July 11, 2010

• The Wedding Feast of the Lamb Has Begun

  

  I have spent a couple of weeks thinking and praying about how I want to wrap up this series and, being inspired by Scott Hahn’s book “The Lamb’s Supper,” I decide to go through the Book of Revelation line-by-line to try and show the parallels between how the Church celebrates liturgy, and how that is inspired by the heavenly liturgy described by St. John. What? Yes indeed; there is rhyme and reason to the way the Church celebrates the Mass! But as I went through all twenty-two chapters of the beautiful final chapter of the Bible, I realized that there was too much to do in one blog, so please consider this Part III.I haha. This one will have lots of pictures for those who haven’t been to a Catholic Church or a Catholic Mass, with the hope that this will help illustrate the “setting” of the Mass. Part of what non-Catholics (and some Catholics, I’m sure) find confusing is all the imagery. While I can’t explain everything one sees at the Mass or in the artwork and architecture of every church building, hopefully the soon-to-be-quoted passages from Scripture, accompanied by pictures, will help define the universal basics you would find, wherever you go in the world.

   

  “Then I heard something like the sound of a great multitude or the sound of rushing water or mighty peals of thunder, as they said: “Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, (our) God, the almighty. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment.” (Rev. 19:6-8)

  Here we are, after the Liturgy of the Word, and “Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near!” (Rev. 1:3) Yes, the Lord is coming, for the Liturgy of the Eucharist will soon begin! We have heard the Word of God (He has given His Word, His promise!), we have been taught by those who belong, truly, to His apostles, that we may not be misled by “those who call themselves apostles but are not,” (Rev. 2:2). “Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” what the Spirit of God tells us through those He has chosen to speak for Him, that we may be given by Him “the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God,” the Eucharist. (Rev. 2:7) 

  For “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20) He has knocked and we, listening to His voice, have opened our hearts to receive His word, and soon He will enter the temples of our bodies and dine with us, and us with Him. Can you even wait? Can you even believe that in mere moments the Lord of Lords will invite you to table, that He will say to you, “…[S]it with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne?” (Rev. 3:21) Truly, “Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches!” (Rev. 3:22)

  But what does this meal, this time of victory, look like? St. John paints an incredible picture in his prophetic writing, but he isn’t just writing about some future event; he was writing about the “there and now” of his own time, and the “here and now” of our own, for when you go to a Catholic Mass, you are witnessing the “Word Made Flesh,” the very Book of Revelation lived out, the Promise of God made True in the Eucharist, and an earthly anticipation of the eternal banquet to come in Heaven. There is no longer one temple made of stone in Jerusalem that is the only place fit for worship, for now His temple is the human race, and “for this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple.” (Rev. 7:15) Being human we are temporal, and thus we gather in certain places for this worship, but the Catholic Church exists throughout the world, as one temple of humanity.

  Lord Jesus, “you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth.” (Rev. 5:9-10)

  Truly His Church is Catholic, universal! Yes, reader, even now as you look at these words the Wedding Feast of the Lamb is being celebrated somewhere in the world by Catholic faithful, some in beautiful and ancient cathedrals, some in hidden basements away from persecuting governments, some in humble chapels of cinderblock, some on the battlefield in the scorching sun, some in the privacy of a sick person’s home. All for Christ, all for His people. “They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them,” (Rev. 7:16) for He will feed them all with His very Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist. Is there any gift so great in all this earth?

   

  Come on in; the Water Saves!

  Rev. 4:6 “In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal.”

  

  The baptismal font is normally at the entrance of the Church, to remind us that it is through Baptism we come to be part of the Body of Christ. Some fonts are large, of sufficient size to baptize an infant; some are very large, enough to baptize an adult. Some are such as the one on the right, large enough to dip ones fingers into and make a sign of the Cross, to renew ones commitment to their baptism and to remember Christ’s saving act in their lives. It also is a reminder of the purification ritual of our Jewish ancestors in the faith.

  The Priests, Deacons and Acolytes

  Rev. 4:2-4 “A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.”

  

  While a bishop may not always be present when you go to Mass, there is always at least a priest sitting “on a throne,” reminding us of the sovereignty of Christ who is truly presiding, through the celebrant.

  Candles

  Rev. 4:5 “Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.”

  

  One of the strongest memory/scent associations I have is whenever I smell a candle being lit or a candle burning, I always think of Mass!

  The Four Evangelists

  Rev. 4:6-8 “In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a human being, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming…”

  

  Oftentimes you will see the Four Living Creatures, representing the four Gospel writers, adorning the pulpit/ambo as well, and even the altar, or even statues of the men themselves holding up the pulpit, the altar, or adorning the four corners of the sanctuary.

  St. Matthew and his Gospel are represented by winged man because his account starts with the geneology of Jesus, emphasizes His human nature and incarnation, and encourages us to embrace our own humanity, especially our reason, during our Christian journey. 

  St. Mark and his Gospel are represented by a winged lion because his account begins with St. John roaring like a lion, reveals a very kingly and authoritative Christ, and it was once thought that lions slept with their eyes open; we are likewise told to be watchful for the return of Christ, and to be brave on our journey to Him.

  St. Luke and his Gospel are represented by a winged ox because his account begins with Zechariah and his priestly duties in the temple, a site of constant sacrifice. We also read of Mary’s sacrifice, as foretold by Simeon, and the rest of the Gospel emphasizes Christ’s sacrifice and His role as High Priest. We are also reminded of the many sacrifices and offerings we must we willing to make.

  St. John and his Gospel are represented by an eagle because his account expresses a very high theology and focuses on the divinity of Christ. Eagles were once though to be able to look directly into the sun, so we are encouraged to look up to heaven without turning away and to seek Christ.

  Music and Incense

  Rev. 5:8 “When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.”

  

  Many churches have a loft in the back for the choir. I’ve always seen this not only in a practical sense (where else do you put an organ and a choir?!) but also because when a choir sings at Mass it is not a performance, but a ministry; it is not about the choir! Rather their music helps us to pray; it doesn’t matter what choir is doing that. Having the choir out of sight helps us maintain our focus on what is truly most important: the worship of Jesus Christ! And the music, the instruments will be different depending upon the culture of the Church. Everything from organs and pianos to violins and drums, from choirs and cantors singing magnificent works to soloists chanting in haunting simplicity, in every language you can imagine. We have traditional choirs, contemporary choirs, praise and worship groups, gospel choirs… diversity, without division.

  Incense is another powerful memory/scent kind of thing; smelling it always makes me think of Mass, especially the bigger feast days! Not every church and not every liturgy will have incense, but it certainly adds another level of solemnity to the celebration, and also connects us back with our ancient Jewish roots and the use of incense and burnt offerings as prayers and sacrifices to God. There is also something very mysterious and powerful seeing the heavy, scented smoke hovering around the altar during the opening part of the Eucharistic Prayer…

  Relics

  Rev. 6:9 “When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God.”

  

  In most altars there is built in, such as demonstrated in the portable altar above, a relic of a saint. Sometimes they are encased below the altar as on the right. This is a tradition that goes all the way back to the earliest beginnings of the Church, during the times of persecution when Christians would gather, before dawn, at the burial sites of their martyred brothers and sisters to celebrate the Eucharist, being strengthened and encouraged by the martyr’s witness and also as a reminder that through Christ in the Eucharist, their loved one is still with them in their own trials. I think this is beautifully explained in the ancient writing “The Martyrdom of Polycarp,” who died around 155 AD. The following is written after the account of the martyr’s death:

  “17:2 So he put forward Nicetes, the father of Herod and brother of Alce, to plead with the magistrate not to give up his body, ‘lest,’ so it was said, ‘they should abandon the crucified one and begin to worship this man’–this being done at the instigation and urgent entreaty of the Jews, who also watched when we were about to take it from the fire, not knowing that it will be impossible for us either to forsake at any time the Christ who suffered for the salvation of the whole world of those that are saved–suffered though faultless for sinners–nor to worship any other.
  17:3 For Him, being the Son of God, we adore, but the martyrs as disciples and imitators of the Lord we cherish as they deserve for their matchless affection towards their own King and Teacher.
  17:4 May it be our lot also to be found partakers and fellow- disciples with them.
  18:1 The centurion therefore, seeing the opposition raised on the part of the Jews, set him in the midst and burnt him after their custom.
  18:2 And so we afterwards took up his bones which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place;
  18:3 where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy, and to celebrate the birth- day of his martyrdom for the commemoration of those that have already fought in the contest, and for the training and preparation of those that shall do so hereafter.”

  Notice it speaks also of the custom of celebrating the day of someone’s martyrdom, a tradition that the Church still upholds. This Saturday, July 17th, for example, is the Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Compiegne, sixteen Carmelite nuns who were killed during the French Revolution.

  The Dome

  Rev. 7:1 “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on land or sea or against any tree.”

  

  Just makes me think of some church architecture! Not every church has a splendid dome held up by angels, but it certainly produces a nice effect…

  Sealed in the Spirit

  Rev. 7:3-9 “Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, ”Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites: twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Benjamin. After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.”

  

  At Baptism we are anointed with chrism, with blessed oil, as a sign of strength and symbolic of our being anointed by the Holy Spirit, as Christ was at His own baptism, reminding us that we are now participating in His own life; we are a part of His Body. At Confirmation we as Catholics, many of us having been baptized as infants, confirm our parent’s choice and choose the faith fully for ourselves. Oftentimes, as with the girl above having chosen “Esther,” the confirmand chooses a patron saint to be their spiritual rolemodel and friend throughout their life. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit against so much; we receive so many gifts and graces by Him. These Sacraments are normally celebrated in the context of the Mass, so you may see this from time to time as well. Yet another ancient tradition, and as the quote reminds us, the Church encompasses all tribes and all nations; truly catholic!

   

  “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”

  Rev. 7:14 “I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

  

  If you arrive early enough, you may notice people waiting in line to step into the confessional. As I mentioned in a previous post, we are strongly encouraged (1 Cor. 11:28-29) to examine our conscience and, if we find our white garments to be a bit dirty, we should go to confess our sins, washing them white in the Blood of the Lamb. This is also, as explained in Part I of this series, why we have the Penitential Rite built into the Mass. Then when Christ asks us, “Who are these people in white?” we can answer, “You know us, for you have made us clean!”

  The Tabernacle

  Rev. 7:17 “For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

   

  Front and center, in most churches, you’ll find the tabernacle, within which is kept the Living Christ, as He comes to us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. If you ever want to spend time in His Presence, why wait until the Second Coming, especially since He promised to be with us until the end of the age?

  Rev. 11:19 “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.”

  Rev. 12:1-2 “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child…”

  

  I’m sure this image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is quite familiar. This is a miraculous image; it appeared without any human making it (there are no brush strokes to be found!). Anyways, the convention of the chapter/verse aspect of the Bible did not come about until over a thousand years after Christ’s death, so it may seem initially that the verse at the end of Chapter 11 and the verse at the beginning of Chapter 12 are referring to two different things. But let’s think about the Ark of the Covenant; what was it?

  -a sign of God’s abiding presence with His chosen people.

  -a pure vessel within which God dwelt, within which was also kept the Ten Commandments (God’s Law), manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, a sign of his priesthood.

  This is the Ark of the Old Covenant, that was built by human hands and then, when ready a “cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling.” (Ex. 40:34)

  Mary, as has long been believed, is the very living Ark of the New Covenant. She is:

  -a sign of God’s abiding presence with His chosen people, for the Lord asked Ahaz for a sign, saying, “Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” and when Ahaz would not dare, God said, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel,” (Isaiah 7:11, 14) which means “God With Us.” (Mt. 1:23)

  -a pure vessel within which God dwelt (a perpetual virgin, holy and pure), within whom was kept the Living Law, the Bread From Heaven, and our High Priest.

  Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant, created by God and then, when all that He had prepared throughout history was ready, she was told by an angel that, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:35) Furthermore, the Church believes and teaches that Mary was taken body and soul, like Elijah and Enoch, into heaven. Truly, then, the Ark of His Covenant can be seen in His temple!

  Followers of the Lamb

  Rev. 14:1-5 “Then I looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. They were singing (what seemed to be) a new hymn before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn this hymn except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been ransomed from the earth. These are they who were not defiled with women; they are virgins and these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb. On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished.”

  Aren’t they beautiful?

  Following the Lamb, wherever He goes… pray for your priests, your brothers, your sisters, who devote their lives to working alongside Christ in the world, who uphold you all in prayer every day. Pray for vocations; pray for me!

  I promise that the next part of the series will be the final part; could you imagine this entry if I also went into the Liturgy of the Eucharist? Goodness!

   

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