A new word for me: mystagogy.
Mystagogy is a liturgical catechesis that aims to initiate people into the mysteries of Christ.
Cardinal Sarah stresses the importance of mystagogy here when he says so beautifully and clearly:
"the faithful should be encouraged to take a full, intelligent, active part in the liturgy; something which requires that the totality of liturgical signs be made available to them, these...symbols which include the ceremonial, and also the beauty of the liturgical ornaments, the sacred vessels and the choral chant, and in first place the Gregorian chant.."
So, the Mass must be studied and intimately, by each layman seeking understanding of Christ in the "mysteries". It has been explained to me by a priest friend that it is rather like immersing ourselves into the study of a poem we think we already know, but perhaps do not in full - in seeking out the allegorical meanings hidden in the actions and physical objects - in order to understand more intimately the Beloved hidden there, who is Christ.
It got me thinking about a little old man I knew once. He was very devout and sometimes looked like a sweet child when I caught glimpses of him praying his rosary. I had started going occasionally to the Latin Mass by then, and had asked him what he thought. To my surprise, he said he didn't really like the Latin Mass. I was a bit taken aback because he had grown up with the Tridentine Liturgy, and I thought he might have missed it. He did attend my Mass once, however, and what he said afterwards intrigued me.
“Ya know, it didn't look anything like THIS when I was a younger man." He went on to explain that the vestments were not this beautiful, the altar not as decorated, the servers were definitely not as well versed in their duties, the music was not chant or polyphony, and the Mass not as slow and deliberate as he had just experienced it. It seems the Latin Mass had sagged a bit over time and gotten a bit messy.
He went on to explain that many Masses of his youth or early adulthood were rushed and slap-dash. The servers ended up mumbling jibberish when they were called upon to do their part in the Latin responses (my own older brothers backed this up later), as they didn't know the Latin very well at all. And the congregation hadn't a clue, nor did they seem to care too much, what was happening up at the altar. I myself, who grew up in the time right before the transitions of Vatican II, remember how we always hoped it was Father M. saying the Mass before field day or the Parish Picnic because he said it in about 15 minutes flat and we could move on to the fun. EEEK.
So, the Mass, even in Latin was not then what we have now. It was not, as we might surmise, this perfect bed of liturgical roses. Even then, in the 40's and 50's they lacked the mystagogy! The Mass, even in its Latin Form, was not studied or explained to the laity as well as it seems to be now. I found that surprising, but true, after talking to many older laymen who remember and sadly did not wish to return.
I left the Latin Mass for a few years and then returned at the encouragement of a priest who did know his mystagogy. This made all the difference for me. I was firmly of the mind that I wanted to know what I was doing and seeing in the Mass. I asked question after question and he answered them. His Mass was careful, reverent, and truly like a poem come alive. Later, when I found myself going to low Mass at an Institute of Christ the King oratory, I also saw this so richly played out. I was able to see meaning in the candles, the vestments' color, the way the missal is carried from one side of the altar to the other, the meaning of incense and when it is used. Parts of the Mass are intentionally audible, and I could actually hear the Latin from both altar boys and the priest. There are also silences - deliberate silences that had deeper meanings to the whole. I am lucky to have already studied Latin in college, but I think we all need to try to study it more and know what it is saying. But even then we have missals that translate for us what is being said. And what is being said is utterly beautiful in its meanings if we listen and follow. In short, I ended up doing what Cardinal Sarah says must be done for any liturgical revival to have benefit. I studied it. And it has made all the difference.
This book by Abbe Claude Barthe is a wonderful way to educate yourself on the meanings behind the Latin liturgy. The vestments, the vessels, the incense, the movements of priest, deacon, and sub deacon. All have deeper meanings that point to Christ. I have found it incredibly helpful. And truthfully almost like a prayer in itself.
It makes me wonder that it might have been necessary to go through the upheavals of the 60's and 70's if only perhaps to eventually wake up the Latin Mass Community to reform itself in practice and intent, which it certainly has! To count it important for its priests to educate the laity in the mysteries instead of leaving them out there to fend for themselves until they finally give up - thinking it too difficult to keep up with something of which they do not understand the meaning.
The revival has been really wonderful. I myself have benefited from attending some beautiful, deliberate, Latin Mass liturgies that I fully understand now because a priest and a few well educated laymen taught me well and thought it important to teach me well. Knowledge leads to love and I can say I DO love it. These TLM Masses are rich in meaning and allegory. I can say my prayer life has deepened simply by attending them daily.
These are just some thoughts. But I highly recommend this book as it was recommended to me. It will make the Mass blossom for you.
Thank you, Abbe Claude Barthe.
I did not know any of this; this is the first time hearing of it and I am grateful for you sharing this with us
Adding to the list