Daily Retreat 07/01/06

2006 Jul 1 Sat: Ordinary Weekday/ BVM/ Bl Junipero Serra, p, r, ms
Lam 2: 2. 10-14. 18-19/ Ps 74: 1b-2. 3-5. 6-7. 20-21/ Mt 8: 5-17

 

From today’s readings:  “Your prophets had for you false and specious visions; they did not lay bare your guilt, to avert your fate; they beheld for you in vision false and misleading portents.....  Lord, forget not the souls of Your poor ones....  Lord, I am not worthy to have You enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”

 

Under My Roof

 

When Vatican II allowed the Mass to be celebrated in vernacular languages, there was a rush to approve modern translations for use by the faithful as quickly as possible.  Many of those translations, however, are now recognized as hasty and inadequate, and so for years, the English speaking bishops have been sponsoring the work of a new translation of the text of the Mass.

 

The prayers of the Mass are actually rich with scriptural allusions and quotations, but this aspect has unfortunately been blurred in the English version because of the poor translations.  For instance, the last prayer vocalized before receiving Holy Communion presently reads, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word, and I shall be healed.”  But a more accurate rendering (making the link with Matthew 8:8 much clearer) would be, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof, but only say the word...” 

 

Recently, the American bishops approved a number of texts of a revised translation, and so, after final approval from Rome, the new version will be introduced and become normative (several months at least will pass before that happens).  Understandably, many faithful churchgoers are weary of constant changes in the liturgical texts, but this upcoming revision is absolutely necessary to correct inaccuracies of the past translations, and we pray that the blessing of a more faithful translation will inspire greater awareness of the scriptural roots of the prayers of the Mass.