DEALING WITH THE CREED

Have you felt the awkwardness of the Creed at Mass?

Not only does it not seem to have any connection with the rest of the service, it does not have a liturgical format.

That is partly because it is not part of the development or evolution of the liturgy, but something inserted in the era when the priest “said” the Mass and laity were required to merely “attend”. In such an era, it made sense that a desire to assure the orthodoxy of the clergy would insert a requirement that the clergy regularly recited a statement of orthodox belief. Because it was meant as a discipline for the cleric, the original Greek beginning of “We believe” was changed to “I believe” in Latin, “Credo”.

As others have pointed out, the Nicene Creed is based on an antiquated cosmology, archaic philosophical system, and third century theology. In addition, despite it having been composed in Greek, the Roman Curia has insisted on an English version be translated from the Latin translation rather than from the original language. This is the sort of thing which makes language scholars groan.

1. At the very minimum, liturgical use of the Creed requires a liturgical consideration of its placement in the Mass. Perhaps it belongs among the introductory or sending rites rather than being dropped into the middle of things.
   
   In addition, it need formatting to make its insertion more liturgical in style, something similar to how the presider no longer just begins the Lord's Prayer and everybody is expected to know to join in. Now we have introductory words which invite the assembly to say the entire prayer. [Even though there are too many still practicing old habits and not beginning until, “who art in heaven”.]
   
   I suggest that it would be better to ask the assembly to recite the segments of the Creed by having the presider ask, “What do we believe?” To which the natural response would begin,” We believe in … “
   .
2. The more difficult problem is to bring the ancient and carefully argued theological points into our contemporary English language. Words like “con-substantial” are carefully defined in theology courses, but remain almost meaningless to the average American.
   
   Here is a draft version of an American English Nicene Creed for liturgical use. Please critique it in terms of its compatibility with the Nicene Creed and offer suggestions on what needs work. Even better, offer alternative phrasings.

Presider: What do we believe about God?

All: We believe that:

God alone has always existed.

God is impossible for humans to understand.

God has self-revealed that God exists as Three Persons.

God created everything which is not God.

God created all to be good.

God called Israel into covenant.

Presider: What do we believe about Jesus?

All: We believe that:

God became human as Jesus.

Jesus taught that all humans are God's people.

Jesus taught that all humans are saved despite the evil in the world.

Jesus taught us how to live in love.

Jesus demonstrated love for us and our salvation by suffering, dying, and rising into new life.

Jesus taught us about the Trinity through associating himself with the Father as Son and sending the Advocate.

Presider: What do we believe about the Advocate?

All: We believe that:

The Advocate has always been active in all the world.

The Advocate provides guidance, comfort, and strength for following the teachings of Jesus.

Presider: What do we believe about the followers of Jesus?

All: We believe that:

God sustains the followers of Jesus

through a single, universal community.

The faith of that community is protected by the Advocate.

The faith of that community is based on

the teachings of those sent out by Jesus.

Because of our faith we say,

Glory be to God,

Three-in -One.

Thanks be to God
for our community of faith.

Please offer a comment below.

POST COMMUNION

THE MASS – RECEIVING THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST

As you receive the Eucharist, when you hear the words “Body of Christ,” look at the bread, look around and within and see the Body of Christ, and do likewise if you are distributing the bread. The presider should hold up the bread and look around and say: “This is, and together we are the Body of Christ, happy are we who are called to this supper.” If that does not happen in your church, why not? It is a core ultimate truth. It is a core biblical truth. For all our lives our Christ has been too small. Look around and behold the Cosmic Christ described by Paul. He and those who wrote in his name shout from the rafters the radical union that each person has with Christ. “We, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.”

Can you imagine that? Is it too mind-boggling? You and I are part of each other, and part of Christ! The Body of Christ is a fundamental reality that connects us all with Christ, and in Christ with each other. Imagine that, as the First Letter of John proclaimed – loving God means loving one another! In doing so we love the God we cannot see by loving the person we can see.

Don Pachuta

Community of Saint Luke, Framingham,MA

June 10, 2012 - Feast of Corpus Christi

This suggests to me a better conclusion of the communion rite than we usually experience.

As I have written before, we need to improve our performance of the communion rite.

The communion minister needs to allow time for the communicant to respond “Amen.” before beginning any movement of offering the bread or cup. The sharing is not about efficiency but about faith and communion.

Similarly, we need to emphasize participation of all in the same bread and the same cup as members of the same commun-ion/-ity. All should be standing for the entirety of the communion procession. All should be singing a processional song for the entirety of the rite. We are affirming that we are all members of one body, one communion. This is not the time for individualism.

What if all continued standing and singing until all had shared the one bread and cup, then the presider turned to the assembly and said.

“We are the Body of Christ.”

Then all respond.

“Amen”

Following that the congregation members could sit or kneel in private prayer while the vessels are cleared and the ministers return to their places.

This seems to me to be a better conclusion than any Communion or Post-communion oration.

What do you think?