J.M.J. In The Mass of the Roman Rite: Its Origins and Development, which is his magisterial work on the Sacred Liturgy, the Reverend Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J., presented a fascinating paradox when looking at the Communicantes ("In communion with those whose memory we venerate") of The Roman Canon (The First Eucharistic Prayer).
Here is the text that is currently used in English.
"In communion with those whose memory
we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and
Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, Your blessed Apostles and
Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, (James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Simon and Jude; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence,
Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian) and all Your Saints; we ask that through their merits and
prayers, in all things we may be defended by Your protecting help. (Through Christ our Lord. Amen.)"
Father Jungmann wrote:
"Thus, for all the insistence on the concept of communion, the beginning and the end in both instances present a slight anomaly. For the one singled out to head the list of saints is one who had the incomparable dignity of being Mother of God and ever virgin. And at the end of the list the relation we bear to the saints in general is indicated with greater exactness by the humble prayer that their intercession might avail us." (Volume 2, page 172)
So, we state our communion with Our Lady and these incredible witnesses to Christ. Yet, we acknowledge the distance that separates us from the Ever-Virgin and our remarkable ancestors in the Faith.
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