måndag 7 januari 2013

The signifier becomes the signified

Prayers after Mass
I met a man yesterday aged about 70 at the Tridentine Mass. Of Jewish origin, he had been brought up in Italy as a Catholic but lost his faith with the introduction of the Vatican 2 reforms. Then he went back to Judaism and lived in Israel for many years, becoming involved with the Chabad Lubavitch sect. In recent times he lost his faith in that too and became atheist. Now he is interested in attending the EF mass again. It speaks to him.

The ultimate problem with the liturgy is as explained in the "Spirit of the Liturgy" by Cardinal Ratzinger: the signifier becomes the thing signified. Get it wrong and it is stripped of its meaning.

Ratzinger's book should be a study text for all priest-candidates.

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