April 7, 2009 by Stacy McDonald
Tabletalk: Beauty and the Best
If you aren’t already a subscriber to Tabletalk magazine, I highly recommend it. Typically, our copy is kept in the master bath where the little ones take their evening baths. That way, while bubbles fly and rubber ducks dance, I can settle onto the tub side bench and read a thought provoking article or two. This month’s issue hasn’t disappointed me! Here is a sample for you – a quote from R.C. Sproul Jr.’s latest article in Tabletalk. Here Dr. Sproul does a good job of defending the sacred beauty of the worship service, while reminding us of its ultimate purpose. Be sure to click on the link below to read the whole thing:
In the ninth century, when the Latin Mass began to be enforced, I’m confident the same discussions took place. Some, I would expect, argued that the Latin Mass carried with it a gravity that communicated the glory of God, a certain sense of mystery and timelessness. Others, I’m quite sure, pointed out that the people for whom Jesus died could not understand what was being said. How can we say that this body was broken for you if you don’t know what we’re saying? Click here to read the whole article.
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7 Responses to “Tabletalk: Beauty and the Best”
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That was an interesting article and I sure can agree with most of it.
I was raised a Roman Catholic (I am 55 years old, born in 1953 and went to mass when it was still said in Latin — that changed in the mid-60′s with Vatican II) and went to Catholic school with the nuns for seven years.
When we’d go to mass, we would have our “missal” to help us participate in the mass. It had the litany and liturgy and prayers of the mass in it.
When you opened your missal out flat, there was Latin on one side and English (or French or German, depending on what country you lived in) on the other side.
The homily, or sermon, was always preached in English (or the language of the people of whatever country it was) and never in Latin.
So, the missal I used had Latin on one side and English on the other.
The sermon was always in English.
So, the statement that Catholics cannot understand what is being said at mass is totally inaccurate. But, Protestants say it all the time.
(It is true that lots of Catholics left their missals at home and didn’t bother to participate at mass. This was not recommended by the clergy. Some Protestants may have visited a Catholic mass and not have had the benefit of a missal to use, and in this case, of course, the Protestant person would not undertand what was going on in a Latin mass.)
Hope this clears that up. I am not trying to defend Roman Catholicism, as I left that church years ago. But, it is not true that we didn’t understand what was being said in a Latin mass, since our missals had the Latin on one side and English on the other side, and the sermon was in English, never Latin.)
Hi Civilla,
Thanks for writing. I was raised Catholic too, but the churches I attended were all in English. My father attended Catholic school and had plenty of stories to tell me about the “strict nuns” when he was a boy! LOL
When we started homeschooling and I mentioned to him that we wanted to teach the children Latin, he wondered why. He had been required to learn Latin in Catholic school so that he could follow along with the Mass and sing the songs. My reasons for teaching Latin were obviously different than his. :-)
I found it interesting that he said he didn’t remember any Latin, even after all those years of Catholic school and Mass.
I never realized the missal was in English during that time. My dad was probably one who didn’t follow along! LOL Thanks for pointing that out.
Still, this was just a small comment Dr. Sproul made in making a point totally unrelated to Catholicism.
Again, a spot on article that really speaks to me! I really needed to read this because it states so clearly how my husband and I have been feeling about worship. You see, we’re in the process of changing churches (from PCUSA to EPC) and worship is one of the main reasons why we feel it’s time to make that change.
Our current church has, in our opinion, lost that balance Dr. Sproul talks about in terms of worship. Our church has decided to move in the direction of entertaining everyone. In fact, the new motto is “come casual, leave fulfilled”. We ask, where’s the reverence and dignity? Well, it’s been replaced with casual dress, casual attitudes, and much silliness. We were told that this is what most people want out of church these days and that having a “contemporary” service will draw in new members that don’t care for the “stuffy, traditional” style of worship.
We do not agree and fortunately have found a church that doesn’t buy into this either. Great article and I think I’ll print it out for my huband to read.
Yes, Stacy, I thought the article was very interesting. I am 55, so I remember the Latin mass, and the high mass that was sung in Latin. I remember when it all changed: I was in about the 6th grade and the sweeping changes were astounding. Many elderly folk stopped going to mass, because it was “different.”
Yeah, there were a lot of taboos: not wearing a head covering to mass (many is the time I went with a used Kleenex smoothed out and laid on my head because I had forgotten my hat and it was too far to go back to get it!); saying your rosary during mass (not right to try to kill 2 birds with one stone); wearing shorts to mass or confession (once, our priest sent 2 teenaged girls home to change from shorts to either slacks or a skirt — and they had walked 4 miles to get there, one way!); and forgetting your missal at home so that you could not participate in the mass!
Wonder if there are any of those old-style missals laying around?
Anyway, yes, that was just a small point. The article was very, very interesting.
The present church that we pastor, as well as our last church, has an old-fashioned worship service, where we sing hymns. They are so wonderful. Our younger son, nearly 20, refuses to listen to contemporary Christian music (I am not against ALL of it) at all!
Hello, Ladies,
What a good conversation!
I studied Latin in school back in the days when it was offered. Most of the kids in class were Catholics, since the Mass was still said in Latin in those days. It is a beautiful language. We were not Catholic.
I love Table Talk, too. It is always though-provoking in a good way – provoking good thoughts!
God bless,
Mrs. Webfoot
Stacy, I was happy and pleasantly surprised to see you on Anne’s blog. Such kind and open discourse among everyone; what a treat! It made me proud once again to call you a sister in Christ :)