Dominus Vobiscum
Dominus Vobiscum ©
By
Michael Casey
I woke up this morning and Dominus Vobiscum popped into my mind, as I got dressed I wondered where did that come from. As I wrapped my dressing gown around me I was still wondering, and now an hour or so later the thought is still with me. I’ve had my breakfast with my morning Meds, and I’ve had my usual look at my viewing figures and a quick look at the morning papers. So I’ve had too much time to think of this or that way to talk about it. As I had my toast and coffee and looked out the kitchen window in that minute the piece was written. A minute is enough for the scaffolding to form, I then just peg the story too it. I am that quick, or that rubbish.
So why has Dominus Vobiscum come to mind, maybe because I need it, maybe because we all need it, and not just because it is Sunday. Though the Muslim majority of believers have a saying, they are the majority if you count bums on seats or knees of floor. Muslims say Peace be Upon you, and Jewish people say Shalom. So we each have a saying or a praise that begins our day or prayers. The absolute majority have no faith whatsoever, and let’s not pretend otherwise, we may be a nation of shopkeepers but the Faith has long gone. Which may be why Britain is a great place to live in despite the Media’s obsession with Brexit. As there is not the hypocrisy of faith that happens in manner places, pick your own.
Dominus Vobiscum is of course Latin, and I am just old enough to remember it in Mass before the English replaced the Latin. Some people hark back to the Latin, because you could turn up anywhere in the world and understand or rather say the words you recognized in Latin. Though common sense would say let people listen in their own languages, wasn’t the first thing the Gift of Tongues after all. Then you get arguments over this or that and which form of words to use, thus forgetting the Word.
Nowadays pop songs are the lingua franca, nobody knows any holy words of any kind, in some places you have the holy mafia, pick your own faith and location. It’s up to you to find you own path to God, I am no signpost, I’m not even mud on the signpost. It’s better if you grow up with a Faith, because when times are hard you have something to lean on, and it can even save your life. Reach out and I’ll be there, to quote one famous song, it’s the same with faith. Though immediately I’m criticized for using such a phrase, frankly people who have such a shallow interpretation of faith, any faith have no faith at all. Discuss.
As usual I’ve got music playing as I talk to you, you cannot hear it but it permeates everything I write, conscientiously or unconscientiously, that’s how certain words or phrases might appear. There was a music, a tone in the Latin Mass, and speaking as an altar boy for 8 years and a reader for 5 it was fun all the smoke and dressing up. But the basic thing has to be the words. A missionary has not got all these trappings, but he does have something of a much greater power, he has the faith of the congregation. It is the congregation who provide the juice, they are the electricity and energy and faith. Listen to any Shona choir if you don’t believe me.
Now where has it gone wrong? You have some priests who forget they are just the signposts to God, and yes some people have to accept they are just mud on the signpost. They need to be humble, not arrogant. Be a signpost and point, let the people sign their praise, as to sing is to doubly praise. Literal songs and metaphorical singing. When the priest is in the way, and when the priest is corrupt in any way, the priests should be caste out into the wilderness immediately. This applies to all faiths and politics too.
1000 years ago Francis was told to Repare mi Casa, today the same thing needs to be urgently done in the catholic church again, by today’s Francis. I have visited Assisi and you could feel the electricity of faith there, I’ve also felt the same thing in Lourdes. There are many other holy places the world over, they are powerhouses of love and faith. Or so they should be. If the love and faith is being corrupted then it’s time to start anew. It is time to Repare mi Casa all the houses of god everywhere. Dominus Vobiscum.
my mum was born in the building above, 9 people lived there
when she was 12 the new house was built
that is where my faith comes from
Cromane Lower County Kerry Eire 1920
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