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What
the Mass Teaches About Nobility
Most Rev.  Rutherford
Johnson, PhD
Archbishop of the Southwest
On
the Feast of Saint Simeon, A.D. 2009
The mass has been used to
teach many truths over the 2000 plus years since Jesus Christ
instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. The mass, though, has
some interesting features that can advise the nobility of proper
conduct. Attending the mass and praying the mass with these ideas in
mind will hopefully enrich the lives of all; the nobility through a
greater sense of their duty, and all humanity through the benefits of
the service of the nobility.
Various forms of liturgy
have been used over the years, depending on the time period and the
specific rite. For the purposes of this paper, the Anglo-Catholic
mass will be used, while pointing out that the form of the mass is
the same as the Tridentine Mass. The only differences are that the
Anglo-Catholic mass is often in English (though can be in Latin, in
whole or in part), negating the need for translation here, and a few
Anglican prayers have been added.
The first bit of truth
comes in the first versicle in the first psalm (Psalm 43) in the
Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, said by the priest and the servers
immediately before the mass begins. “[Defend] my cause against
the ungodly people. O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked
man.” The basic premise of nobility is one of the heart. While
ancient codes of chivalry differed, one common thread was that a
nobleman should live decently, treating others with respect and
living honestly. Unfortunately the world is full of men who do not
follow this practice. They neither follow the light nor the truth of
God. Some are even of the nobility, making their actions even more
deplorable. “[In their] hands is wickedness, and their right
hand is full of gifts.” This versicle in the 43rd Psalm shows
the need to turn to God for help in defense against these enemies of
true, virtuous, and Godly living, and for help against one’s
ungodly enemies. In so doing, the nobility learns the true source of
his position and will better feel his responsibility to serve with a
humble heart not his own desires, but the will of God. Furthermore,
the versicle “Our help is in the name of the Lord” is said
immediately before the confession. This continues the notion that we
do all things that we do thro ugh and only through the help of God.
Continuing beyond the
preparatory prayers and into the ordinary of the mass, prior to the
Kyrie, the Anglo-Catholic form often includes a recitation of the
Decalogue or the Summary of the Law. The latter states “Hear
what Our Lord Jesus Christ saith : Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto
it : Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” The first part of
the summary is an excellent continuation of the 43rd Psalm in the
preparation. The summary is, of course, sage advice for all men. For
the nobility, though, blessed with privilege, it becomes all too easy
to see it as an end unto itself. It is, though, a God-given gift to
be used for His glory. All human glory is merely a reflection of the
glory of the Almighty. For the nobility, carrying out their duty of
service begins with a complete surrender to the love of God above all
other things.
The second part of the
Summary of the Law is also sound advice for all to hear. An
acceptance of the first part of the Summary makes the second part
much easier to comprehend and to carry out. For the nobility, this
takes on an additional meaning. To those with much, it is easy to
keep and to take more. Where exploitation is possible, this can be
done for selfish reasons, harming others for one’s own material
or political gain. The nobility, in their service to others, must
always maintain a love of those whom they are serving and try to act
in their best interests as much as is humanly possible.
Thus far in the mass we
have realized that God is our only help against the ungodliness of
the world, that we should not participate in such ungodliness, that
our duty comes from a complete surrender to the will of God, and our
duty must be carried out with a love of those whom we serve. The
nobility is, though, only human. Mistakes can and will be made, even
by a person of the most pure heart with the best of intentions. Next
in the mass, then, comes the Kyrie. Six times we implore our Lord to
have mercy, and three times we implore Christ to have mercy. Once we
have realized our duty to serve, and that our only help is in the
name of the Lord, we cannot help but realize our own shortcomings in
being able to serve humanity selflessly with love and compassion. So,
here we ask for mercy for this, and for all our shortcomings.
Next in the mass (except
for penitential seasons) comes the Gloria, the act of praise. For the
nobility, traditionally high in rank, an acknowledgement of God as
the source of any power and position they may have is reiterated
here. This is a useful lesson for all nobles: that there is always
someone higher, even if only God Almighty. Initial acknowledgement of
God as the source was made in the preparatory prayers, then the duty
was recounted, a realization of shortcomings resulted, and mercy was
asked for these. Now God is praised in his full, Trinitarian form,
once again as not only the source of position, but al so as the one
who forgives the nobility their shortcomings in carrying out their duties.
Skipping ahead to the
offertory, where the bread and wine are offered to God for the
pending sacrifice upon the altar, this is where the sacrificial
nature of servant leadership is addressed. In the mass, the priest
and people join themselves in the true and living sacrifice of Jesus
upon the altar as the bread and wine become His most precious body
and blood. This clearly applies to all people, yet it possessed
another lesson that may be taught to the nobility. To whom much is
given, much is expected. In some cases, this requires extreme
sacrifices, and even laying down one’s own life. Usually less
extreme forms of sacrifice are required, though. Following the truth
that all power comes from God, and service to humanity must be
through selfless love and compassion, this often means that the
nobility, truly fulfilling their duty, must sacrifice their own
personal desires to that of the greater good, or even the good of one
person whom they are serving. As the sacrifice occurs on the altar,
the nobleman, “in a contrite heart and an humble spiri t,”
may take extra meaning from that, and further strengthen their sense
of duty to sacrifice their own selfish desires in order to fulfill
their God-given obligations. In this way, both their sacrifice and
their service “&ldots;may be pleasing in [the sight of the Lord God].”
At this point in the mass,
the sacrificial act of communion continues. As the nobleman receives
the sacrament, he should pray that he will, through that spiritual
communion, receive or maintain the gift of servant leadership so that
he may fulfill his duty of service in the loving manner of Jesus
Christ. The reception of the sacrament should not be a time for
one’s mind to be filled with thoughts of what one is getting,
but rather thoughts of joining in the sacrifice of Christ for the
benefit of all humanity.
After communion and
subsequent meditations, it is now time in the mass for thanksgiving.
In the General Thanksgiving, God is once again thanked for the gifts
that have been given. Also God is implored “&ldots;that we may
continue in that holy fellowship and do all such good works as thou
hast prepared for us to walk in.” For the nobility, it is one
last reminder of their duty, first mentioned in the preparatory
prayers and the Summary of the Law. At this point in the mass, the
nobility should meditate upon those words, and add their own private
devotions so that they may take all that they have learned about
their sacred duty to humanity and carry it out in their daily lives.
At the very end of the mass
comes the Last Gospel, usually the Beginning of the holy Gospel
according to John. In this Gospel, the incarnation of Christ is
recounted; a fitting way to end the mass. It was written in this
Gospel that those who received Christ, the Word become Flesh,
received the power to become sons of God. For the nobility, this has
an additional meaning of reiterating that any power they have comes
to them from God.
Before the blessing and
Last Gospel, the priest usually says, depending on the season and
specific mass, “Go forth in peace.” The only peace in life
is from surrender to God and doing His will. The nobility who abuse
their positions shall never have peace. Yet, the mass teaches all
they need to know in order to live their lives and fulfill their
duties in a true and godly manner. This dismissal in the mass assures
them of this peace that they will have. Indeed, this is the peace
attainable by all men who believe in Christ and surrender their lives
to God. It is the peace that passes all understanding.
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