Why it's okay to obsess over liturgy....
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I wrote what you find below a while ago (early last year), and recently had cause to post it as a comment at PrayTell.
    It's excerpted from a post about Quality in Catholic Music, which I wrote in response to one of JT's pieces at NLM (remember those days?).
    After posting it at PT, I thought some of you who hadn't seen it might be interested in what I had to say about this...


    I am sometimes deeply bothered by those who seem to obsess over music, liturgy, and ritual (even though I like them) because Jesus clearly was more concerned with things like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the dying, visiting the imprisoned, and caring for orphans than He was with things like proper ritualism.


    But, I think a certain amount of obsession, by those who are called to it, is actually quite worthwhile. It is in the public liturgy of the church that we come to understand the love of Christ which we are called to emulate. It is in the sacrifice of the Mass, dwelling in the sacrifice of Jesus, that we hear our calling to sacrifice ourselves. Recognizing Christ in the Eucharist, recognizing Christ in the assembled family of believers, gives us the eyes to recognize Christ in His “disturbing disguises” out in the world. We know how to clothe the naked because our God has clothed us in the garment of Baptism; we know how to feed the hungry because our God has fed us with His very body; we know how to comfort the dying because Our Lord has died in our midst; we know how to visit the imprisoned because God has visited us in the prison of our sin; we know how to care for orphans because our God has given us a spirit of adoption…


    So, yes- what we do in Mass is important, rightly to be called the “source and summit” of our Christian lives. And we must take care to bring our best to it, and teach our children to do the same.



    My original post is here.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    "And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on his head as he was at table. And the disciples seeing it had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? For this might have been sold for much and given to the poor. And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. For she in pouring this ointment on my body hath done it for my burial. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of her."
    Matthew 26:4-14

    The world is running after the poor, the naked, the hungry and the homeless. But it is in our power, and there are unfortunately few, to pour the ointment of self on the Body of Christ. He will not refuse those who do.

    God is sitting in the little box across the street, by himself. He made himself so to be with us always as He said. The God of the Universe is waiting for us to be obsessed with Him and rightly so. He deserves everything we have, are, do. In Him we live and move and have our being. Let's not leave Him alone as He is the One who is most hungry... for souls.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I get what you're getting at, and agree with you, but this particular way of expressing the truth of the Real Presence:
    God is sitting in the little box across the street, by himself.

    is quite troubling.

    Also, I would not say that "The world is running after the poor, the naked, the hungry and the homeless."
    In fact, the world largely ignores them. Nice people occasionally feel guilty and send money, but no..sadly... the world does not run after these people.

    We are, indeed, called to more than liturgy (remember sheeps and goats). And liturgy is about more than bustling around with important things to do (think about Mary and Martha).

    My point is that if "out there, with the people" is the proper place for Christians (and I believe that it is), then liturgy - good liturgy - is the most suitable training ground. What Jesus does for us at Mass, we are called to do for others outside of Mass. (Sacrifice ourselves, feed others, give complete obedience to the Father.... not be the source of compensatory atonement... I'm not trying to be all new-agey here).
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    it is... severely troubling...

    Do a google on charities for the homeless...or disaster relief... I used to work for CRS headquarters and also Medicaid/Medicare (welfare arm of US gov). Cant give the exact numbers, but they are astronomical.

    Then do a google on the total number of Catholics who visit Jesus in the tabernacle and for how many hours per month.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    I believe that Adam is trying to say (and, I think, he does it very well) that you are Both right. And, it isn't often that a champion of good works on behalf of the unfortunate is Also a champion of liturgy that is worthy of the Most High God. I say 'Deo gratias' - how refreshing!. As for the account of the woman with the precious ointment: yes, it is one of the most potent lessons in the New Testament for the appropriateness of wasting treasure on the worship of God. I have referred to it often when seeking a fitting offering for liturgy from those who hold the purse strings. --- By their liturgy shall ye know them.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Yes. I was originally agreeing with Adam. I must not have communicated well. Thanks MJO. It would be so much better if we all just went out for a drink together.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    It would be so much better if we all just went out for a drink together.

    No disagreement here.
  • Ralph BednarzRalph Bednarz
    Posts: 489
    Then their eyes were opened they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.
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