Psalm 131:7

the impression of place

We will go into his tabernacle: We will adore in the place where his feet stood. (Psalm 131:7 DR)

As embodied beings we are at all times affected by both time and space. The latter particularly impresses itself upon us as it tends to involve all our senses simultaneously: think of walking into your favorite restaurant and how the atmosphere, the smells, the lighting, the decor—all these serve to color and filter one’s perception of the place one is in.

We equally affect the places we inhabit and are affected by them, and there is often a certain justice to how we inhabit certain spaces. The ancient axiom attributed to St. Ambrose—Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more (when in Rome, do as the Romans do)—provides the rationale, for the purpose and use of a place elicits a fitting bodily response from us in dress, in behavior, etc., and a disjunction happens when these are not aligned. This is why in a sane and healthy society we dress up for Mass and observe silence decorum at cemeteries. We are not simply minds that inhabit bodies, but the way in which we inhabit places matters.

The manner in which we act in our homes may be one way, as we will generally be fairly casual in how we inhabit and use our own property. But it would be wholly inappropriate to go into a stranger’s house—or even a good friend—and behave similarly. For even they colloquially say to “make yourself at home,” it is understood by all that it is their not and not yours, and thus it would be wrong to start looking through their private things because you have “made yourself at home.” Their space imposes obligations upon us and there is a certain justified expectation of conformity within reason to how they conduct their household while you inhabit it.

This happens on the macro level as well. A nation may certainly choose to welcome strangers into its borders, but to do so imposes on those being received the moral obligation to “do as the Romans do” as far as possible. This would entail following its laws, learning its language and customs, and contributing as much as possible to the common good. When one enters someone else’s house or someone else’s nation as a guest, the moral onus is on the guest to respect the host and his hospitality and thus to conform himself as much as possible to the place he now inhabits, which forms the difference between a guest and an invader.

In this passage the Psalmist speaks as the Ark is prepared to be brought into the temple, the culmination and fulfillment of the vow David made to the Lord. The construction of the temple had taken around seven years and was furnished with numerous items as detailed in 2 Chronicles 4, including so many things of bronze that it could not be calculated. Solomon had everything done exactingly as the Ark was brought into the temple, along with countless sacrifices along the way. All the festivities and rituals culminate in the singers proclaiming:

Give glory to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. (2 Chronicles 5:13 DR)

Immediately following this the glory of God filled the temple in the form of a cloud that was so thick or so luminous that the priests couldn’t perform their duties. In everything the focus was on the worship of God, because that was the entire purpose of building the temple. Thus, everything from the vestments of the priests to the materials of the furnishings to the words that were spoken and the sacrifices offered were not incidental but ordered and directed to the end of the temple. The “place” impressed this upon them, and the only response was to conduct oneself in a fitting manner. The very act of coming into the temple betokens the intent to worship the Lord; to come into His house means, after a fashion, to “do as the Romans do:”

They who enter to dwell therein, are the very same who enter that they may be dwelt in. You enter into your house, that you may dwell therein; into the house of God, that you may be dwelt in. (St. Augustine, Exposition on the Psalms, 131, 6.)

In this manner of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is about uniting ourselves with the One sacrifice offered in every Mass by the High Priest our Lord Jesus Christ to the Eternal Father. We do not go to only receive from God, although we certainly do receive fruits of the sacrifice of the Mass according to our disposition. Rather, we give of ourselves first that we then may receive, offering our own lives as a living sacrifice (cf. Romans 12:1-2) in unity with that of our Lord. We enter into the Church that we may dwell in the Mystical Body of Christ; that we might be conformed and refashioned in the image of Christ, rather than trying to impress our image upon His Body.

St. Augustine notes the prodigal son who wished to be master of his father’s estate but ended up in squalor and ruin. Instead of conforming himself to his family and the duties owed it, he attempted to impress his will upon it which only led to misery, until hie came to his senses and returned in humility. Likewise we must come into the “space” of the Church so that we empty ourselves—following the example of our Lord (cf. Philippians 2:6-7)—so that He may fill us:

Enter therefore, that you may be dwelt in; and may be not your own, so to speak, but His: “We will go into His tabernacles. We will worship on the spot where His feet stood.” Whose feet? The Lord's, or those of the house of the Lord itself? For that is the Lord's house, wherein he says He ought to be worshipped. Beside His house, the Lord hears not unto eternal life; for he belongs to God's house, who has in charity been built in with living stones. (St. Augustine, Exposition on the Psalms, 131, 6.)

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In this animation I—for some reason—had the idea of a reflection, and so when I saw this image I knew it would make a good base to work from.

In After Effects I began by precomping the image and then duplicating it. On the duplicate I drew a matte around the shoes and water’s edge, trying to be as precise as possible. I then applied CC Ripple to that precomp and matted it to the Matte layer so the effect was confined to those boundaries. I kept the ripple pretty subtle, but probably could have cranked up the effect a bit. Oh well.

I added in some noise and color correction as well as some textures that have a slight wiggle hold on them. I also added in a slightly moving camera for effect.

Enjoy.

View a higher quality version of this gif here: