My 1st class relic of St. Leo the Great
From today’s Matins. Magnificent….
Sacraméntum reconcilatiónis nostræ, ante témpora ætérna dispósitum, nullæ implébant figúræ; quia nondum supervénerat Spíritus Sanctus in Vírginem nec virtus Altíssimi obumbráverat ei, ut, et intra intemeráta víscera, ædificánte sibi Sapiéntia domum, Verbum caro fíeret, et, forma Dei ac forma servi in unam conveniénte persónam, Creátor témporum nascerétur in témpore, et, per quem facta sunt ómnia, ipse inter ómnia gignerétur. Nisi enim novus homo, factus in similitúdinem carnis peccáti, nostram suscíperet vetustátem, et, consubstantiális Patri, consubstantiális esse dignarétur et matri, naturámque sibi nostram solus a peccáto liber uníret; sub iugo diáboli generáliter tenerétur humána captívas.
I sought out the longer passage from Letter 31 to Pulcheria. She was the younger sister of the Emperor Thedosius, who played a major role in ruling the Empire. She was also involved in the success of sounds, Catholic doctrine concerning Christ at the Council of Calcedon in 451. The Latin above is in italics below.
But it is of no avail to say that our Lord, the Son of the blessed Virgin Mary, was true and perfect man, if He is not believed to be Man of that stock which is attributed to Him in the Gospel. For Matthew says, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:” and follows the order of His human origin, so as to bring the lines of His ancestry down to Joseph to whom the Lord’s mother was espoused. Whereas Luke going backwards step by step traces His succession to the first of the human race himself, to show that the first Adam and the last Adam were of the same nature. No doubt the Almighty Son of God could have appeared for the purpose of teaching, and justifying men in exactly the same way that He appeared both to patriarchs and prophets in the semblance of flesh; for instance, when He engaged in a struggle, and entered into conversation (with Jacob), or when He refused not hospitable entertainment, and even partook of the food set before Him. But these appearances were indications of that Man whose reality it was announced by mystic predictions would be assumed from the stock of preceding patriarchs. And the fulfilment of the mystery of our atonement, which was ordained from all eternity, was not assisted by any figures because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon the Virgin, and the power of the Most High had not over-shadowed her: so that “Wisdom building herself a house” within her undefiled body, “the Word became flesh;” and the form of God and the form of a slave coming together into one person, the Creator of times was born in time; and He Himself through whom all things were made, was brought forth in the midst of all things. For if the New Man had not been made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and taken on Him our old nature, and being consubstantial with the Father, had deigned to be consubstantial with His mother also, and being alone free from sin, had united our nature to Him the whole human race would be held in bondage beneath the Devil’s yoke, and we should not be able to make use of the Conqueror’s victory, if it had been won outside our nature.
But from Christ’s marvelous sharing of the two natures, the mystery of regeneration shone upon us that through the self-same spirit, through whom Christ was conceived and born, we too, who were born through the desire of the flesh, might be born again from a spiritual source: and consequently, the Evangelist speaks of believers as those “who were born not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” And of this unutterable grace no one is a partaker, nor can be reckoned among the adopted sons of God, who excludes from his faith that which is the chief means of our salvation.
In that last paragraph, I note with interest Leo’s use of the Prologue of John, which I and other priests recite at the end of (almost) every Mass in the Vetus Ordo. Such readings apply more layers upon already acquired layers for what we hear in the Last Gospel as we speak it. Over the years, it accumulates and it is all “in there”.
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Sacraméntum reconcilatiónis … intra intemeráta víscera … inter ómnia gignerétur … in similitúdinem carnis peccáti, nostram suscíperet vetustátem … etc.
The mystery of our atonement … within her undefiled body … was brought forth in the midst of all things … in the likeness of sinful flesh, and taken on Him our old nature … etc.
…
Note from an old grouch: any man reading the English translation thinking that he is getting a parallel meaning is deceiving himself.
“IT IS ALL IN THERE.”
As an altar boy in the mid-1950s, the last reading at mass, the “prologue” of John’s Gospel (great description for some of the most elegant, eloquent, and truly grand words ever written) became my touchstone
at mass. Now, 70 years later it remains my turn-to scriptural passage for deep prayer and meditation, especially the Logos as the Word and Truth. It also has lead me back after 55 years of denying and refusing to participate in
the new liturgy of Paul VI to the one true and valid liturgy – the TLM, the VITUS ORDO, et al.
On 8/1/24 after making my first true and complete Confession since about 1960, I received the Last Rites from a young soon to be SSPX priest who made a 200+ mile round trip; including anointing, Viaticum, and Apostolic Blessing all in Latin. I’m the old guy who received a diagnosis of AML Leukemia in late April this year. At the oncologist’s advice we stopped the nonproductive chemotherapy and, I entered home hospice care in July.
Thanks to you for the motivating essays and general rants.
And, yes; “It’s all in there!”
So I take it this means consubstantial with the Father in his divine nature and with Mary, his mother, in his human nature?
A lovely passage, but also because you pointed out the spiritual benefits to the priest from reciting the Last Gospel.
I find A Old Historian’s comment extremely moving. I wish Vatican insiders and clergy who are more interested in their career (or what the world thinks of them) than in the salvation of souls could or would read it. Before COVID and our taking on a relative’s infant child we regularly drove an hour to the Vetus Ordo on Sundays. One common subject of conversation amongst us oldies was whether we would be able to have a traditional requiem Mass for our funerals.
It is hard to explain why this means so much to us and it is hurtful that many in the Vatican do not seem to care. Thank God for the SSPX priest who cared enough for the Old Historian’s salvation to go out of his way to provide him with those needed sacraments. I know there must be many other priests with that level of devotion for the salvation of souls. I wish our Bishops and the Pope would constantly point out its importance.
An old historian. I’m sure you have read but if not Anthony Esolen has a nice little book on the Prologue. Maybe you read. Thanks for your comment.
@Professor Cover:
Thank you for your kind words to me and to Fr. S. I firmly believe that this experience and a few other minor ones during my full 60 days in hospital, and now 60 days into Hospice care, were to me, propelled by a few nudges from the Almighty Trinity through the intervention of our greatest protector, St. Michael the Archangel. Plus, I’m still alive – +Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
@teomatteo –
Yes, I started reading on its
release date. A fantastic work.
You may be interested in a follow up post to @ProfessorCover I just sent for posting.
Fr. Z –
Get to Rome. Get totally recharged. Eat some good grub. Get back into your pulpit or Ambo or behind the lectern, whatever you have, and preach, preach, preach, and when you get tired, grab a couple of glasses and indulge in a refreshing vino blanco. THEN GET THAT SECOND WIND OF YOURS AND PREACH MORE!