To the contrary, it is out of extreme love for Christ that many wish to uphold – without negotiation – the rules and norms of the Church. The Church was established by Christ, after all, given the power to bind and loosen through his authority. And as Ephesians tells us that Christ and his mystical body, the Church, are one, obedience to the Church is obedience to Christ. Sacrosanctum Concilium reaffirms this with these words: “Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop … Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority” (22-1, 3).
Speaking personally, I do not get worked up if the individual next to me fails to bow during the creed or to respond during the responsorial psalm. Whether his actions are out of ignorance or defiance, they are of little consequence in my participation in the liturgy. However, when violation of the general instructions or the rubrics for the Mass happen on an official level, such as by the celebrant, this is a different matter altogether. The faithful, as members of the body of Christ, have a right to be able to worship him in a manner that has been determined reverent and licit by the heads of our Church.
If I am asked to receive the sacred blood of Christ from a glass chalice rather than precious metals, how can I not be as offended as would be a bride if someone dressed her groom in rags for the wedding day? If the Mass is interrupted by unprescribed additions, such as liturgical dance, no matter how well-intentioned, how can I help but be as annoyed as if a guest stood to offer a well-intentioned toast during my wedding vows?
As much as your homily asked for us to focus on participation in the Mass, rather than worrying so much about the rules, I am sure that you would find it hard to keep silent if the priest decided to deliver the Eucharistic prayer in a rap, complete with beat-boxing from the altar boys. Is it not just a matter of degrees that we, the folks in the pews, should demand reverence at whatever level disrupts our worship?
As police officers will attest, if one only worries about the really serious crimes in a neighborhood, ignoring the windows that are broken by young boys with rocks, that unchecked minor mischief eventually grows into the “serious” problems that fill so many of our prisons. Likewise, while we will hopefully never see the days of beat-boxing altar boys, grave liturgical abuses are rampant in many parts of the world as those in charge of parishes recreate the sin of Adam and Eve by deciding for themselves what is right and wrong in worship. By keeping the love of Christ first and foremost in our hearts, we should insist on a strict observance of the rules of the Church because those rules exist to preserve the dignity Christ deserves in worship.
Understand that the intent of my letter is not to address any particular liturgical abnormality at XXXX or any other church. It is also definitely not to suggest anything unorthodox in what you have offered to the Church – I have great respect for all that you do for our Catholic community. Rather, I to ask for clarification following your homily, which seemed to neglect the fact that, out of love for our bridegroom, we actually have the responsibility to speak up when such a violation of the rules does occur.
