Knowing of my great love and attention to all things liturgical,our Liturgy Team has graciously asked me to begin this series delving into the finer and even hidden parts of the liturgy!
Having recently buried our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was a hero to many of us young Priests, I feel honored to base these teaching meditations off of the outline of his greatly celebrated work, The Spirit of the Liturgy, published in the year 2000.
To begin simply, the word liturgy literally means “work of the people”. It is something we do together, to foster the mission of the Church – the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls! Thus, liturgy is all about us coming together to worship God as a community, united in Him! And this community is greatly needed – for Christianity is not an individual thing, but a communal one. We need each other in order to experience God and reach the great Kingdom of Heaven.
So let us ask ourselves – do I take seriously my role in participating with others in the liturgy? Do I invite others to join in our worship? Am I too focused on myself, or do I appreciate those around me?