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各位教友： 過去的兩個主日我們探討了禮儀的重要性，想來你大約對禮儀已有較深入的了解，有人問我為何如此長篇大論地寫了這麼多，其實原因只有一個：我上任後對禮儀的改動，並非純彈「新人事新作風」之舊調，而是這禮儀確切深遠地影響到我們信仰的根基，故此近日我常掛嘴邊的笑話是：你總該先摸透那些條例，才能察劃如何破解它呀！ 本週與你分享以下兩點：其一是聖事禮儀有助教友進入基督信仰的重心，能使教友吸取基督精神的首要泉源，試問有誰願意參加一個連參與者本身都不知所謂為何的感恩慶典？又或在慶典上，看到主祭及其他共祭人等都表現得倉皇失措呢？ 一個井然有序的感恩慶典中，聖樂、讀經、燭光、鐘嗚、水、油及眾人身體的動作、姿態，引領我們走進一個非筆墨可以形容的境界，滲透我們的心靈深處，撥起我們對天國的思念，記起天父的話語，從而我們的靈魂能與古今眾聖人相遇，並緊密地連在一起，靜待我們的後代在悠悠歲月中相繼趕上來，我們都能在人間的禮儀中，預嘗天上盛宴的甜蜜。 你可記得我們的主保，聖莫尼加的兒子聖奧思定，曾寫下他是如何地在聆聽聖樂時，感動至淚流滿面? 由此可見聖事禮儀的確能煥發更新我們的信仰。 說了許多禮儀的正面影響，現在我們來看看若不跟從禮儀所得的負面後果：若人人都漠視聖教會制定的禮規，教友會產生不少誤導，混淆不清，甚至誤以為禮儀是可以隨各人的不同喜愛而自由改動的，脫軌的禮儀甚至會把莊嚴的感恩慶典轉化成一個沸騰的社交聚會，使教友曲解基督的奧跡，渾忘了我們的相聚原是為了基督之名。 最後我以前教宗保祿二世在《活於感恩祭的教會》第52所說的作結：「因此我以為自己有責任強力呼吁，必須十分忠實地遵守舉行感恩祭的禮儀規範。這些規範具體表達出感恩祭的真正教會特性。那是感恩祭最深的意義。禮儀絕不是任何人的私有財產，它不是主祭者的，也不是參禮會眾的。保祿宗徒就以嚴厲的口吻向格林多教會發言，指責他們舉行感恩祭的重大缺失，以致造成分裂（Schismata）、 出現了黨派（haireseis）（格前11:17-34）。我們的時代也需要重新認知並重視遵守禮儀規範，以反映並見證在每一次感恩祭中臨在的唯一而普世性的教會。忠實地按照禮儀的規範舉行感恩祭的司鐸，以及遵守此規範的信友，就是以靜默但卻有力的方式証明他們?教會的愛。」 莫靖龍神父 (此乃莫神父致教友書信之意譯，書信內容以英文為準) |
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Hello everybody: After two weeks of reflection on the importance of the Liturgical norms, I am sure you get the point how important I consider them to be. Some of you have asked me what moved me to write for such a long time about those norms. I do not think there is a particular reason, but I consider them important because as you have noticed, I have been trying to implement some small changes in the way we celebrate our liturgies. For some people, they just may get the impression that “new priest, new rules” but as I discussed with you last week, following the liturgical norms help you to make sure that the Liturgy you are celebrating is the Liturgy of the whole church. These few weeks I have been saying as a joke that: if you want to break a rule; at least first learn it so you know what you are doing! In this final article I want to share with you two important consequences of following these norms. One of these consequences is that the proper celebration of the Liturgy makes people to feel more attracted to celebrate it, and even can make some people to embrace the Catholic Faith. It is a fact that the way we celebrate Mass has a direct effect in the way we approach any liturgy. Who likes to be in a Mass when nobody knows what is going on? Or to attend a Liturgy where there is not enough preparation neither for the Priest nor for the ministers who help? A well celebrated Liturgy talks directly to the soul. Music, readings, ministers, incense, bells, colours candles, water, oil, postures, etc. all these things speak of a reality that is beyond our reach; they invite the heart and the mind to ponder about the things of heaven, about the reality of the Divine, of God Himself talking to us through visual signs, established by the Church in its ancient Tradition and Magisterium. At the same time all these realities make us feel one in faith with all the people who believed before us (Peter, John, James, Paul, John Paul II, Mother Teresa…) and all the people who will believe after we are gone. The son of our Patron Saint St Monica, St. Augustine, wrote how he was moved to tears every time he listened to the songs used in liturgy. This is just an example on how the proper way of celebrating our liturgies can be also a source of conversion and evangelization for others. Just as I spoke of the positive effects on a well celebrated Liturgy, there is also the other side of the coin. Lack of obedience to the Tradition of the Church, can create damages like confusion, uncertainty, opposition and in the worst of the cases a break up with the Church in general. To ignore the Liturgical norms can reinforce a false understanding of freedom; it can also introduce, in a subtle way, a trivialization of the liturgy. Bad implementations of the Liturgical norms have transformed liturgies into social gatherings and in consequence have changed the way we understand the mysteries we celebrate. Because just as it is true that we come together as a community, we should not forget that is God the one who gather us together and also the reason why we come together. I want to finish these reflections with the words of John Paul II from the Encyclical Ecclessia de Eucharistia number 52: I consider it my duty, therefore to appeal urgently that the liturgical norms for the celebration of the Eucharist be observed with great fidelity. These norms are a concrete expression of the authentically ecclesial nature of the Eucharist; this is their deepest meaning. Liturgy is never anyone's private property, be it of the celebrant or of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated. The Apostle Paul had to address fiery words to the community of Corinth because of grave shortcomings in their celebration of the Eucharist resulting in divisions (schismata) and the emergence of factions (haireseis) (cf. 1 Cor 11:17-34). Our time, too, calls for a renewed awareness and appreciation of liturgical norms as a reflection of, and a witness to, the one universal Church made present in every celebration of the Eucharist. Priests who faithfully celebrate Mass according to the liturgical norms, and communities which conform to those norms, quietly but eloquently demonstrate their love for the Church. Peace in Jesus Fernando Montano MG |