I was interrupted during Mass today by trying mightily to stifle an attack of the giggles. The Gospel was the Sermon on the Mount according to Matthew, one of my favorite passages. Fr. Jerry got to "Blessed are the peacemakers" and my mind immediately dialed to Monty Python's LIFE OF BRIAN:
Spectator I: I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers".After I had gotten over the worst of my unseemly chuckles, I got to thinking about how Scripture and Tradition have made it all the way to the 21st century. It really is impressive. However, it makes one wonder what the message originally was. As the above quote demonstrates in all the Pythons' silliness, even as the original message is delivered, something can get lost in translation. And if the message is immediately translated improperly, some fantastic gaffes can occur. It's like a centuries-long game of Telephone.
Mrs. Gregory: Aha, what's so special about the cheesemakers?
Gregory: Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products.
Don't get me wrong; I believe that the gist of Christ and his message have been as preserved through Scripture and Tradition as is possible. But it leads me to ponder...what HAS been lost in the translation?
Daily Mass Readings
Zephariah 2:3,3:12-13
Psalm 146:6-10
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Matthew 5:1-12a
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