Te Igitur

So....why do all my posts being with 'so'?

So anyways.....

I've really really been working to improve my Latin skills/ I am a member of a forum on which some members are translating a text on vampires. It is quite fascinating, but not quite my cup of tea. Despite being hard, I'm not that morbid.

So I'm working on my own translation of the Canon - until I am ready to work on something more challenging, like the Vulgate. :D

But why would I translate the Canon, or anything, if somebody else has already done it?

Fair enough; I'll tell you why. My eventual plan is to translate a chunk of text, perhaps from Genesis or John, into English. Next I will translate it back to Latin. I will compare the Latin and see if the meanings change. If I am able to I can do some Greek in there too, but I still know nothing about Greek.

Either way, the point is to show exactly how Protestants messed up the Bible in the first place. They translated form language A into B, then into C, then from C to A to B to A again....in order to get a more accurate translation than the original one the Catholics did?

Do you see how I end that statement with a question mark? It makes NO SENSE!

For the moment, I will grace you with my own translation of the Te Igitur.

Original:

TE ígitur, clementíssime Pater, per Jesum Christum Fílium tuum Dóminum nostrum súpplices rogámus ac pétimus (osculatur altare) uti accépta hábeas, et benedícas (jungit manus, deinde signat ter super oblata), hæc   dona, hæc   múnera, hæc   sancta sacrifícia illibáta (extensismanibus prosequitur): in primis quæ tibi offérimus pro Ecclésia tua sancta cathólica: quam pacificáre, custodíre, adunáre, et régere dignéris toto orbe terrárum, una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. et Antístite nostro N. et ómnibus orthodóxis, atque cathólicæ et apostólicæ fídei cultóribus

Mine:

Therefore, we beseech and petition thee most merciful Father, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, (the altar is kissed) to accept and bless (he joins his hands, then signs the offering three times) these gifts, these offerings, this holy undiminished sacrifice (having extended his hands, it is continued): in the first place of which we offer to you for thy holy universal Church; may you grant peace to the whole world, and protect, unify, and rule in union with thy servant our father Benedict and our bishop Joseph, and all believers, and Catholics, and adherents of the apostolic faith.

Official Translation:

Wherefore, O most merciful Father, we humbly pray and beseech thee, through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord (he kisses the altar), that thou wouldst vouchsafe to receive and bless (he joins his hands together, and then makes the sign of the cross thrice over the offerings) these  gifts, these  offerings, this  holy and unblemished sacrifice (he extends his hands and continues), which in the first place we offer thee for thy holy Catholic Church, that it may please thee to grant her peace: as also to protect, unite, and govern her throughout the world, together with thy servant N., our Pope N., our bishop, as also all orthodox believers who keep the catholic and apostolic faith.

As you can see it is not bad at all ,but slightly different. Notice especially the 'red', the actions, in parentheses. I have kept them in their original infinitive state; whereas the official translation puts it in slightly more natural English.

Until my next translation! I've already got the Hanc Igitur done as of now....

So, yeah!

As you can see I've forgotten about this blog for a little more than a month. Had to deal with a major surgery in the family, the holidays Christmas!, and some other stuff.

I hope to be back and posting soonish.

In other news, did you know that they are trying to take my guns away. :(

I'll try not to write about that so much.

But I have decided that I am going to pick up on my linguistic studies significantly this year.

I will begin learning Old English and Greek. If I had my way I would speak these languages fluently:

English (duh)
Old English
Greek
Spanish
German

EDIT: How could I forget?

LATIN!

I wouldn't mind being able to read Hebrew and Arabic as well.

I am lucky that I may be able to tutor Latin for a friend soon. This will significantly aid me in completing one of my tasks.

Oh, did I mention I'm obsessed with languages?

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....

CHRISTMAS!


**
Well, it has for a while, and my family has already gotten our tree. Today, however, I am going to help my brother-in-law get theirs. Hmmmm.....that's some inspiration! I generally like to write scholarly sounding papers on useless subjects; it's great practice, as a matter of fact. I think I shall write one about helping him....

Wow. Random. *?*

So anyways I think he should get the soft needled trees; the poky ones are no fun even if they do look a bit better. I'm heading off to Mass and then work now, but when I get back expect a full report. :D

Stow the Rifles Away...

Until January, at least.

But no bucks! Unless I go out with a bow; which I most certainly will.

On my way out to the treestand I said my usual prayer to Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos; he didn't think today was a good day, I guess.

But let's just say that if anyone else's hunting season was as successful as mine then better luck next year! :D

The Immaculate Conception - The Negative and the Positive

So this morning an interesting thought hit me; the negative aspect of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady. No, no, I'm not talking about negative as in "bad" - I am talking about the negative sin in the Blessed Virgin!

So basically, we have a Virgin conceived without sin. Put that thought away.

Now, let's define grace.

What is sanctifying grace? --Sanctifying grace is that grace which confers on our souls a new life, that is, a sharing in the life of God Himself.



1. By sanctifying grace, our souls are made holy and pleasing to God. It is an abiding or permanent grace, which we gain by baptism, and lose only by mortal sin. (My Catholic Faith)

So grace is none other than the life of God. What does that make sin? Sin is nothing other than the absence of grace, the absence of God's love. It is that simple!

So it necessarily follows that if Our Lady was conceived without sin, then she was conceived with grace. It is like an inverse proportion; the less one has sin the more one has grace. Or, the less one has hatred of God the more they must have love of God.

But not only was Our Lady conceived with grace, she was conceived full of grace! 

And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1: 28)

This is an interesting mystery to ponder here. She is full of grace already, yet she continues to gain more. How mysterious are the ways of God! 

The Immaculate Conception

"I am the Immaculate Conception"

Happy Feast Day! On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed this great dogma which stated that Our Blessed Mother was conceived without the stain of original sin. It is interesting to note that this was nothing new; it had always been held to be true by Church tradition. The Pope was simply elevating the pious thought to a required belief. 

 "And indeed it was wholly fitting that so wonderful a mother should be ever resplendent with the glory of most sublime holiness and so completely free from all taint of original sin that she would triumph utterly over the ancient serpent. To her did the Father will to give his only-begotten Son -- the Son whom, equal to the Father and begotten by him, the Father loves from his heart -- and to give this Son in such a way that he would be the one and the same common Son of God the Father and of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was she whom the Son himself chose to make his Mother and it was from her that the Holy Spirit willed and brought it about that he should be conceived and born from whom he himself proceeds." (Ineffabilis Deus)

So the Holy Father makes clear his reason for pronouncing this doctrine. She is God's own mother! God deserves a perfect mother; not only does He deserve it but He requires it by His very nature. 

The Holy Father then goes on to list various traditions in the Church which implicitly affirm this truth, like the Council of Trent, and explicitly, such as the Fathers of the Church. 

Finally, he closes with what he hopes his message will inspire:

"Let all the children of the Catholic Church, who are so very dear to us, hear these words of ours. With a still more ardent zeal for piety, religion and love, let them continue to venerate, invoke and pray to the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin. Let them fly with utter confidence to this most sweet Mother of mercy and grace in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Under her guidance, under her patronage, under her kindness and protection, nothing is to be feared; nothing is hopeless. Because, while bearing toward us a truly motherly affection and having in her care the work of our salvation, she is solicitous about the whole human race. And since she has been appointed by God to be the Queen of heaven and earth, and is exalted above all the choirs of angels and saints, and even stands at the right hand of her only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she presents our petitions in a most efficacious manner. What she asks, she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard." (ibid)

So what is he saying; what was the point of the encyclical? It is this: to affirm and explicitly state that Our Lady was conceived without Original Sin by a singular act of God's Will, and that this should inspire in us yet a deeper love and understanding of her great love for us! 

 "What she asks, she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard." (ibid)

Go save a soul.

Made of Ƿ

So....I was directed by a friend to an awesome site called Made of Ƿ. Pronounced Made of Wynn. It's an Medievalist site and it is AWESOME!

I especially like her Old English/Latin posts; they are quite enjoyable. Go check it out if you are into that kind of thing.