) is tantamount to understanding Christ's desire for humanity. God created man to be united in love with him, man destroyed that relationship, so God has worked through Covenants to draw all men back to his tender, fatherly embrace. In the person of Jesus, God once and for all repaired our damaged relationship with Him, but calls us to take part together in that relationship through the ongoing ministry of Christ in his Church. Through this lens, we may begin to come to terms with the oft-repeated dictum of the Church Fathers: Extra ecclesiam nulla salus - outside the Church, there is no salvation.

If God desires us to be gathered together, in union with one another through the saving power of his son, the meaning of this statement can begin to be digested. It is a difficult saying in our modern time, and one I have not easily come to terms with, yet it remains true. The King of the nations is the only source of salvation, and God's salvation comes only through his Church, the New Ark of Noah, outside of which there is no salvation.

Obviously this is a nuanced topic that has been discussed thoroughly throughout the history of the Catholic Church. Look for a more detailed explanation of this position in the coming year.

Pictured is an icon of Christ the King from an altarpiece in Ghent, Belgium

O Oriens

O ORIENS, splendor lucis aeternae et sol iustitiae: veni et illumina sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis.

O STAR who rises (Zechariah 3:8, Jeremiah 23:5), splendor of the eternal light (Wisdom 7:26) and sun of justice (Malachi 3:20): come and enlighten those who lie in darkness and the shadow of death (Isaiah 9:1, Luke 1:79).

One of our titles for Mary is Stella Maris or Star of the Sea. Our Blessed Mother, with the Savior in her womb, leads lost souls through darkness, just as a star can help a sailor travel dangerous waters. Advent is the season of Mary, of her joyful and hopeful expectancy. She is awaiting the birth of the guiding star, just as we await Him in our various periods of darkness.

The antiphon refers to Christ as more than a mere star, he is the star who rises and brings light to us like the sun. He rises and brings us with him, guiding us along on our earthly pilgrimage. His light rises in us when we follow his words. The splendor of the eternal light stands as a promise of God to his creation; that he has not abandoned us, and always seeks to lead us home. His love is as permanent as the stars above, and his justice and mercy are as pure and radiant as the light of the sun.

But, following a star requires endurance and commitment. The magi, in coming to pay homage to Jesus endured a journey far from what they were familiar with, yet they were committed to honoring the Lord. Mary and Joseph also offer an example when they sojourned to Egypt to protect their son. We can come to know Jesus through many means, but we should pray to remain strong in that relationship with him. We should pray and work to keep our sights fixed on Christ, the guiding star, whose rising is from the dead; which enlivens our hope for life here and beyond. The journey of faith is long and treacherous, it is not a one-time event. In our ever-developing quest towards conversion of heart and increased holiness, the star of Christ's grace can illumine our prayers and deeds and steer us toward the ultimate happiness in his love.

Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for us

O Clavis David

O CLAVIS DAVID et sceptrum domus Israel, qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis.

O KEY OF DAVID (Isaiah 22:23), scepter of the house of Israel (Genesis 49:10), who open and no one may shut; who shut and no one may open: come, free from prison captive man, who lies in darkness and the shadow of death (Psalm 107: 10, 14).

The key is an intriguing Messianic symbol. It presents Christ as the way that something is opened, a prophecy revealed by Isaiah. Likewise, the so-called power of the keys involves what is known in Biblical literature as "binding and loosing" - in the Old Testament, this had more literal meaning which took on a deeper meaning in the New Testament. Consider: "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I shall build my church, and the gates of the hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:18-19.

Christ delegates his Messianic, Davidic power of the keys to his Apostles, and to Peter - their chief - in particular. This is to ensure that the power of binding and loosing in the sense of the forgiveness of sins, could be established in the world. This power remains with the Popes, whose chief symbol is two crossed keys, and the bishops who succeed the Apostles. They hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven while Christ is not with us - just as you might leave the keys to your house with a trusted friend if you were leaving town. Christ entrusted his closest followers with the stewardship of his church, to imitate him as Good Shepherd after his physical departure from the earth.

To understand more fully this power, the original prophecy of Isaiah must be taken in its context. Isaiah 22:23 reads, "I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open." These words were spoken about Eliakim, who was to become the steward of King of Israel. When we read these words in light of Jesus, we see striking parallels. Jesus was always prophesied to be of the house of David, and was to be the messiah who would restore the Kingdom of Israel. The New King is Jesus, the king of kings, who reigns forever in heaven, our true calling. The New Israel is the Church, the people of God set apart, journeying toward heaven. The new stewards are Peter, and his successors, the Popes, pointing to Jesus, the true key that opens wide our heavenly home by his sacrifice on the cross.

Of course, in order for any of us to truly follow and love the way God wants us to, we must first unlock our hearts and allow His love in. Jesus, who is the key to all of our souls, "stands at the door and knocks"(Revelation 3:20), calling us to allow him to open our hearts to his love. During this Christmas season, it is a good time to recommit to allowing him into our hearts, so that we too can take a part in the stewardship of his kingdom on earth. For we are all called to cultivate the love of God in our lives, which were given to us by God as gifts to use wisely.

I will end with this wonderfully appropriate quote from our dear Pope Benedict XVI:

"God...does not impose himself, he never uses force to enter, but asks, as a child does, to be welcomed. In a certain sense, God too presents himself in need of attention: he waits for us to open our hearts to him, to take care of him."

Pictured is St. Peter with the keys.

O Radix Iesse

O RADIX IESSE, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

O ROOT OF JESSE, who stand as a sign for the peoples (Isaiah 11:10), the kings of the earth are silent before you (Isaiah 52:15) and the nations invoke you: come to free us, do not delay (Habakkuk 2:3).

This is a very interesting antiphon, as it brings together much symbolism and typology. The title comes from Isaiah 11:1, which reads, "A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom." This prophecy is at the heart of the Messianic mission. The tree has much symbolism throughout the Judeo-Christian tradition. In the beginning, the tree was the source of sin entering the world through man's own action. With Jesus raised up on the tree of the cross, the remedy for that action, and all subsequent sin enters the world.

Perhaps Advent is the wrong time to reflect on the Passion, but the simple fact of the matter is that the Passion is memorialized and brought to us every time a mass is said. The Root of Jesse hangs upon a cross as a sign for all of the peoples of the earth, and his eternal saving sacrifice is made present each and every time a mass is said. Truly, at that time, the kings of the earth are silent before him, the King of Kings, in the humble appearances of bread and wine. "For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; and everywhere is offered a sacrifice to my name, a clean oblation; For my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts." - Malachi 1:11

Many gawk at the theology of transubstantiation. Bread and wine becomes God? Really? But this season of Advent can put that idea into context. God, the infinite, became a mere human child, born of a young virgin, in a stable, in a poor Roman backwater. The humility and that God exemplifies and calls us to is evident in both narratives - the Nativity and the mass.

God, present in the stable, on the cross, and during the mass, stands as a sign for all people. He is the new tree of life. He regenerates our souls, allowing them to blossom and show forth his love for all peoples. The fruit of sin in the Garden that led to the fall is replaced by Jesus, the bread come down from heaven, who spiritually empowers us in the Eucharist. This hope of salvation is open to all, from the rising of the sun to its setting, and it is given freely by a God who loves us and seeks only our love in return.

O Adonai

O ADONAI dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extenso.

O LORD (Exodus 6:2), leader of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush (Exodus 3:2) and on Mount Sinai gave him the law (Exodus 20): come and free us with your powerful arm (Exodus 15:12-13).

The lordly aspect of Christ is an aspect oft-spoken of but much neglected. We love Christ the Savior, we are less sure about Christ the Lord. Lordship, in a generic sense, implies power and legal authority. Of course, Jesus fulfills these two qualifications in the most perfect manner. He is the supreme power, the primum mobile to the Medievals, which causes the Earth to live. On another level, he is the New Law, fulfilling the Old Covenant with Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Ten Commandments are now accented by the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus does not call us to an easy life. That is a simple fact of his Incarnation. We are sinners who need saving from sin, this is a difficult road. His commands are not easy, especially in our modern times, but we take up our crosses and seek to follow Him who will set us free, just as the Israelites followed Moses in the desert in search of the Promised Land.

God helps us along the way, and shows us how to follow in both word and sacrament. In the Old Testament, God appeared to Moses as a burning bush and the bush was not consumed, it merely provided a way for God to communicate with and show himself to man. In a similar way, we are called to follow and seek the glory of God so that we can show ourselves to the world as instruments of God's presence. 

And how can this seemingly impossible task be achieved? Certainly not of our own reaching and striving. God, reaching down, as he did on Mt. Sinai with the Law, gives us the grace to serve and follow his commands. He gives us this grace through His Church's sacraments, our good works, our following of the virtues, and our faith, all of which have their source in God, our very creator and sustainer. These graces allow us to be humble and accept the path that Jesus sets before us, sufferings and all. For, following the Lord involves imitating the Lord. God became man so that man can become like God.

O Sapientia

O SAPIENTIA, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia; veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ.


O WISDOM, who comes from the mouth of the Most High (Sirach 24:5), you extend to the ends of the earth, and order all things with power and sweetness (Wisdom 8:1): come and teach us the way of wisdom (Proverbs 9:6).

December 17th marks the final jaunt of the Advent season toward Christmas. The Church recognizes these seven days leading up to Christmas Eve in a special way. Each day is associated with one of the seven "O Antiphons" - short scriptural allusions to the coming of Christ. These are very ancient liturgical prayers of the Church that reach back to the Fifth Century. They are prayed during Vespers, the daily evening prayer of the Church.

The first of the O Antiphons is the invocation of God as Wisdom. Though I have alluded to this fact of the Incarnation elsewhere, I feel it bears much fruit in the context of our postmodern society. Christ, the Word of God made flesh (John 1), embodies and teaches the wisdom that guides us toward sanctification. Perhaps it is appropriate to echo the oft-repeated phrase of the Church Fathers, "God became man so that man can become like God."

God does this through the person of Jesus Christ, the very embodiment of his Wisdom. This is the scandal of Christianity. No other religion claims a divine savior. Each of the other major religions involve humanity reaching upward for God. Christianity is God reaching down to humanity. He offers us a way to Him through the Second Person of the Trinity - Jesus.

Coming to recognize Jesus present in the world involves both faith and the human faculty of reason, which both flow from God. Often, Christianity - Catholicism in particular - is criticized as being an illogical way of life that stunts reason and promotes superstition. I personally resent and object to this classification. Accepting the Church Christ founded involves both the heart and the head. As G.K. Chesterton once quipped, "Theology is simply the part of religion that involves brains."

God imparts us with the faculty of reason for a purpose. If we disregard the intellect, we truly do become superstitious Medievalists with a social agenda. But the Church has a vast intellectual patrimony that begs to differ with this characterization. Want some deep thought? Read some Augustine or Aquinas. Want emotional faith? Read John of the Cross or Teresa of Avila. Want nature? Read Francis of Assisi. These men and women were not unthinking Catholic drones. These were passionate, intellectual people with a zeal for living their lives to the fullest - with both heart and mind.

As the year draws toward a close, it is appropriate to be reminded of the wisdom of God, and how it can guide us toward charity, in the person of Jesus Christ, who offers salvation and a way of life befitting heaven. That, of course, is what Advent and Christmas are all about - the mystery of God made flesh in a stable in Bethlehem, and the mystery of God made flesh in the Eucharist and in others, each and every day all around the world.

Pictured is Thomas Aquinas, Saint and Doctor of the Church, holding his Summa Theologica; the most detailed and complete exposition of Catholic theology and the supreme intellectual work of the Middle Ages

Kaybin's List For Munich

Exciting news, Ladies and Gentlemen! Our friend Kevin over at Bergen's Burning Thoughts, will be studying in Segovia, Spain, next semester. This is certainly a great opportunity for Mr. Bergen to enjoy another culture that is quite different from our own. Another opportunity that will present itself is travel to other places on the European continent. Given the proximity of great European cities and cheap airfare, the temptation is difficult to pass by.

Long story short, Kevin said that he was interested in visiting Rome and Munich over his lengthy spring break. I can't speak personally about Rome (though I know I would like it very much), I have been to Munich on two separate occasions and absolutely love the city. I feel like I will always want to go to Munich; it's just awesome folks!

Anyways, compiled below is a list of must-see and must-do attraction in Munich, according to the best advice of Yours Truly. I am by no means an expert, but I feel qualified to offer my best insights on enjoying the city (since enjoyment is the only thing I did there).

THE LISTS (all locations are noted by their German names first, with English in parenthesis, to make locating them on maps a bit easier).

Must-See Landmarks
Marienplatz (Central Square) - the heart of the city, fronted by the New and Old Town Halls, definitely the place to get a feel for the town
Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) - the big, Gothic building on the Marienplatz, watch the Glockenspiel performance at noon (I believe) for a classic Munich experience (along with all of the other crane-necked tourists)
Frauenkirche (Cathedral) - imposing twin towers lord over the city, the cavernous interior is quite airy, the side chapels are worth looking at along the perimeter of the church, this was the cathedral of Benedict XVI before his papacy
Residenz (Royal Palace) - this enormous palace really can't be described, spend the money to get inside, worth every penny of admission
Olympiapark (Olympic Park) - a bit off from the old town, but still cool to see, the site of the 1972 Summer Games
BMW Welt (BMW World) - across the street from the Olympiapark is the headquarters of BMW, check out their awesome (and I do believe free) showroom - BMW Welt
Asamkirche - another church, probably one of the most interesting churches in existence, don't miss this one, the shock value is worth it
Michaelskirche - the beautiful Jesuit church ;) right on the main drag (Kaufingerstrasse), simply beautiful, one of my favorite churches, and that's saying something
Nymphenburg Palace: the Versailles of Munich, a bit to the west of town, but well worth the transportation effort (which in Germany, you'll find to be minimal-stress), have a look at the treasures of the interior
Allianz Arena: home of FC Bayern.

Essential Munich Experiences
Climb the Tower of Alter Peter: pay the one or two euros to climb the tower of Munich's oldest church for breathtaking views over the old town (and to the Alps on a clear day)
Eat/Drink at the Hofbrauhaus: quintessential Bavaria, enough said (watch out for the waitresses wielding six full beer mugs in each hand)
Eat Lunch at the Viktualienmarkt: have a very cheap, authentic German lunch at the city market, watch out for the Leberkaese (liver-cheese)
Eat/Drink at the Chinesischer Turm Biergarten in the Englischer Garten: according to my German acquaintances, this is the best beer garden in the city. I would agree. Go there in the evening.
Visit Dachau: Dachau is a suburb of Munich, but I recommend a visit. The concentration camp is chilling, but a necessary thing to see in my opinion

Odds and Ends
- public transportation is easy in Munich, and any subway is always a cheap thrill
- food is wonderful (and filling) in Germany. Try the weisswurst (white sausages) any time before noon. ooh, and don't miss out on German bread! The best thing... since sliced bread! Seriously.
- best beers: Franziskaner Weissbier, Paulaner, Hofbrau, Augustinerbrau, Löwenbrau, but especially the Franziskaner
- learn some German phrases, but don't pretend you speak German (they'll believe you).
- visit every church you see (seriously, the architecture and decoration is awesome, and they're free)
- get a good city map from the tourist office on the first floor of the Neues Rathaus
- Munich will likely be much cleaner and safer than both Italy and Spain

Can you tell I adore Munich yet?

Pictured above is the Chinese Tower Beer Garden in the English Garden, in the evening

3rd Sunday of Advent

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here. Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Yesterday was the third Sunday of the Advent season, sometimes known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word that means "rejoice." And it is time to rejoice, for we are now past the halfway point in Advent, and Christmas will be here soon. It is because of this joy that this Sunday is represented by the single pink candle in the Advent wreath. It is also one of the few times during the year that the liturgical color is pink (or rose, as more emphatically stated by our pastor here at Ball State who claims he "doesn't wear pink").

The joyful nature of the Advent complements the more penitent aspect. We are awaiting our Savior with joy, yet we strive to prepare our hearts and our broken natures. Perhaps in this Advent season we can understand the Church's wisdom in requiring that Catholics receive the sacrament of confession. Confession in itself is the perfect icon for the Advent season. In both instances, we approach our God with a humble, contrite heart, yet we are secure in the joy that God truly loves us. And, when its all over, the joy is multiplied, and we are empowered to go out into the world and continue our ever-constant call to increased holiness.

Much conspiratorial nonsense is made of the simple fact that Christmas falls on the date of the Roman festival of Sol Invictus - the Unconquered Sun. To me this seems like a happy coincidence. Christmas radiates light in the darkest time of the year, and we are called to reflect that light to one another in a spirit of joyful love, suffering, and evangelization. The Romans were simply celebrating the wrong sun, the literal sun. Christ, the Day-Spring, the Light of Nations, evermore poignantly enlightens the heart of humanity and empowers us to take up our crosses and follow him in joy.

In Advent, which in some ways may be called the season of Mary - in her joyful expectation - we can look to Our Blessed Mother as the ideal representation of the joyful Christian. She truly and completely bore Christ and carried his message within her heart even after he was born. As she proclaimed to Elizabeth, her soul magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoices in God her Savior, giver of all joy.

Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy, pray for us

Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 12 is an increasingly important liturgical celebration for the Catholic Church in the Americas. On that day we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most iconic images of the Blessed Virgin in the world.

The story goes something like this:
Two accounts published in the 1640s, one in Spanish and the other in Nahuatl, tell how, during a walk from his home village to Mexico City early on the morning of December 9, 1531, (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Empire), the peasant Juan Diego saw a vision of a young girl of fifteen or sixteen, surrounded by light, on the slopes of the Hill of Tepeyac. Speaking in the local language, Nahuatl, the Lady asked for a church to be built at that site in her honor, and from her words Juan Diego recognized her as the Virgin Mary. Diego told his story to the Spanish bishop, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, who instructed him to return and ask the Lady for a miraculous sign to prove her claim. The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather some flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill. It was winter and no flowers bloomed, but on the hilltop Diego found flowers of every sort, and the Virgin herself arranged them in his tilma, or peasant cloak. When Juan Diego opened the cloak before Zumárraga on December 12, the flowers fell to the floor, and in their place was the Virgin of Guadalupe, miraculously imprinted on the fabric.

More impressively:
Catholic sources describe the many miraculous and supernatural properties of the image. The tilma has maintained its structural integrity over nearly 500 years, while replicas normally last only about 15 years before suffering degradation it repaired itself with no external help after a 1791 ammonia spill that did considerable damage, and in 1926 an anarchist bomb destroyed the altar, but left the icon unharmed. In 1929 and 1951 photographers found a figure reflected in the Virgin's eyes; upon inspection they said that the reflection was tripled in what is called the Purkinje effect, commonly found in human eyes. An ophthalmologist, Dr. Jose Aste Tonsmann, later enlarged an image of the Virgin's eyes by 2500x and found not only the aforementioned single figure, but images of all the witnesses present when the tilma was first revealed before Zumaragga in 1531, plus a small family group of mother, father, and a group of children, in the center of the Virgin's eyes, fourteen persons in all.

Numerous Catholic websites repeat an unsourced claim that in 1936 biochemist Richard Kuhn analyzed a sample of the fabric and announced that the pigments used were from no known source, whether animal, mineral or vegetable. Dr. Philip Serna Callahan, who photographed the icon under infrared light, discovered from his photographs that portions of the face, hands, robe, and mantle had been painted in one step, with no sketches or corrections and no visible brush strokes.

 Our Lady of Gaudalupe has been declared patroness of the Americas, and has developed a strong devotion in Hispanic countries - especially Mexico. In areas of the United States where there are large Hispanic populations, December 12 is a great time of celebration. I know in Grand Rapids, the Spanish-speaking parishes have elaborate, traditional Mexican ceremonies on the feast day.

With the increasing demographic shift in American Catholicism, from its Northeastern Irish cradle to the Southwestern Hispanic energies, Our Lady of Guadalupe has been an important unifying devotion, given her significance throughout the New World.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Much of the historical content of this post was taken from the Wikipedia article on the subject.