The train has left the station.

Apologies.  I'm doing/renewing a Marian Consecration and had a few things on the calendar this week that prevented me from blogging.   One of those things was attending a Latin Mass (and lecture) said by Fr. Z (at St. Paul's in Cambridge).

I haven't been to a Latin Mass for about ten years.  Not that any reader here has to be reminded, but boy, have we been robbed.   In so many ways. 

And, what a gift it was to encounter such a gracious, joyful, articulate and truthful priest. He has a great sense of humor and is head over heels in love with Our Lord, His Church, Sacraments and the salvation of souls.  A genuinely good soul who is on fire.

You know that banal phrase the moonbats robotically repeat as the license to insert themselves into the role of the cleric at Mass?  Create a distracting three-ring Barnum and Baily circus around the sacred moments of Sacrifice?   I've purged it from my mind - something like blah blah bloobloo active participation blah blah blah?

He spoke the silliness of it all and what I believe to be the greatest larceny of laity in the circus around the Novus Ordo -the obfuscation of (what he called) active receptivity of the Mass.

What I have often referred to as the intimacy with Christ in the Liturgy.  The purpose of attending to receive.  To place yourself in the Presence of Christ for the purpose of actively drawing from Him.   To quite literally place your mind and soul into Christ with the intention of purification and gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Gifts we desperately need as we go through our day with our families, home, work, community.

I really have to work at it in the Novus Ordo.  It takes every bit of my concentration.   I realized after his lecture - it was soooo easy to do in the Latin Mass.   I was able to get there much more quickly and stay there through the entire Mass.

I didn't have a guide, but did have my Magnificat and just prayed the Mass in English.  Was pretty much united with him (and the community) as they prayed in Latin.

I have chosen to stay in Crete, so that when things get crazy, when the asinine turns into spiritual abuse of the poor lambs, I can pursue justice, stop it.  But I could get very used to seeking refuge in the Latin Mass from time to time.

In the question and answer period after his lecture, an attendee very respectfully expressed concerns around the Pope Francis hoohaa.    Fr. Z's honest, articulate handling of this question really demonstrated the fruit of sanctifying grace.

He said the Jesuits are not Liturgical and there may be some ground lost here and there, but the eight years of Pope Benedict gave us what we need and the train has left the station and it is unstoppable. He is absolutely right.  

When answering this question, he also addressed Pope Francis' focus on the corporal works of mercy. He said he believes it to be the right path because the people have lost their ability to reason  (what we often refer to here as diabolical disorientation) and drawing them in with the corporal works of mercy is a good game plan.

I think that depends upon if he silences the teachings of the Church and/or makes the corporal works of mercy the sacrament that absolves one of the sins they simultaneously have going down in their life.   As Christ warned, many will say I fed the hungry and did this or that in Your Name and He will say Get out, I do not know you and the things you did were unauthorized.

That is not a good enough end game for evangelists and parents whose children need the clear instructions from Catholic priests, bishops and our Pope.