Latin was not the language of Jesus

My husband and I always enjoy reading Salena Zito’s column and are happy she is a regular in the Daily Inter Lake. Most of her writing is simply good old fashioned, non opinionated journalism with special reference to her home state of Pennsylvania. That’s why we believe she was telling it like it is RE: the upswing of the Catholic Latin Mass in her part of the nation which, for the majority of Catholics, beggars the question…Why? (A rogue eccentric sect, Society of Pius X ,has a strong presence there, but that’s another story).

Those of us who experienced both the ancient Latin Mass of the Pre Vatican II Council and the mandated Novus Ordo Mass in the vernacular that evolved after the Council were thrilled to abandon the old for the new. In the 1960’s, as young parents, we transitioned happily and, due to the fact that we could finally participate in the sacred rituals in English, our faith and its praxis was enhanced enormously. Many years later we (and our youngest son) found ourselves, inadvertently, in a nearby parish that was celebrating the old Latin Rite. Eventually, our puzzled son tugged on his father’s sleeve and whispered, “Dad, are they speaking in code?” That gave us a good laugh but lately we’ve had cause to reflect on the wisdom of Pope Francis who recently set a stern limit on Latin Masses throughout the world confining them to special situations only. He had noticed, and rightly so, that its continued, (often clandestine ) use is creating great divisiveness and was becoming integrated with radical national and church politics as well. This has deeply grieved him and dare we even imagine that the Holy Spirit, whom the majority of Catholics believe had a little something to do with his papal election, is also deeply grieved by the obstinate behavior of a small, vocal minority that refuse to comply with his request and/or to even acknowledge Francis as duly elected Pope, or the dynamic Vatican II Council of the 60’s as a valid council?

Let’s be clear. Latin is still a highly revered language and deeply entwined with our own, but it was not the language of Jesus as some uninformed Catholics still believe. He spoke to his closest followers at the Last Supper (some Catholics call it the First Mass) in their own common language, Aramaic, not Latin, the language of Galilee/Judea’s Roman oppressors and Jesus’ eventual executioners. And finally, If one reads Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-12, one finds that, after his Resurrection, on the feast of Pentecost (a Jewish observance), the three thousand gathered Jews of dozens of nationalities, who reputedly listened that day to the passionate, personal testimonies of Jesus’ followers and converted immediately to Christianity, miraculously heard the “Good News” each in his own native language, NOT LATIN. That special Pentecost Sunday was the birthday of Christianity. I rest my case.

Nancy McGunagle lives in Kalispell.