December 21, 2011 – Catechism 1200 – 1209

We see here that the Liturgy is suppose to integrate different forms and traditions of different cultures into itself in order to better evangelize to those different cultures. That being said, these differences are not suppose to change the foundational nature of the liturgy or go against the teachings of the Catholic Church. As we saw in the Road to Emmaus story, the liturgy of the Mass has had the same format from the beginning. Certain things about the Mass are not to be compromised, even though the outer shell may look different from culture to culture to better serve those communities.

In reading the book interview of the Pope, before he was Pope, in regards to Vatican II, this understanding was lost soon after the Council. There have been many changes that were not foreseen by the council and which have tried to change the actual underlying format of the Mass. Taking away the authenticity of the priest, changing postures or words of the prayers, taking away the traditional Latin or music, are all things that have been done that are not laid out in Vatican II but have been done under its guise. Just like changes from culture to culture, the changes that were purposed by Vatican II were went to aid it evangelizing to a broader group of people and to build the church. What has happened is a deteriorating of the Church because people took the changes too far. Just as these paragraphs warn against changes that are to the fundamental base of the Liturgy, so it should have been a warning to the Church after Vatican II. Damage has been done that, at this point, living among the destruction, seems irreparable. It sometimes seems like we are waking up to the destruction of our town in a tornado. Many questions arise about where to begin rebuilding, who will stay, what will it be like in the meantime. We have to realize that Christ said the Church would be here until the end, He didn’t say what it would look like or that it would always be flourishing. We wait to see what may arise out of the ashes, but that may not be something we actually see. That may be for our children and grandchildren. It may be on us to start rebuilding and to maintain our perseverance.

Another aspect that I thought about in comparison to the image of waking up in a town ruined by a tornado is what those outside the town see or how they act. Everyone knows about Joplin and the destruction and it was news for several days, but then it was gone and forgotten. You still here things said about it every once in a while, but not very often. During this time of turmoil, the Catholic Church has been made the spotlight of many controversies and attacked by the world at an enormous rate. Perhaps, after the destruction appears complete, which is hard to say whether we have seen the bottom, the world may forget about the Church and allow it to rebuild itself with little or no care, like we may not see Joplin rebuild. That Church may bloom into something even greater and stronger, but as I said, it is likely that we will not see it. It is only our job to start.