Comments for First Mass at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 6 out of 6 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Fri, 24 May 2013 15:09:41 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/first-mass.html#comment-7600 Dear Mark, You make a fair point--all analogies have their limits. To say a priest "marries" the Church by analogy means that he commits himself totally to her, just as a couple does in marriage. This analogy makes clear to non-Catholics the nature of the priesthood; it does not impinge on the nature of marriage itself. However, on a theological level, you mentioned Christ the Head of his Body the Church. The Church is also referred to as the Bride of Christ. A priest, when he confects the sacraments, does so in persona Christi Capitis, in the person of Christ, the Head of the Church. So sacramentally we can say that the priest stands in the person of the bridegroom (Christ) as he makes God's grace present in his bride, the Church. - David Bonagura Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:08:49 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/first-mass.html#comment-7572 Dear Mr. Bonagura, I thank you for a fine article. The only thing I would take exception to is talking about ordination as a "marriage" of the priest to the Church. For one thing, even as an image it runs into problems if we consider that Eastern Catholic priests are generally married to a woman, so how we talk about their beind "married" to the Church in their ordination? Secondly, I take each sacrament to be distinct, and the Church understands Matrimony as the sacrament that makes present in the world the love of Christ for his Bride, the Church. For these reasons, I think it is more proper to consider the sacrament of Holy Orders as making present the love of Christ the Head for his Body the Church, in the Spirit of Christ himself, who came to serve and not to be served. - Mark Tardiff Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:50:41 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/first-mass.html#comment-7560 Yes David, thank you for that! This is so beautiful! And please forgive this comment. I haven't seen Debby here is a while, but I was reading C.S. Lewis Letters to Malcolm, and letter 16, I think, C.S. Lewis discusses the difficulties of the imagination in our world as related to St. Ignatius' exercises. If you have read Sheed, Theology and Sanity, this will piggy back that. God bless you all! Achilles - Achilles Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:12:02 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/first-mass.html#comment-7558 Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this grace-filled moment in eternity with all of us! It brought to mind the first time I experienced a "First Mass" of a young man I had gotten to know just a bit before he entered Seminary, then to hear him intone the ancient words of Christ, "THIS IS MY BODY....MY BLOOD...for you..." I'm filling up from this inside all over again... then the priest he asked to preach the Homily! Christ's voice and words flowed from this humble servant in such a profound way~I was the sinner washing His feet with tears. At these Masses it seems there is a SUPER-Supernatural Grace present in somehow an even more (extra-extra!)Extra-ordinary way than always covering us! He is Palpably Truly Present! (am i making sense?) Anyway, thank you so much David for refreshing all these graces in my memory with this wonderful post. Long Live Christ our King in His Holy Priesthood! - debby Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:57:10 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/first-mass.html#comment-7557 This is SUCH an encouraging essay! Thank you for writing it. I love it when I find words that so clearly express my own garbled thoughts and deep feelings. There is no human being more precious than a priest because only he can bring Heaven to earth. Pray for these men! - Jill D Sun, 31 Jul 2011 06:34:31 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2011/first-mass.html#comment-7556 Thanks for writing this. It's helped ease the annoyance felt after reading David O'Brien's op ed regarding Archbishop Chaput's arrival in Philadelphia. O'Brien, it seems to me, would like to see priests act as social workers when their first duty is to celebrate the Mass. The spiritual and corporal works of mercy require the sustenance provided by the Eucharist. Liturgy and robust catechesis from our priests and deacons enliven the laity to be conduits of Christ's love in the world of family, work and art. Thanks, too, for underscoring the nuptial nature of ordination. - Beth Sun, 31 Jul 2011 04:27:41 +0100