18 November 2013

Has the Liturgy become subjective?

I hear often times in various circles that it doesn't matter how Mass is celebrated, all that matters is that Jesus is there. Stop worrying about the music, the rubrics, etc. And while I sympathize with much of this...it just can't be done. The commandments and the virtues do not allow us to be so indifferent towards things.

Justice as defined in the catechism is as follows: 1807 Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Justice toward God is called the "virtue of religion." Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good. the just man, often mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, is distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor. "You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor."68 "Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven."69

That is to say that it is Justice to give back to God what we ought to. It is not necessarily that God per se, needs our gratitude, God is God, but it is proper for us to give back to Him who gave us life right worship, correctly and by the rubrics established by Holy Mother Church. 

The virtue of justice commands us to follow the rubrics of Holy Mother Church...everyone, the Pope included is not exempt from this. The virtue of justice means that we give to God the best e have, nothing banal, anthrocentric, devoid of beauty. It is justice that requires of us that we give to God the most solemn worship possible. 

In the Christian East there is no such thing as "low Mass"...everything is sung. This the normative for the Roman Liturgy as well, the sung solemn Mass is the norm for the Roman Church, anything less is an exception to the norm and not the norm established by the Church. 

One might say, but what if Father has a horrible voice ala Justin Bieber? Well, as my mom used to say, God gave us a voice, we ought to use it. (She always complained that I never sung in church....of course with Haugen-Haas greatest hits, can you blame me for not singing? ;)...even though I was no perfect Catholic as a child, I knew horrible music when I heard it :p)...(of course now I'm always singing at church (see what happens when there's good music, I sing ;))...God cares that we try to give justice to Him...

The willful ignoring of the rubrics of Holy Mother Church leads to an elevation of the dictatorship of relativism which goes on in our culture. Our love for God should command us to justice to serve the rubrics of Holy Mother Church and not disobey them at arms command. 

One could very well argue with our Liturgically indifferent Pope at present that this is a contribution to the losing of the culture war. We can't transform the world if we don't have our relationship/worship with God correct. This isn't to say that from the Mass should flow certain things (Mass is meritorious in of itself regardless of the persons cooperation (or lack there of) with graces received)...but if we veil Jesus Christ at the Liturgy, how in the world do we bring Christ into the world? We don't, or we bring in a distorted version of Christ that is at the service of us, rather than us at the service of Him. 

For example, that Christ supports gov't program x, or that Christ would support so called gay marriage, is this the Christ that we're supposed to bring into the universe? I don't think so. 

Our understanding of Jesus primarily comes from the Liturgy, it is where He comes in His love for us Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist, it is He who we need to bring out to transform the world, but this can't be done at the expense of our Liturgy. 

Religion also follows under this justice. Religion, listening to our leaders (when they preach the orthodox Faith) comes under the virtue of justice. It is difficult, especially since the dis-enlightenment which wanted to define man as the centre of the world. This is especially true in American society which has its moments of independent mindset...We become selfish and we in a way become like the rich fool in the parable of the foolish rich man where we get concerned about ourselves and not about the 2 great commandments to Love God and to love neighbor. 

The Church and her Liturgy is not a subjective thing where our own opinions matter....no, no, we are but humble servants to the Liturgy and we follow her rubrics out of Love for our God, period. The rubrics emancipate us as to focus on Christ himself.

Pax Vobis



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