WDTPRS: a “liturgical unicorn” – 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (N.O.: 2nd Ordinary)

Media lies and political collaboration

Mass psychosis formation

Suppression of freedoms

Snuggling with Communism

Open persecution of traditional Catholics

Anarchy in the streets

Active promotion of homosexualism

Cancel culture in the Church

Obsession with process

Prelates of pornotheology celebrated, promoted, retained

I can’t think of a time when it was more important to beg God for mercy and aid, now.

In the post-Conciliar calendar, it’s again the Time called “Ordinary”, which is “ordered” not “unexceptional”.  We might say also, “sequential”.

In the traditional calendar of the Vetus Ordo, this is the “Time through the year”, divided into time after Epiphany and time after Pentecost. However, this terminology, “Tempus per annum … time through the year”, remained also in the Novus Ordo calendar.

Ordinary Time embraces the sacral cycle of Lent and Eastertide like bookends. It stretches from the adoration of the heavenly infant King by earthly kings to the Solemnity of Christ the King who will come as Judge to separate the tares from the wheat and usher in the unending reign of peace.

This Sunday is what I call a “liturgical unicorn”.  It is rare.  The Collects are the same in the Vetus Ordo and in the Novus, and, in one year only, the Gospel is the same (the wedding at Cana).

This is Sunday’s Collect, for the Second Sunday (VO) after Epiphany / (NO) of Ordinary Time:

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus,
qui caelestia simul et terrena moderaris, supplicationibus populi tui clementer exaudi,
et pacem tuam nostris concede temporibus.

We often ask when we pray in Latin that God will pay attention, usually by “hearing” us. Exaudio signifies “listen to” in the sense of “perceive clearly.” The imperative exaudi is more urgent than a simple audi (the imperative of audio, not the car). Think of the beginning of one of our Litanies: “Christe audi nos… Christe exaudi nos…” often translated as “Christ hear us… Christ graciously hear us.”

For the ancient Romans a supplicatio was a solemn religious ceremony in thanksgiving for a victory or prayer in the face of danger. It is related to supplex, an adjective for the position of a beggar, on bended knees or prostration.  The root of supplex implies bending, folding.

Tempus obviously means “time”. It also means “the appointed time, the right season, an opportunity (Greek kairos)”. Tempus gives us “temporal”, that is, worldly or earthly things, material things, as opposed to sacred, eternal or spiritual. Plural tempora can also mean the “temples” of our heads, as well as “the times”, our “state of affairs”.

In that “our times” try to hear simultaneously, “our temporal affairs, everything that’s going on”.  (Cf., also the list at the top.)

Moreover, given the attitude of supplication, which is urgent, and the open appeal for mercy, I think we can insert “troubled” with “times”

LITERAL RENDERING:

Almighty eternal God,
who at the same time do govern things heavenly and earthly,
mercifully hearken to the supplications of Your people,
and grant Your peace in our troubled times.

Lest we forget…

OBSOLETE ICEL (1973):
Father of heaven and earth,
hear our prayers, and show us the way
to peace in the world.

Really?

CURRENT ICEL (2011):

Almighty ever-living God, who govern all things,
both in heaven and on earth,
mercifully hear the pleading of your people
and bestow your peace on our times.

We beg God, omnipotent sempiternal disposer of all things, for peace in our temporal affairs here and now, not just later in heaven. We do not want just any peace. We want the peace which comes from Him.

Christ said:

“Peace I leave with you: my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled: nor let it be afraid” (John 14:27 DR).

Christians are confident. Christ will give us His peace. He said so.

But He won’t force peace on us.

The temporal peace the world offers and the peace that God bestows are different, though they can be harmonized when the temporal is subordinated to the heavenly.

The goods (and ills) of this world are passing and fragile, always susceptible to loss.

The goods of heaven are enduring and dependable.

No finite, passing, created thing or person can provide lasting joy or eternal peace: they will be lost through theft and wear, time and death.

Our wealth, family, health, appearance and reputation can be lost in the blink of an eye.  Believe me!

To put a creature in God’s place is foolhardy idolatry and a sin.

Love God, above all. Practice making His will your own.

In the Paradiso of the Divine Comedy, Dante meets Piccarda.  Dante asks her whether souls in Heaven are envious of souls who are higher in Heaven.  She responds that happiness comes from conforming to God’s will, which is a person’s highest good.  In effect, she couldn’t be happier because she is where God’s wants her to be.  In very words in the Divine Comedy,

“……..In His will is our peace:
that is the sea whereto all creatures fare
fashioned by Nature or the hand of God.” (Par 3.85, trans. by Esolen – HERE).

Treat yourself to reading Dante with Anthony Esolen’s translation.  HERE

God knew each one of us outside of time, before the creation of both the visible and invisible universe. He called us into existence at a precise moment in His eternal plan. He gives us all something to do in His plan together with the talents and graces to do it. When we cooperate with Him, submit our wills to His, make His plan for us our own, God then makes us strong enough to carry it out.

God knows our needs better than we do.

Also, we are the team he chose to be here – not at another time – right now.

Turn confidently to Him in prayer. Ask Him for the graces, and with them the peace, which He alone can give.

Sin shatters His peace. Peace can be regained in the Sacrament of Penance. Go to confession.

To endure the shaking of the barque down to its keel, we have to be squared away with God or we will loose it completely.

We ask God to bless us in this new year of salvation. Let us beg Him to give aid to all who suffer.

Let us beg Him to give aid to all who cause suffering, especially in the Church.  Mercy, Lord, for them, and graces to make changes pleasing to you… or put them aside.

With bent knees and with foreheads to the ground, bodies and wills both bent in supplication, beg His graces and His peace.