Something Extraordinary

This Advent, I urge you to rethink the way that you worship at Mass. I invite you to attend the Traditional Latin Mass. The Traditional Latin Mass, Tridentine Mass, or Extraordinary Form, as it's currently labeled, is an opportunity to experience the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a profoundly different way than many of us are used to. As we prepare to welcome our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, this Advent, what better way can we ready our hearts than by immersing ourselves in the beauty and reverence of the Tridentine Mass?  

If you're on the fence about attending the Tridentine Mass, or want to learn more about it, I encourage you to watch the following video:

The video is long, but Dr. Taylor Marshall and his guest, Eric Sammons, do a great job of highlighting some of the main draws of the Tridentine Mass. The video is also available on the Dr. Taylor Marshall Show podcast. 

Here are a few reasons why our family attends the Tridentine Mass, which include some of the points from Dr. Marshall's video:

1. The Mass that was witness by the majority of the Church's great saints - The Tridentine Mass is a window into the rich history of Catholic worship. 

2. The universality - Latin is the official language of the Church. Not only does the Tridentine Mass present a bridge to the history of the Church, but it provides a tangible link to all Catholics across the world. 

3. The mystery - We are drawn deeper into the sacredness of God's presence when various aspects of the Faith are veiled and hidden from our immediate sight. Latin acts like a veil, which shrouds the beauty of Christ's sacrificial offering. 

4. The reverence - The care for the Holy Eucharist and the reverence observed at the Tridentine Mass is unrivaled amongst other forms of celebrating the Mass. 

5. A break from the ordinary - One of the accidental (unintended) effects of using the vernacular in the Mass is that it becomes ordinary. The Tridentine Mass exposes us to the reality that the natural and the supernatural are not the same. 

There are two primary places where you can attend the Tridentine Mass in St. Louis: The Oratory of Ss. Gregory and Augustine and The St. Francis de Sales Oratory. High Mass is sung, typically utilizes the organ, and uses incense. It is also usually longer. Low Mass is essentially the pared down version of the Extraordinary Form, but it still contains a high degree of reverence. 

Do something extraordinary this Advent, experience the richness and beauty of the Tridentine Mass. 

Image:

(1) Saint Francis de Sales Oratory - High Altar. Courtesy of Phil Roussin. Accessed via Flickr.