Listen to the Word the image of the Creator.


Made to govern W


hen we discover in Creation the wonders of God’s handiwork, we may perceive in responsibly governing Creation that we are


Source: The first part of the Preface up to the ut clause slightly develops a preface assigned to the third Sunday of Easter in the ninth- century Sacramentary of Bergamo representing the Ambrosian tradition. Adding the phrase vero formasti, “but you formed”, brings the four confessions into symmetry.


Analysis of literary forms Our motives for giving thanks are expressed


in two pairs of confessions. The first concerns Creation and is followed by a simple purpose clause. The second pair concerns the Creation and role of humanity and is followed by a double purpose clause with an amplification. First confession: The first pair of confes- sions concerning Creation begins, Qui omnia mundi elementa fecisti, “who made all the ele- ments of the world”, given as, “For you laid the foundations of the world”. The elementa are the rudiments, building blocks. Second confession: The Creation contin-


ues, et … disposuisti, “and designed”, given as, “and have arranged”. First purpose:The divine intent in organ- ising Creation is expressed by the entire sentence composed of an accusative subject and infinitive verb, vices … temporum vari- ari, “the successions of seasons to be changed”, given as, “the changing of times and seasons”. Third confession:The second pair of con- fessions concerning the Creation and role of humanity begins, hominem vero formasti ad imaginem tuam, “but formed humanity according to your image”, given as, “you formed man in your own image”. Fourth confession:The Creation of the first


two confessions is subjected to humanity in this final confession, et rerum ei subiecisti uni- versa miracula, “and subjected to it all the wonders of things”, given as, “and set human- ity over the whole world in all its wonder”. Second purpose: The divine intent for humanity is presented in a double purpose clause, ut vicario munere dominaretur omni - bus, “so that by a delegated responsibility it might govern all things”, given as, “to rule in your name over all”. Here, the noun munere does not refer to a gift, but to a task, office, work, job, as in the English “municipal services”. Amplification: The things humanity gov- erns are described by the relative clause, quae


Roman Missal 2010 … Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For you laid the


foundations of the world


and have arranged the changing of times and seasons;


you formed man in your own image


and set humanity over the whole world in all its wonder,


to rule in your name over all you have made and for ever praise you in your mighty works, through Christ our Lord. And so, with all the Angels, we praise you,


as in joyful celebration we acclaim: Holy …


© International


Commission on English in the Liturgy


creasti, “which you created”, given as, “you have made”. The form creasti is syncopated from crea[vi]sti, “you created”. Third purpose: The second divine inten- tion for humanity is, et in operum tuorum magnalibus iugiter te laudaret, “and might con- tinually praise you in the great deeds of your works”, given as, “and for ever praise you in your mighty works”. Mediation: The mediation of Christ ends the elaboration on Creation and the divine intent for humanity, per Christum Dominum nostrum, “through Christ our Lord”. Concluding transition: A generic conclud- ing transition given in the Missale Romanum of 1970 was replaced in the Missale Romanum of 1975 by, Unde et nos cum omnibus Angelis te laudamus, iucunda celebratione clamantes, “Wherefore with all the Angels we also praise you with delightful celebration crying out”, given as, “And so, with all the Angels, we praise you, as in joyful celebration we acclaim”. The introduction of laudamuspersonalises human- ity’s praise of God here and now.


Summary God created the rudiments of the world and designed them so that they would follow in their


Bishops are vicars of Christ, but humanity is the Creator’s vicar governing the works of God in Creation, writes Daniel McCarthy. In this governance, humanity reflects his very image


SUNDAYS OF ORDINARY TIME, PREFACE V


Missale Romanum2008 … Domine, sancte Pater, omnipotens aeterne Deus: Qui omnia mundi elementa fecisti,


et vices disposuisti temporum variari; hominem vero formasti ad imaginem tuam,


et rerum ei subiecisti universa miracula, ut vicario munere dominaretur omnibus quae creasti,


et in operum tuorum magnalibus iugiter te laudaret,


per Christum Dominum nostrum.


Unde et nos cum omnibus Angelis te laudamus,


iucunda celebratione clamantes: Sanctus ...


Study text … Lord, holy Father, almighty eternal God, who made all the elements of the world and designed the


successions of seasons to be changed


but formed humanity according to your image and subjected to it all the wonders of things, so that by a delegated responsibility it might govern all things, which you created,


and might continually praise you in the great deeds of your works, through Christ our Lord. Wherefore with all the Angels we also praise you with delightful celebration crying out:


Prepared in collaboration with Frs James Leachman OSB and Reginald Foster OCD.


own succession of changes. In the introduc- tory formula, God is called Domine, “Lord”, but its verbal form dominaretur, “it might govern”, describes how humanity shares the divine image. The documents of Vatican II refer in a positive light to Christ’s Lordship, but not to human dominion. One passage gives some insight; the declaration on religious freedom Dignitatis humanae says of Christ, “Refusing to be a political messiah who prevailed [dom- inans] by force, he preferred to call himself the Son of Man who came ‘to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many’ (Matthew 20:28). He showed himself the perfect servant of God, who ‘will not break a bruised reed or quench a smouldering wick’ (Matthew 12: 20)” (Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, ed. Tanner, 1007). Humanity governs Creation and sees in it


God’s handiwork but also sees the image of God in its own governing responsibility and so praises the Lord. In the concluding formula, human- ity’s praise becomes the assembly’s praise of God. The liturgical assembly voices its own praise of God on behalf of all humanity.


■Daniel McCarthy OSB is a monk of St Benedict’s Abbey, Kansas, who writes and teaches on liturgy.


19 February 2011 | THE TABLET | 15


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