Why I feel Priests should just read the black and do the red

It's no secret that there is much division in the Church today, especially with regard to the Liturgy. I've written about this before, and I must re-emphasise on how sad I find this to be. The Liturgy is supposed to be the very thing that unites us as Christians, and we choose to fight over it because of our personal preferences. 

I've written before that the Norvus Ordo Liturgy is indeed rooted in the traditions of the faith. I've mentioned that the Mass today looks a lot more like the Early Church than many of us think it does. I've also made it clear that I'm not one of those Catholics who would advocate for the Tridentine Mass to be the only form of worship officially recognised by the Church. But if there's one thing I absolutely agree with the "traditionalists" on, it is the fact that there are more than a few members of the clergy who allow for the Norvus Ordo Liturgy to be celebrated in a manner which is not ideal. A manner which unfortunately lacks due reverence sometimes, and more often than not, takes the attention away from the Mystery of Christ. 

I'm not writing this musing to judge the hearts of any of our clergy, nor is this meant to be a critique of any of them. I more than understand that with the richness of our faith, some of our pastors simply don't have a forte in Church Liturgy. They are more well versed in the other areas of our faith, such as Morality, Dogmatic Theology, Church History, Cannon Law, and the list goes on. It is true that the Catholic Faith has all the answers to life, and we need our pastors and our laity to be well versed in the different areas of the faith. Our faith is not all about the liturgy. However, as much as it is understandable, I cannot help but wonder if intentions may or may not be misplaced here. 

The Mass is not something which we can make our own, as much as it is for us. It is not about us. It is always about the Mystery of Christ that is made present for us today. 

When we do not get this right, there is a very real danger of making the Liturgy to be a personal show. The Sanctuary can turn into a stage for a performance, where people come with the expectation to be entertained. The congregation can turn into an audience, rather than being active agents of participation in the Paschal Mystery. 

As much as I acknowledge the point that we need to meet people where they are, and as much as I accept that pastoral adaptations are allowed into the Liturgy, I do wonder if we are crossing the line between that and playing into the consumeristic mindset that the human race seems to possess in this day and age. I often wonder if we feel that what Mother Church gives to us isn't enough, such that we need to be overly-creative, and forget that the Sacrifice of Christ is taking place, and that Jesus Christ himself is being made present to us in his body, blood, soul and divinity. I wonder if we have allowed our Catholics to think that they are the reason for the celebration. 

The beauty of the Liturgy is found in it's timelessness and consistency. Presiders are not free to change, add to, or remove the essentials. As much as pastoral and cultural adaptations are allowed, and are in line with the rubrics, when we take this out of context, there is the risk of us forgetting that what is celebrated at the Liturgy is sacred. And when we do this, there is a very real danger of allowing our Catholics to become self-centred when it comes to their faith. It becomes about them and what they can get out of the faith, rather than about being part of the Body of Christ, something bigger than us and our egos. And it does not do justice to our Catholics, who are unable to encounter our God in the Paschal Mystery, because they're more caught up in the show that seems to be taking place. We often forget that the rules are not simply there for the sake of being there, but to bring us all into an encounter with the Mystery of Christ

When it comes to being a Christian, regardless of denomination, we need to remember that it is never about what we have done. It is about what our loving and triune God does for us. And one of the best things about being Catholic is that it is Jesus himself who sanctifies us through the Liturgy and the Sacraments. And he does so through his bride, the Church. As much as it is not simply about following the rubrics for the sake of it, we are in no position to think that we can be above the Liturgy if we truly wish to love God and one another.