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| Duccio, "Anunciation" |
I commented that the English translation weakened the editio typica’s strong Latin phrase “etiam vitae suae testificatione” when it read “also by their personal witness.” I was not the only one who thought it was weak. The English translation of RS 134, citing verbatim JPII’s EE quotation preferred in its English translation to go with “even by the witness of their life.” Interesting.
There’s a difference between giving a personal witness and giving a witness with “your life.” The latter is stronger because it can easily imply witnessing with one’s life by laying it down. Saint Tarcisius comes to mind, the Third Century Roman Martyr who was killed by a mob while guarding the MBS.
I had noticed Google Translate algorithmically included “personal witness” as the preferred option for “suae testificatione.” But that’s Google and that’s an algorithm. Perhaps the algorithm is even preferring “personal” because of the existence of EE’s English. Whatever the case may be, just as I noticed RS also prefer the more direct “their lives,” I was rescued from thinking myself some stringent literalist.
Moving on.
RS 135 Oh, boy. This one’s on making visits to the MBS. Here we go. It describes the responsibility of the faithful to make visits during the day to the MBS. It indicates three purposes for these visits: 1) proof of gratitude; 2) pledge of love; 3) debt of adoration. Paul VI’s “Mysterium Fidei” is cited here which encourages visits to the MBS for the same reasons.
RS 135 indicates “communion of desire,” perhaps more commonly known as spiritual communion. Communion of desire more accurately describes it, however. It’s properly distinguished from Full Sacramental Communion which involved the direct consuming of the MBS. Communion of desire both anticipates and follows from Sacramental Communion and is a grace available to the faithful anytime, even apart from receiving Holy Communion. This communion is what is encouraged by visiting the MBS. It is why the law of the Church, which RS 135 mentions in conclusion, obliges pastors to leave open their churches where the MBS is reserved. We’ve discussed this law already.
Image: Duccio, "Anunciation"
