Two Worries about Meditation

Substack  latest

Comments

[Vito B. Caiati]

Bill,

Along with many other good things--doctrinal, liturgical, aesthetic--that the Tridentine Mass offers to those who have the privilege of attending it, this ancient rite of the Church provides a holy and reverent setting for long moments of meditation, one without fear of demonic intrusions. The central action is, of course, that of the priest, in the Liturgy of the Word and then into the Canon itself. But as the priest moves though the ancient rubrics, many of which involve the saying of silent prayers, with or without sung Gregorian chants of the choir, the rite allows each worshipper to follow his or her devotional path. Some simply observe the priestly acts at the altar, others are riveted to their missals or engrossed in prayer, and still others get caught up in long moments of meditation. In my own experience these moments last as long as five or ten minutes, especially during the Canon, and have been the only times in which I have succeeded in my mediative quest to attain heightened spiritual insight. And in these intense moments, there is no danger of the intrusion of evil powers. The Novus Ordo, with its endless talking, group praying, handshaking, lousy modern music, and so on, everything centered on man, on human fellowship, not only undermines the sacrificial nature of the Offertory; the mystery of the Real Presence; and the sacramental function of the priest, who acts in persona Christi, but it also makes contemplative prayer and other meditative practices virtually impossible. Of course, the rumored imminent abolition of the TLM in diocesan churches, if it occurs, will further the modernist determination to drive the mystical and meditative completely out of the Chruch’s worship

[BV]

>>The Novus Ordo, with its endless talking, group praying, handshaking, lousy modern music, and so on, everything centered on man, on human fellowship, not only undermines the sacrificial nature of the Offertory; the mystery of the Real Presence; and the sacramental function of the priest, who acts in persona Christi, but it also makes contemplative prayer and other meditative practices virtually impossible.<<

Right, Vito. That's a common complaint. My old kindergarten pal Catacomb Joe, a friendly guy, complains about the handshaking. Even squishy-liberal Tom Merton complained about the liturgical changes in the wake of Vatican II.

>>Of course, the rumored imminent abolition of the TLM in diocesan churches, if it occurs, will further the modernist determination to drive the mystical and meditative completely out of the Chruch’s worship.<<

Which is disgusting, but also stupid from an immanent point of view, leading as it will to a further decline in the Church's 'relevance' -- to use a '60s buzzword. Who needs more leftist claptrap?

From 1978-1989 I taught at the U of Dayton, founded by the Marianist Order. By the time I got there there Vatican II liberal types had defeated the Old Guard and had taken over and the talk was of "Christian Humanism." Now "Existentialism is a Humanism" (Sartre), but not Christianity as I argued to no avail.

In the 'Sixties there was a heresy controversy at U.D. well described by Mary Jude Brown in her 2022 Heresy in the Heartland: The Controversy at the University of Dayon, 1960-1967. I enjoyed the book and recommend it. But then I knew some of the participants and taught at the place.

https://www.amazon.com/Heresy-Heartland-Controversy-University-1960-1967/dp/0813235022

[john doran]

The only idea I've had of Christian meditation came from my time in a Franciscan friary, and the study I did there, mostly of Tanqueray's work on spiritual/ascetic theology.

And, of course, actually meditating.

My understanding of "meditation" as you, Bill, have used the word in your many posts on the subject over the years, is as a process of, essentially, thinking (and feeling) of nothing. a mental kenosis, if you will.

But Catholic (Christian) mysticism/meditation is based upon sustained thinking about points of inflection in Christian theology: the incarnation, the Trinity, crucifixion, und so weiter.

The worry about the Eastern style of meditation, from the Christian point of view, is that, once you open the door and empty your mind (and soul), you are inviting the Shadow into the room.