By Fr. David DD PART IV “‘…we must learn anew how to relate religiously as fully human beings.’ What needs to be done to facilitate our encounters with the risen Lord in the Liturgy? Pope Francis quotes an influential liturgical theologian, Romano Guardini, to offer this insight: “‘…we must learn anew how to relate religiously as fully human beings.’ This is what the Liturgy makes possible. For this we must be formed. Guardini does not hesitate to declare that without liturgical formation ‘then ritual and textual reforms won’t help much.’” So Francis suggests two aspects for consideration: formation for the Liturgy and formation by the Liturgy. The first depends upon the second which is essential” (#34). How can this be begun, if not fully achieved?

By Fr. David The essence of Liturgy, according to Pope Francis, is that it is grace—it is not “…the fruit of an individual interior searching for Him, but it is an event [the encounter with God] given” (#24). It is the Lord who seeks us, for us to encounter Him, to receive the Lord into our hearts and souls in the Eucharist, to become part of Christ-Church (= Mystical Body, Head & members). The goal is community (us) rooted in unity (Christ the Head). if this is what Liturgy is all about, I wonder why we don’t wonder?

By Fr David Tokarz When I left off last week, I mentioned Pope Francis’ comment about wanting to preserve and safeguard the “truth and power...the beauty” (#16) of the Liturgy. He has desires; he also has concerns. He is worried that liturgical celebrations can be (and, frankly, have been) co-opted “…in service of some ideological vision, no matter what hue” (#16). He will be explicit later on in the Letter, but in the meantime, I can observe that he is making a critique both of alt-right and far-left “styles” that privilege “politics” over prayer. We don’t need “spiritual worldliness,” as he puts it, thinking that it’s all on our efforts or all and only about me. Liturgy, Francis observes, is always about “we,” not “me,” and it’s all a response to a prior invitation, not my own initiative, as though I were somehow doing God a favor by coming to church (##17-20).