Thursday, January 15, 2015

A Vision of the Future

The Servant of God Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), when asked why he had dedicated his life to building a church, the Sagrada Família, he would never live to see completed, used to reply that "My Client is in no hurry". When, ten years after his death in a tragic accident, anarchists burnt his designs and workshop, also desecrating the crypt, the only finished portion, of his life's work, it must have seemed that with the Spanish Revolution came the destruction of religion and church-building for good. But as years passed, everything possible was salvaged of his plans, donations poured in still – for his church is an "expiatory temple", entirely funded from its inception by freewill offerings – and, in 2010, the nave being complete, Pope Benedict XVI solemnly consecrated the great Temple envisioned by Gaudí in honour of the Holy Family. This year, it is hoped that the Positio will be presented at Rome, as part of the ongoing process of his canonisation; and would it not be wonderful to hope that, by 2026, projected date of the completion of the Sagrada Família, its architect, "God's architect", buried in its crypt, will be first beatified and then declared a saint?


PRAYER FOR PRIVATE DEVOTION

God our Father, you instilled in your servant, the architect Antoni Gaudí, a great love for your Creation, and a burning desire to imitate the mysteries of the childhood and passion of your Son. Grant, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that I also may learn to dedicate myself to a well-done work; and glorify your servant Antoni, granting me, through his intercession, the favour I request (here make your petition). Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, grant us peace and preserve the family. (Three times.)

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Let us fly in spirit to the completed building, and with the eyes of imagination behold the scene within on the feast day – either the 10th of June, the day of his death; or the 7th, the day of his mortal injury? –in honour of its builder, now raised to the glory of the altars; the Proper Mass, to be conceded by Pope Leo XIV, could well run as follows (I thank Fr Hunwicke for providing the Collect):

Proper Mass for the Servant of God Antoni Gaudi

Introit. (11th Feb. – Our Lady of Lourdes, excl. V.) Apoc. 21, 2

Vidi civitátem sanctam, Jerúsalem novam, descendéntem de cælo a Deo, parátam sicut sponsam ornátam viro suo.
Ibid., 3 Ecce tabernaculum Dei cum hominibus, * et habitabit cum eis.
Gloria Patri... Sicut erat...
Vidi...

(I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
(Behold the tabernacle of God with men, * and he will dwell with them.
(Glory be... As it was... I saw...)

Collect (composed by Fr John Hunwicke, 14th January 2015; cf. S. Aug., Conf., X, 27; my English trans.)

Deus pulchritudo sempiterna, concede supplicibus tuis: ut †beati† Antonii servi tui precibus suffulti; æterna gaudia consequi mereamur. Per.

(O God, beauty everlasting, grant to thy supplicants that, supported by the prayers of thy servant †blessed† Antoni, we may merit to attain eternal joys. Through...)

[†Omit “beati” / “blessed” until he is canonised.]

Epistle (1 Cor. 3, 10-17)

Lectio Epistolæ beati Pauli Apostoli ad Corinthios.
Fratres: Secundum gratiam Dei, quæ data est mihi, ut sapiens architectus fundamentum posui: alius autem superædificat. Unusquisque autem videat quomodo superædificet. Fundamentum enim aliud nemo potest ponere præter id quod positum est, quod est Christus Jesus. Si quis autem superædificat super fundamentum hoc, aurum, argentum, lapides pretiosos, ligna, fœnum, stipulam, uniuscujusque opus manifestum erit: dies enim Domini declarabit, quia in igne revelabitur: et uniuscujusque opus quale sit, ignis probabit. Si cujus opus manserit quod superædificavit, mercedem accipiet. Si cujus opus arserit, detrimentum patietur: ipse autem salvus erit, sic tamen quasi per ignem.

(A lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.

(Brethren: According to the grace of God that is given to me, as a wise architect, I have laid the foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: every man’s work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.)

Gradual. (Holy Family)

Ps. 26, 4 Unam pétii a Dómino, hanc requíram, ut inhábitem in domo Dómini ómnibus diébus vitæ meæ. V. Ps. 83, 5 Beáti qui hábitant in domo tua, Dómine: in sæcula sæculórum laudábunt te.

(One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. V. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord: they shall praise thee for ever and ever.)

Alleluia (Holy Family)

Alleluia, alleluia. Prov. 8, 34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei. Alleluia.

(Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors. Alleluia.)

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T. Sept., in place of the Alleluia above:

Tract. Ps. 111,1-3 (Comm. Conf. non Pont.)

Beatus vir qui timet Dominum: in mandatis ejus cupit nimis. V. Potens in terra erit semen ejus: generatio rectorum benedicetur. V. Gloria et divitiæ in domo ejus: et justitia ejus manet in sæculum sæculi.

(Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments. V. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. V. Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever.)

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T.P., in place of the Gradual and Alleluia above:

Alleluia (1st verse: Holy Family; 2nd verse: set to the chant of the Alleluia Beatus vir, Comm. Conf. non Pont.)

Alleluia, alleluia. Prov. 8, 34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.
Alleluia. 2 Mach. 2, 30 Novæ domus architecto de universa structura curandum est. Alleluia.

(Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
(Alleluia. The master builder of a new house must have care of the whole building. Alleluia.)

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Gospel (Mark 12, 41-44)

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Marcum.

In illo tempore: Sedens Jesus contra gazophylacium, aspiciebat quomodo turba jactaret aes in gazophylacium, et multi divites jactabant multa. Cum venisset autem vidua una pauper, misit duo minuta, quod est quadrans, et convocans discipulos suos, ait illis: Amen dico vobis, quoniam vidua haec pauper plus omnibus misit, qui miserunt in gazophylacium. Omnes enim ex eo, quod abundabat illis, miserunt: haec vero de penuria sua omnia quae habuit misit totum victum suum.

(The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Mark.

(At that time: Jesus sitting over against the treasury, beheld how the people cast money into the treasury, and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. And calling his disciples together, he saith to them: Amen I say to you, this poor widow hath cast in more than all they who have cast into the treasury. For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all she had, even her whole living.)

Off. 1 Par. 29, 17 & 18 (Dedic. Eccl., changing “custodi hanc voluntatem” to “offerre tibi donaria”)

Domine Deus, in simplicitate cordis mei lætus obtuli universa: et populum tuum, qui repertus est, vidi cum ingenti gaudio, Deus Israël, offerre tibi donaria, Domine Deus. (T.P. Alleluja.)

(O Lord God, in the simplicity of my heart I have joyfully offered all these things; and I have seen with great joy thy people which are here present, O God of Israel, offer thee their offerings, Lord God. (T.P. Alleluia.))

Secret (Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, 1st Mass)

Laudis tibi, Domine, hostias immolamus, in tuorum commemoratione sanctorum: quibus nos et præsentibus exui malis confidimus, et futuris. Per.

(We immolate a victim of praise to thee, O Lord, in commemoration of thy saints: by which we trust to be freed both from present and future evils. Through...)

Comm. (Dñca III in XL) Ps. 83, 4-5

Passer invénit sibi domum, et turtur nidum, ubi repónat pullos suos: altária tua, Dómine virtútum, Rex meus, et Deus meus: beáti qui hábitant in domo tua, in sæculum sæculi laudábunt te.

(For the sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord: they shall praise thee for ever and ever.)

Postcommunion (Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, 1st Mass)

Refecti cibo potuque cælesti, Deus noster, te supplices exoramus: ut, in cujus hæc commemoratione percepimus, ejus muniamur et precibus. Per.


(Refeshed by heavenly food and drink, we humbly pray thee, our God, that we may also be defended by his prayers, in whose commemoration we have received them. Through…)