”Liturgical formulas…are not to be grasped straightway without any further mental exertion on the listener's part.” I’m going to stretch this line a bit, but I think this can be the basic response to the common criticism of "I'm bored at Mass" or "I don't get anything out of Mass." The one that I most appreciate is “The Spirit of the Liturgy.”. That is not a pious statement. After making the effort, I found the book rich and rewarding, providing me with so much food for thought. Out of Print/Discontinued $ Add to Wishlist . I. The Spirit of the Liturgy (German: Der Geist der Liturgie) is a 2000 book written by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) before his ascension to the papacy.Ratzinger called for the return to the historical practice of the liturgical orientation towards the east - the ad orientem Mass, where this is not possible, he calls for the placement of the Crucifix in the center of the altar. And I’m a traditionalist when it comes to sacred music; the older the better. The author was a favorite of Pope Benedict XVI. Guardini was not just an academic, however. Born in Italy in 1885, he moved to Germany while still a baby and was educated in German schools. I came as a Christian, one who already believed, but I came to Catholicism not as a rejection of my Baptist upbringing, but as a means of fulfilling it, broadening it. His first book, it became quite popular, especially in the United States when it was published in an English translation in 1930. And so what I learn about Her liturgy can bring our domestic church more closely united to the Church. There can be reading and studying of matters on the liturgy, such as this book by Guardini. News, analysis & spirituality by email, twice-weekly from CatholicCulture.org. articles There are various ways we can do this, individually, or together in our domestic church. Indeed, as Guardini explains, “The liturgy does not say ‘I,’ but ‘We.’ … The liturgy is not celebrated by the individual, but by the body of the faithful. This page was last edited on 15 March 2020, at 20:27. Of course, I’m like many people who have made the Mass a habit. This Lent I joined Leila Lawler in reading of The Spirit of the Liturgy by Romano Guardini. In one particularly relevant passage, he states, “The care-worn man who seeks nothing at Mass but the fulfillment of the service which he owes to his God; the busy woman, who comes to be a little lightened of her burden; the many people who, barren of feeling and perceiving nothing of the beauty and splendor of word and sound which surrounds them, but merely seek strength for their daily toil—all these penetrate far more deeply into the essence of the liturgy than does the connoisseur who is busy savoring the contrast between the austere beauty of a Preface and the melodiousness of a Gradual.”, Many converts come to the Catholic faith because they are drawn to the formality and careful design of the Mass; they are indeed attracted by “smells and bells.” How could they not be? By Jennifer Gregory Miller ( Today's first post will only cover the Preface. The Spirit of the Liturgy Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2000, 224 pp. We are all called to deepen our understanding thereby enriching our participation in the Liturgy, whether we be laity or otherwise. As a wife and mother I try to make the effort to understand the "why" behind the liturgy of the Church, and how it applies to me and my family. All comments are moderated. We can listen to or read liturgical commentary, and follow along the Liturgical Year with the whole Church. bio - We don’t need spontaneity. Failing to recognize that fact means a decline of dogma, tradition and true communion with our fellows. $19.95 $16.96 (Online IP Book Discount) Paperback. The product is currently out of stock, current quantity is 0. Leila has just announced the beginning of the new study. And then there is the actual praying with and meditating on the actual liturgy. It will take a resolution of applying mental exertion for enhancing our appreciation of the Liturgy -- but the riches are infinite. Simultaneously, it reaches beyond the bounds of time, to this extent, that the body which is praying upon earth knows itself to be at one with those for whom time no longer exists, who, being perfected, exist in Eternity.”. At times the liturgy is brought home and prayed, such as the Divine Office. It is true. I won’t even attempt a summary because Pope Benedict XVI has a perfect one in his Preface of his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy: I admit that at times it was difficult reading, not necessarily for the content matter but trying to enter into the book during my swirling family life. Without further ado, I present to you The Spirit of the Liturgy: Preface. Yet to focus primarily upon how the Mass makes us feel, to place our emotional response before our spiritual sustenance, is to make the Mass a theatrical work and not a profound expression of salvation. Liturgy requires work to get at the heart of the matter. Copyright © 2020 Archdiocese of Atlanta. Two recent books—Scott Hahn’s “The Lamb’s Supper” and Cardinal Donald Wuerl’s “The Mass”—are excellent examples of accessible and insightful texts that illuminate the marvelous essence of the Eucharist, but neither they, nor the multitude of contemporary books on Catholic worship, quite capture the joy of the Mass that is explained in Romano Guardini’s classic book, “The Spirit of the Liturgy.”, I encountered Guardini, as I have discovered so many treasures from the Catholic intellectual and aesthetic tradition, in my reading of Flannery O’Connor’s letters. was written in 1918, originally in German, by Father Romano Guardini (1885-1968). But that isn’t a weakness of the Liturgy, but rather the worshipper. R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. "Why are these stilted and complicated words and phrasing used?" “The Altar and the Direction of Liturgical Prayer: Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and has been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. The majority of our family's faith life reflects or corresponds to the Liturgical Year. The language might seem more formal and require more “mental exertion” to understand, but the Liturgy requires specific language for expression. The seven chapters describe the liturgy as prayer and fellowship, while also discussing the style and symbolism inherent in the Mass. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1910, became a German citizen the following year and earned a Ph.D. in theology in 1915. I'll keep my observations to two points that directly relate to life in the domestic church and the Liturgical Year in two parts. O’Connor was a great fan of Guardini’s book “The Lord,” and my experience of that book led me to other works by Guardini. This profound statement is an encapsulation of Guardini’s style and purpose. There are many remote and proximate preparations for the Liturgy for the entire family, all of us applying "mental exertion" to grasp the liturgical formulas. Next: Part Two, discussing the balance of Liturgy and Popular Piety. In affirming repeatedly that “The Catholic liturgy is the supreme example of an objectively established rule of spiritual life (that has) developed in every direction, and in accordance with all places, times, and types of human culture,” Guardini also asserts that this liturgy incorporates the best of human nature, the truth of Scripture, and the working of the Holy Spirit. What is this book about? Even after 20+ years of contemplation on the mysteries of the Mass that are revealed in the missal, I still learn something new about the faith on almost a regular basis. The Mass recounts worship from the beginning and adds Christ to perfect it. I've been involved in several conversations where a person was complaining about the updated Roman Missal translation from 2011. I will write a summary in black and I will make my extra comments in red. Guardini’s book appeared at a time when the Church was struggling with a number of external forces, including the spread of both secular modernism and an increasingly fragmented Protestantism. Page references for Guardini in this paper refer to a reprint edition combining two of Guardini’s books: The Church and the Catholic and The Spirit of the Liturgy, trans. With Guardini’s direction, reading about the Liturgy (including this book) is part of my personal work to entering more deeply into the Liturgy. Free eBook: Essays in Apologetics, Vol. Taking his quote a little further, I do think "mental exertion" is part of this "active participation" so often discussed since the beginning of the Liturgical Movement. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. He was very good with people—particularly young people—and he excelled as a preacher. John Saward, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2000). We can pre-read the Mass readings and propers. I'm looking forward to reading together the next book of the same title by Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Josef Ratzinger. Sometimes I forget to make the correct new responses; it is difficult, for example, not to respond, “it is right to give him thanks and praise” when one has been saying it for 20 years! The Liturgy is the universal prayer of the Church. We can't just be passive attendees and expect everything to leap off the pages of the missal and hit home in our hearts or make us “feel good.” I think Guardini implies that “mental exertion” is required for all of us, no matter what our state in life, which means even this wife and mother can benefit reading deeper on the liturgy. Jennifer Gregory Miller is an experienced homemaker, mother, CGS catechist and authority on living the liturgical year. In Chapter 3, "The Style of the Liturgy,” Guardini speaks of this very need. Ratzinger called for the return to the historical practice of the liturgical orientation towards the east - the ad orientem Mass, where this is not possible, he calls for the placement of the Crucifix in the center of the altar. I bristle, therefore, when I hear people say things like “I don’t get anything out of the Mass; it’s all the same.” I cringe when the responses at Mass are muffled and muddled, if they are even audible at all. ) | Apr 17, 2016 Though much has changed in the world, and in the Catholic Church, since Guardini’s death in 1968, “The Spirit of the Liturgy” still has relevance for the contemporary reader, primarily because Guardini’s book was a crucial contribution to an organic and ongoing dialogue. 2401 Lake Park Drive SE • Smyrna, GA 30080 • 404-920-7430 | editor@georgiabulletin.org • webmaster@archatl.com.

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