Inclusive?

I have no idea who these people are. But, I like their style. I have been thinking of writing thoughts on Inclusive language, but thought I would wait until after the holidays and get it finished before Lent. I am sure that Maureen and I could have a friendly discussion here on the topic. We do not necessarily agree with each other on this topic, but we are not disagreeable. Maureen has done an excellent job of letting me know she understands my position, even if she does not entirely agree with me.

I ask people to pray with the whole church. It was not an authoritarian thing. I did not legislate it. I thought the church had done that already. I was just tired of hearing some say, "It is right to give him thanks and praise," and others say, "It is right to give God thanks and praise." To be fair, a correct translation of the latin would simply be "It is right and just." I may not be normally wide awake in the morning, I am not a morning person, but I have been noticing a pattern lately. The response has become "It is right to give thanks and praise."

So, in order to be inclusive, they have excluded the personal.

Our language is limited. It will never encompass the mystery. Our words cannot describe God, nor can they even adequately ourselves, our inner lives.

But most efforts at inclusive language, in my limited experience, exclude more than they can ever include. So the language of the Church's prayer is inadequate. It is still the Church's prayer, and the Church as a body has the right to determine what that prayer should be without my messing around with it to make it more perfect.

And if the prayer is not personal, it is not Christian.

I am not sure that Gaspar ever had a problem like this, but then he did not live in a time when everybody was making up the liturgy as they went along. Does anybody have an idea what Gaspar might have done in this situation? My guess is that he would pray with the church.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 4:02 PM link

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Guadalupe

Excellent reflection on Our Lady of Guadalupe by Sr. Janet Winandy, CPPS. It is part of the daily reflections during Advent from the Precious Blood Leadership Conference.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 8:23 AM link

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