“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church’s faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place.” - Pope Benedict XVI
On February 17th, 2022, I experienced my first Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), sometimes called the extraordinary form. This was not on any special feast day nor was it a majestic Sunday high Mass, it was a simple Thursday low Mass at 6 pm at The Shrine and Parish of the Holy Innocents in New York City.
I opened the doors of the church and was hit with the intense smell of incense as I proceeded into the dimly lit church. I was immediately struck with the sensation that this was something different, profound, and holy. I performed a deep bow towards the altar and immediately noticed how crowded the church was, full with people from all backgrounds and of all ages.
The priest came before the altar and began reciting the preparatory prayer at the foot of the altar; I had no idea the Mass had started. All I could hear was the faint whispers of the priest amidst the otherwise silent church, the perfect space for meditative and contemplative prayer. I kept my eyes fixated on the priest and the altar, watching every movement. As the Mass continued I was totally lost for I had no missal or guide to help me through the Mass, but this ultimately mattered little. Comprehension of the readings, though incredibly important, was only secondary to what was of primary importance. What was primarily important was the adoration of our Lord; the recognition that I am a created being and God is the creator who is omnipotent, omniscient, and all good and glorious.
When it came time for the consecration, I knelt in awe staring at the consecrated host, whispering “my lord, my God” as I had heard was the custom at the TLM. When it was time to go up to the communion rail I knelt and received on the tongue for the first time, another profound act of adoration that I did not know until now. After the reading of the last gospel, the Mass had ended and all I could feel was this spirit of awe at what I had witnessed. For the first time in my life I felt the total theocentricity of the liturgy, I felt in awe at the sacrifice I had just witnessed, and I felt compelled to return to this Mass.
Two Sundays later, I ventured back to Holy Innocents to experience my first high Mass, this time equipped with a daily missal, comprehension was no longer a concern. The experience was even more divine, from the beautiful Gregorian chant to the use of incense. I knew I needed to find a parish near me that offered the Traditional Mass. A short Google search led me to discover St. Mary’s parish in Norwalk CT, about a 40 minute drive from my house. Over the summer, when my Sunday mornings finally freed up, I drove down to St. Mary’s to present myself at their majestic 10 am solemn high Mass. After a few weeks I felt I had achieved a peaceful stability in my spiritual life thanks to the spiritual nourishment of the TLM. I even began to attend weekday low Masses when I could.
There is no more glorious way to start Sunday morning than hearing the cantor sing “asperges me (thou shalt sprinkle me)” to which the choir joins in chanting “Domine, hyssopo et mundabor; lavabis me et super nivem dealbabor… (with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow)” as the priest, adorning his cope, sprinkles holy water on you and the other congregants. The TLM acquires its significance because it is ancient, distinct, and awe-inspiring. Its divine simplicity is unlike anything else we encounter in the world because the Mass is not entirely of this world; it is the meeting of heaven and earth.
The use of the Latin language in the liturgy, to borrow a term from Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, creates a “sonic iconostasis.” This reminds everyone that we have entered into a sacred space, a space set apart for God. The TLM is an invitation to more seriously encounter the sacred and to step out of the world for a moment and into the love of God.
At the TLM there is no mistake for why you are there. You are not there just to sing hymns, socialize after Mass, or even to learn a biblical lesson, although these are all desirable and admirable. You are there to witness the unbloodied sacrifice of our Lord at Calvary. Nothing on earth is more important than that sacrifice, nothing on earth will ever be more important than that sacrifice.
As I mentioned earlier, the TLM concludes with the Last Gospel, John 1:1-14: “In the beginning was the word…and the word became flesh.” It has been noted that the recitation of John’s prologue beautifully harmonizes the two parts of the Mass: the Mass of the Catechumens, in which we encounter Christ through the words of scripture, and the Mass of the Faithful, where we encounter Christ in the flesh via the Eucharist. I am forever grateful for the TLM for fueling my spiritual journey as a Catholic by bringing me closer to the sacrifice of Christ, our King, our Redeemer, and our Savior. Ite, missa est (go forth, it has been sent).