John, a thoughtful, thought-provoking essay. To me, what ties you entire message together is where you write: “The Mass is not a TED talk with candles; it is embodied participation: standing, kneeling, bowing, processing, singing, eating, drinking, and being sent forth.”
Understanding the truth of the Mass, seeing it not as a repetitive ritual, but as the Supper of the Lamb, and grasping the profound message of the liturgy of the Mass, from the Readings to the individual prayers, which change day to day, and week to week is what transforms both men and women. I have been thinking about this because of Pope Leo’s recent commentary on the Vatican II document Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), which he delivered in three audiences (May 20, May 27, June 3). Pope Leo XVI wrote:
It is true that the action of the Church is not limited to the liturgy alone; however, all her activity (preaching, service to the poor, the accompaniment of human realities) converges towards this “summit”. Conversely, the liturgy sustains the faithful by immersing them ever and anew in the Pasch of the Lord and, thus, through the proclamation of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments and communal prayer, they are refreshed, encouraged and renewed in their commitment to faith and in their mission. In other words, the participation of the faithful in the liturgical action is at once “internal” and “external”.
Encouraging boys and men to not only attend at least Sunday Mass if not more often, but to meditate on the Readings and Prayers of each Mass they attend, can go a long way toward addresses the issues you so rightly raise.
Reading this reminded me of what Mister Rogers said. His goal was to show people at a young age that feelings are human; that anything human is mentionable; that anything mentionable is manageable. He believed that success in this would do a great good for mental health.
You’ve made some points that I myself need to know, to learn, to internalize. Thank you, and God bless you.
John, a thoughtful, thought-provoking essay. To me, what ties you entire message together is where you write: “The Mass is not a TED talk with candles; it is embodied participation: standing, kneeling, bowing, processing, singing, eating, drinking, and being sent forth.”
Understanding the truth of the Mass, seeing it not as a repetitive ritual, but as the Supper of the Lamb, and grasping the profound message of the liturgy of the Mass, from the Readings to the individual prayers, which change day to day, and week to week is what transforms both men and women. I have been thinking about this because of Pope Leo’s recent commentary on the Vatican II document Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), which he delivered in three audiences (May 20, May 27, June 3). Pope Leo XVI wrote:
It is true that the action of the Church is not limited to the liturgy alone; however, all her activity (preaching, service to the poor, the accompaniment of human realities) converges towards this “summit”. Conversely, the liturgy sustains the faithful by immersing them ever and anew in the Pasch of the Lord and, thus, through the proclamation of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments and communal prayer, they are refreshed, encouraged and renewed in their commitment to faith and in their mission. In other words, the participation of the faithful in the liturgical action is at once “internal” and “external”.
Encouraging boys and men to not only attend at least Sunday Mass if not more often, but to meditate on the Readings and Prayers of each Mass they attend, can go a long way toward addresses the issues you so rightly raise.
Reading this reminded me of what Mister Rogers said. His goal was to show people at a young age that feelings are human; that anything human is mentionable; that anything mentionable is manageable. He believed that success in this would do a great good for mental health.
You’ve made some points that I myself need to know, to learn, to internalize. Thank you, and God bless you.
Wow, that's beautiful and wise! And the image at the top is gorgeous.