A Surprising Blessing

Given all the chatter and whine and errors being scraped up over weapons, it may be distinctly satisfactory for you to read something serious and solemn and impressive - and quite authentic - about how the Church actually considers such things and their use. Even more: this particular item will appear in a future installment of the Saga, so if you want to see it "in situ" so to speak, stay tuned.



From Pontificale Romanum:
De Benedictione Militis Novis
(For the Blessing of a New Knight - my rough translation)

V. Save your servant, O Lord.

R. My God, I will hope in you.

V. Be to these, O Lord, a tower of strength.

R. From the face of the enemy.

V. O Lord hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto you.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Bishop: Let us pray. Holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, who alone orders all things and disposes them rightly, by your wholesome disposition you permit the use of the sword in the human world to the curbing of malice and the support of justice, and you will the institution of the order of knights for the protection of the people: and you spoke through blessed John to whom in the desert the soldiers came that they may do violence to no one, and they may be content with their pay; by your clemency, we humbly beg, that as you enlarged the ability of your servant David to prevail over Goliath, and you made Judas Machabee to smite the people who would not invoke your name, so also grant to these your servants, whose now place their necks under the yoke of knighthood, power and boldness toward the defence of faith and justice, and give to them an increase of faith, hope, and charity, give your fear and in like manner love, humility, perseverance, obedience, and good patience, and in them dispose all things rightly, that they may harm no one unjustly, with these or other weapons; and that with them they may defend the just and the right: and as they by a minor step to new knighthood are advanced in honor, so putting off the old man by their actions, may put on the new man, that they may fear you and cultivate righteousness, avoid the consort of the wicked, and increase in their charity to their neighbor, obey their superiors in all things rightly, and in all things justly execute their duty. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

The very pattern of the cosmos, so to speak, is a pattern of crossed swords.

GKC May 31, 1913 CW29:502