Thomas a Becket

Today is the fifth day in the Octave of Christmas, with the commemoration of Thomas Becket. Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century, and was martyred by the English king's (his onetime friend's) thugs for his defence of the rights of the Church. King Henry's (the second of that name) men came into his own cathedral and murdered him as he prepared for Vespers. It is a good saint story, and well portrayed by Peter O'Toole in Becket; well worth watching today if you haven't before.

Liturgically, this day is a good example of why Catholics need exposure to the Extraordinary Form. I was always puzzled by what to do with this day, and others like it. During the octave of Christmas, Lenten weekdays, and 17-24 December, memorials are outranked and thus not celebrated. The table of precedence does, however, say that "Optional memorials, as described in the instructions indicated for the Mass and office, may be observed even on" those days I just mentioned. I couldn't figure out how to do this, even though I read through the GILH every Advent, and have been saying the Office for close to three years now.

Only this year, after learning how to say the EF Office, have I figured it out. I had read GILH 239 multiple times before, but never understood what it meant. It reads:

During privileged seasons, if it is desired to celebrate the office of a saint on a day assigned to his or her memorial:

a. in the office of readings, after the patristic reading (with its responsory) from the Proper of Seasons, a proper reading about the saint (with its responsory) may follow, with the concluding prayer of the saint;

b. at morning prayer and evening prayer, the ending of the concluding prayer may be omitted and the saint's antiphon (from the proper or common) and prayer may be added.

That's a commemoration. The Proper of Seasons says its a commemoration. But if you haven't been exposed to the EF, you aren't going to know what the heck a commemoration is or how to do it, even with the GILH sitting right in front of you. I read that paragraph several times, understanding the words, but not knowing what they meant. Having done commemorations in the EF, the paragraph makes perfect sense to me now. But without that exposure, it was a mystery.

Commemorations are a wonderful way for the sanctoral and temporal cycles to be reconciled. Rather than one cycle being left out in the cold, with commemorations both are fit into a given celebration. It is a classic example of the Catholic preference for both/and over either/or.

So, this is how you do the Office today:

At Matins, the two readings for the proper of seasons, followed by the reading for Thomas Becket, followed by the Te Deum, followed by the collect for Thomas Becket, followed by the Benedicamus Domino.

Lauds is concluded in this way:

Pater noster...

All-powerful and unseen God the coming of your light into the world has made the darkness vanish. Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ,

Whoever hates his life in this world keeps it safe for life everlasting.

Almighty God, you granted the martyr Thomas the grace to give his life for the cause of justice. By his prayers make us willing to renounce for Christ our life in this world so that we may find it in heaven. Per DNIC...

Dominus nos benedicat....

Vespers is concluded in this way:

Pater noster...

All-powerful and unseen God the coming of your light into the world has made the darkness vanish. Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ,

The saints find their home in the kingdom of heaven; their life is eternal peace.

Almighty God, you granted the martyr Thomas the grace to give his life for the cause of justice. By his prayers make us willing to renounce for Christ our life in this world so that we may find it in heaven. Per DNIC...

Dominus nos benedicat....

The other Hours are normal and are not affected by the commemoration.

I hope this explains how to commemorate in the OF, so that you can now do it on the 31st for Sylvester, and during the season of Lent. Moreover, I hope it inspires you to dig into the EF for yourself.

Merry Christmas!