Dom Columba Marmion on the Interior and Exterior Dimensions of Divine Worship

BY SHAWN TRIBE

(for source, click title)

It will certainly come as no revelation that a tension can exist between one group of faithful who promote solemnity, beauty and decorum within the sacred liturgy and another who express concern about focusing too much on the externals. 

On the one hand, those who promote the external aspects of divine worship would note that these are important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which that these exterior aspects do move us interiorly and also speak to the importance of what underlies these rites and ceremonies; that these things are aids to teach us and form us and have an evangelical aspect to them; that they are an inspiration and a help and, further, give glory to God.

On the other hand, those who express concern about what we might call "externalism" are expressing the concern that people not fall into any temptation of turning the sacred liturgy or their faith generally into a merely aesthetic experience devoid of any deeper and substantial root. They would emphasize that one cannot solely be concerned with beauty but must make the ultimate priority the worship of God and a life rooted in the Gospel. 

In point of fact, and far from being opposed, both have something quite important to say, rooted in the recognition of some important (and complementary) truths. Both of the expressed views are rooted in a consideration of the heavenly and the divine and what both stand against is in fact the common enemy of a reductionism related to beauty. That reductionism is rooted in two different extremes coming from opposite ends of the spectrum, but the common thread that unites both of them is that both have placed barriers between the exterior and interior aspects, accordingly approaching the externals in a shallow way.

Let us consider how Dom Columba Marmion explained the matter of their relationship in his work, Christ in His Mysteries:

There are some minds who see nothing else in the celebration of the mysteries of Christ than the perfection of the ceremonies, the beauty of the singing, the splendor of the vestments, the harmony of the rituals. All that may be there; all that is encountered indeed: all that is excellent.

In the first place because, the Church having herself settled all the details of the worship of her Spouse (this Church who is the spouse of Christ), the perfect observation of those details honors God and His Son Jesus. “It is an established law for all the mysteries of Christianity that, to reach our understanding, they must first be presented to the senses: and this had to be so in order to honor Him who, being invisible by nature, willed to appear, for love of us, under a form that was perceptible.”

 Further, it is a psychological law of our nature—our nature being matter and spirit—that we go from the visible to the invisible. The exterior elements of the celebration of the mysteries are to serve for our souls like the rungs of a ladder, so as to raise us to the contemplation and love of realities that are heavenly and supernatural. This, furthermore, is the plan of the Incarnation itself, as we sing at Christmas: “... so that while we recognize God in visible form, we may through this be seized with a love of things invisible.” [Footnote: The holy Council of Trent expressly teaches this about the rites of the Mass, about the primordial action of the liturgy: “As the nature of men is such that they are not easily able to meditate on divine things without the support of exterior aids, our holy Mother the Church has on that account instituted ... certain rites and brought in ceremonies by which the minds of the faithful are stirred up by these visible signs of religion and piety ... to the contemplation of higher things” (Sess. XXII, c.5). This teaching can perfectly be applied to the whole of the liturgy.]

These exterior elements, therefore, have their use, but we ought not to rest upon them exclusively; they are but the fringe of Christ’s garment. The glory, the splendor, the power of the mysteries of Jesus are chiefly interior, and are what we should be seeking above all. More than once, the Church asks God to give us, as a fruit of holy communion itself, an understanding of the power special to each mystery, in order that we may enter deeply into it and live it: “... that what we celebrate in solemn office, we may attain through the discernment of a purified mind.” This is knowledge of Christ as St. Paul wishes it: “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

-- Dom Columba Marmion, OSB, Christ in His Mysteries

Here, in Dom Columba's words, we see the proper balance struck; a balance which acknowledges the relevance, pursuit and importance of the external aspects of worship, while at the same time pointing to the priority and necessity of the interior to which these things point.

Those who would like to read more from Marmion's, Christ in His Mysteries should know that this work has been reprinted by Zaccheus Press.

St. George's Orthodox Church myrrh-seeping icons attract hundreds of believers

St. George's Orthodox Church myrrh-seeping icons attract hundreds of believers

SOURCE:  The Scranton Times Tribune

The mood was appropriately solemn, the faithful quiet and orderly in their movements. 

Fragrant myrrh filled the air. The encounters with the centers of attraction were quick, but the reactions were indelible. Some came away shaken and streaming tears. A few talked of a wave of peace and calm coming over them. Others described a sense of divine providence. 

In uncertain times, people want something, anything, to believe in. The spiritually inclined often look to the heavens for answers, and when they get what they think is a sign, they embrace it wholeheartedly. 

For the past 17 weeks, St. George's Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in Taylor has been hosting services centered on two icons of the Blessed Mother of the Theotokos. The faithful believe the icons seep myrrh, a heavily perfumed oil, for reasons St. George's officials are leaving unexplained. 

The church has sought no publicity for the services, but each week, entirely through word of mouth, standing-room-only crowds are turning up to venerate the icons. 

The icons reportedly came into contact with the myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God from Hawaii, which traveled to local Orthodox churches, including St. George's, back in the fall. Many in the Orthodox faith believe the Iveron Icon possesses healing powers for those who pray to it. 

"Miraculous icons are a normal part of orthodoxy," said Father Sergius, the abbot at the Monastery of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk in South Canaan Twp., where the Iveron Icon also made an appearance. "We have one here that weeps on and off, but it's not a constant thing." 

Approached at this week's service, St. George's pastor, the Very Rev. Mark Leasure, declined to comment on the icons' background, and church officials would not allow photographs to be taken. Attempts to reach officials at the Johnstown-based American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A., which oversees St. George's, were unsuccessful. 

On a recent night, the church was packed with about 500 people. Regulars judged the attendance light compared to the previous week's service, when lines stretched out the door. 

The service began with about 40 minutes of prayers and hymns. The icons were brought out into the church and placed on a stand near the altar. The icons are kept in wooden cases under glass and are positioned at an incline. Cotton balls are placed at the bottom of each case to collect excess oil. 

"All of you are meant to be here on this night to be blessed by God," the Rev. Leasure said to the assembled moments before people started lining up. "We are blessed with something awesome." 

After being blessed with oil by the Rev. Leasure, each person had the chance to pray over one of the icons. Some went the extra step and kissed the glass cover. A pile of $5 and $10 bills and envelopes accumulated in the space between the icons. 

Indeed, the icons had myrrh on them, which was easier to see when the Rev. Leasure took them out of their enclosures and used the oil to bless attendees, adults and children. Oil seeped into the wood and smudged the glass. Some weeks there is more oil than others, regulars said. 

Among the crowd, the Orthodox faith was well represented, but there were plenty of people from other Christian denominations, including Roman and Byzantine Catholic. Stories circulated of attendees from previous weeks being healed of everything from serious back problems to the after-effects of stroke. 

As she headed to her car, a woman who refused to provide her name for publication said, "I think we're being sent a message, that it's just time to get back to God." 

Pittston Twp. resident Doreen Kozak attended the service with her daughter, Nicole, a sophomore at the University of Scranton. They had heard about the icons from friends. 

"It's something different, something amazing to see," Mrs. Kozak said. "If you believe enough, it is a miracle." 

Benedict Sheehan, music and choir director at St. Tikhon's, had no doubt he was witnessing a divine connection. 

"It's from God," said Mr. Sheehan, making his sixth appearance at the service. "It's a sign that God is real, and that the Mother of God is protecting us. I think it's a call to repentance, as well." 

Dunmore resident Bill Malos, there for the second time, said he didn't really care whether the oil is miraculous. What moved him most was the outpouring of people, which he called "great for Christian unity." 

"If nothing else, it brings people together for a prayerful time," Mr. Malos said. "It's hard to explain, but it gives me a good feeling to see this many people in church." 

In the Orthodox faith, icons serve as "a window into the divine," said Stevan Davies, Ph.D., professor of religious studies at Misericordia University in Dallas, 

"You should be looking through (the icon) to the holy person it represents. They see it as the location of holiness, something special. And life doesn't have that many special things," Dr. Davies said. "People like to have something holy in their lives, and they like to have some tangible evidence of it." 

Judy Soma, an East Mountain artist who paints icons, added, "People think you venerate the icon, but you don't. You venerate what the icon represents, the person it represents. 

"Let's face it, things right now are not good. People need things to turn to and say, 'This is a miracle.' This is something they can go look at and relate to. I think it's wonderful."

ABBOT PAUL'S HOMILY FOR ASH WEDNESDAY 2012

            “It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.” These words from Psalm 118 are not found in today’s Mass but we did pray them during Divine Office earlier this morning. Like most of Psalm 118, because there is so much of it, it tends to go over our heads. However, these are the words with which the Byzantine Liturgy begins, when the deacon invites the priest serving the Mass to sing the opening blessing. They remind us that in the Eucharist, as in all the sacraments, it is the Lord who acts. They remind us, too, as we begin Lent today, that nothing will come of our penances and observance of this holy season, unless we allow the Lord to work his miracle of redemption in each one of us. “It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.”

            This is why the prophet Joel writes, “Let your hearts be broken, not your garments. Turn to the Lord your God again, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, ready to relent.” Lent is the time when, in spite of the negligences of other seasons, we turn to God with broken hearts and ask him in his mercy to heal them. Lent is a precious time for conversion and healing. ”Now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation,” writes St Paul to the Corinthians. In fact, God is so merciful and loving towards us that Paul can say quite categorically, “For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God.” Salvation doesn’t demand great sacrifices on our part, least of all does God want us to take on exaggerated penances the forty days of Lent. All he wants us to do is open our hearts to him, so that he can do the rest. Salvation is God’s gift to us, not something we can earn or make for ourselves by our own valiant efforts. Holiness comes from our seeking God and allowing him to act in us, not from the pride of self-sufficiency and human calculation. We can’t bribe God with our Lenten observance.

            This is why Jesus, in the Gospel, warns us not to do things that attract the attention of others. Do not give arms, do not pray and do not fast like hypocrites, who can be seen by others and praised for their good lives. No, we are to do everything in secret; only God is to know what we are doing as we seek to follow Christ. Although it is an ancient tradition to place ashes on our heads today, the keeping of Lent is something very private and intimate between God and ourselves. Above all, unless we undergo a change of heart, a real conversion, the whole exercise will prove useless and to no avail. I’m not saying it’s not good to give things up for Lent. I gave up sugar in tea and coffee when I was eleven and I’ve never gone back. Lent is about much more than that, yet the simple giving up of a little thing can be a constant reminder of the essential giving up I should be aiming for, the giving up of my own will. “Thy will be done,” Jesus taught his disciples to pray, and that is the goal of Lent, the goal of the Christian life.

            Now there are many penances and good works to choose from, and all of them good, wholesome and helpful, but I believe that this Lent God is calling us to accept his will and to accept the penance he gives us. It could be something to do with our character and personal weaknesses, accepting ourselves as God’s special gift to us and no one else. It could be accepting someone we live with and share our lives with, someone or something about them, which we hate. As we grow old, and today I’ve become an old age pensioner, it could be about accepting diminishment, sickness or the loss of freedom, that inevitably come to us all, accepting this as God’s will and the very personal and special Way of the Cross he has chosen for each one of us alone.

            As we receive the ashes this morning, we will hear the words, “Remember, Man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.” It would be good to reflect on these words of Scripture. We are dust, dust and ashes, and yet dust and ashes that have been given life through the Spirit of the living God. Passion, Death and Resurrection lie before us as we journey into eternal life. Where Christ has gone, he will surely lead us, in spite of our many sins and shortcomings. We are in his hands. “It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.” Amen


ASH WEDNESDAY 2012 AT SAN' ANSELMO: (click the big print)  I cannot embed this video of the Pope beginning Lent at the Benedictine abbey in Rome with prayers and procession.   I have added reason to show this because one of the young monks (the men in black!) is a monk of Belmont who is studying in San' Anselmo)    The procession goes to the ancient basilica of Santa Sabina, with its original doors, for the celebration of Mass,   Santa Sabina is in the hands of the Dominicans.