Work of Man or Work of God?

by Letters Editor · April 7, 2011

Denis Barrett, Johannesburg – Father Anthony Esposito’s letter “The New order of the Mass -a work of Man” (March 16), was sad. Fr Esposito feels Vatican II was defective partly because the input of observers from other Christian bodies who had no vote was considered.

However, one of the reasons for convoking the Council of Trent was to heal the developing rift between Rome and the Reformation; Protestants were invited as full participants and did take part in several sessions, although they, like many bishops, particularly from France, were often prevented from attending by wars and political pressures. The Council held 25 sessions, in three short periods at intervals between 1545 and 1563.

Also, Fr Esposito feels that Vatican II in its liturgical reforms puts a work of man in place of the work of God. He quotes St John Vianney: All good works taken together do not equal the Sacrifice of the Mass, since they are the work of man while the holy Mass is the work of God. The saints comparison is between good works and the Sacrifice; the one and only sacrifice is, thank God, God’s work, but the rite making it present is surely a good work of man. Both are there.

Trent first dealt with the Mass in session 13. One of its declared intentions: #1 was to adapt more suitably to the needs of our own times those institutions which are subject to change. The council, therefore, sees particularly cogent reasons for undertaking the reform and promotion of the liturgy. Further: (#7) every liturgical celebration…is an action of Christ the priest and of his body which is the Church. [T]he whole public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and His members, or, in other words, a work of God and also a work of man. Also (#22), the liturgy is made up of immutable elements divinely instituted, and of elements subject to change. These not only may but ought to be changed (see #1 above). Did Vatican II do anything different?

In session 22 Trent reaffirmed that the sacrifice of the Mass is offered for all, living and dead. The decisions on the Mass relating to the rite, like those of Vatican II, dealt with the manner of celebration, not the core theological or dogmatic truth which was, is and always remains the universality of the sacrifice of the cross.

In the Tridentine Mass as in the Vatican II version, what the priest and the people do is a work of man; the work of God is unchangingly present, just as in the simple breaking of bread in Acts.

It is easy to verify these things. Wikipedia helps and the website of the Holy See provides the documents.