"From the Office of Bishop Raymond J Lahey, Diocese of Antigonish, NS"

To Worship in Spirit and in Truth

It is notable that Bishop Power, always a father of the Second Vatican Council, was buried on the fortieth anniversary (Dec 03, 2004), almost to the day, that its first documents were released to the world. Indeed, on December 4, 1964, appeared perhaps most remarkable of them all, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, sometimes called by its Latin title, Sacrosanctum Concilium.

Those who remember these years know the tremendous impact this document had on the life of the Church; those who are younger, whether they recognize it or not, have had their Christian lives shaped by it. For that decree had spectacular impact in doing what it set out to do - to revitalize the worship of the Church. When it was properly understood and implemented, the renewal of the liturgy was marvelous. When it was used unwisely, it often caused real pain. After all, how many people can easily move from singing “Panis Angelicus” one day to “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” the next?

With time, the document itself became more remote, and discussions about the worship of the Church seemed less focused on the liturgy – the solemn worship of our God in spirit and in truth – and more on details of practice, that when isolated from their foundation are simply rubrics. Clearly rubrics can be important, but only when they serve the nobler goals that the worship of God demands and that the Council document put forward so eloquently. The anniversary calls us to return to that vision.

The first guiding principle of the Council document is that the liturgy is never truly our work, but that of Christ. That is why in the liturgy we can give God worship that is truly fitting, and that is why the liturgy has such great spiritual power. Our worship is always “through him … with him … and in him,” as Christ’s Body. Thus the liturgy is never the same as our personal prayers and devotions, which as good as they are, come from our own hearts. Thus, too, in the liturgy we are always called to pray and worship not in different ways, but as one, for we are the one Body of the one Lord.

The other side of this same principle is the presence of Christ in the liturgical action. Catholics have always had a wonderful reverence for Christ's presence in the sacrament of the altar. The Council reminded us that Christ is present also in other ways. Christ is present in the assembly, for where two or three gather in his name "I am there among them". Christ is present in the minister who represents him: in the priest who presides at the Eucharist, but even in another person who on occasion presides at one of the sacraments in Christ’s name. Christ is present in his word, for it is he who speaks to us when the scriptures are proclaimed. And of course Christ is present especially in the sacrament and sacrifice of his body and blood. Although we usually call only the last the "real presence," Paul VI wrote that all these ways of Christ’s presence are truly "real," the Eucharist being that "par excellence".

The second great principle the document laid down, calling it “the aim to be considered before all else,” was “that fully conscious, and active participation” of the faithful in liturgical celebrations. This is demanded by the nature of the liturgy itself; it is the worship of God by the people of God, worship that must engage the human heart and mind and spirit. Moreover, liturgical participation is the right and duty of the faithful by virtue of their baptism. Thus the document elsewhere set forth the norm, often repeated by John Paul II, that the liturgy should be inculturated, that the Church did not wish to impose rigid uniformity in liturgical matters, but wanted “to respect and foster the genius and talents of the various races and peoples.” Obviously, on this basis also the Council document, and documents that followed it, allowed and encouraged the liturgy to be celebrated in the vernacular, for otherwise there could never be the “fully conscious and active participation” that the liturgy requires.

As we celebrate this great gift the Council fathers left us, it is important that we appreciate these two great principles and their implications, for only from them will good practice follow. They alone will allow our liturgy to be “worship in spirit and in truth”.