The Perfect Liturgy

[Image_of_God]

I just came up with a good idea, it somehow popped in my mind. But, I would like to ask for your opinions. If you could in your head imagine the perfect liturgy for the Church, in your opinion what would it be?

Just think about:
What would the music be like?
What would the Church look like?
What language would be spoken?
What would the priest be wearing?
What are the people like? (dress, behavior, etc.)
What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?
Where is the altar?
How do you feel?

I’m trying to get peoples’ ideas because I have been confused on what the liturgy should look like.

 

[martinporres]

What would the music be like?
Traditional and congregational. I enjoy polyphony etc., but I prefer to have the music in front of me. It shouldn’t be (or feel like) a performance.
What would the Church look like?
Circa early 20th century. Tabernacle on high altar in back. Altar set up for ad orientum when possible.
What language would be spoken?
Songs in Latin where possible (the stuff that people can learn), but mostly in the vernacular. And the NEW (pending) ICEL translation.
What would the priest be wearing?
Something dignified.
What are the people like? (dress, behavior, etc.)
Reverent.
What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?
Saints or scenes from the Bible.
Where is the altar?
In front!
How do you feel?
Nice. Thanks for this post, Image of God.

mp

 

[Image_of_God]

What would the music be like?
Traditional and congregational. I enjoy polyphony etc., but I prefer to have the music in front of me. It shouldn’t be (or feel like) a performance.
What would the Church look like?
Circa early 20th century. Tabernacle on high altar in back. Altar set up for ad orientum when possible.
What language would be spoken?
Songs in Latin where possible (the stuff that people can learn), but mostly in the vernacular. And the NEW (pending) ICEL translation.
What would the priest be wearing?
Something dignified.
What are the people like? (dress, behavior, etc.)
Reverent.
What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?
Saints or scenes from the Bible.
Where is the altar?
In front!

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut. I was hoping at least one person would reply soon.

How do you feel?
Nice. Thanks for this post, Image of God.

mp

Thanks! But I was asking how you felt during the Mass.

 

[ChemicalBean]

What would the music be like?
Always refects the readings and/or mass occasion. Not a world peace song “just because I like it”, not a Mary song “because that’s all we can sing.”
Always singable (within a decent range and intuitive for people not versed in music) and understandable (uses modern vernacular). The congregation is therefore expected to sing/pray along as part of their contribution to the liturgy.
Always rehearsed.
Always an integral part of the liturgy. It should “flow” in and out. Mass should not feel like a 4-layer song sandwich.

What would the Church look like?

Surprise me. I like many styles of churches. I would like it to be simple enough to help me focus on the liturgy (not distractingly ornate), dignified enough to look like a special place to pray (not dumpy)

What language would be spoken?

English if it is an English-speaking country. Duh.

What would the priest be wearing?

Vestments that look simple and dignified to match the space.

What are the people like?(dress, behavior, etc.)

Yes. (All are welcome.)

What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?

If stained-glass windows fit into the art/architecture/environment scheme, they can tell whatever scriptural stories they need to.

Where is the altar?

Smack dab in the center of the church. The celebration of the Eucharist should be the focal point of the space. People are seated around it. It should remind people of the Revelation image where the Lamb on the throne is encircled and all cry Holy, Holy, Holy.

(An adoration chapel is available nearby for reservation of the Eucharist and private prayer. It is soundproofed, comfortable, intimate.)

 

[Image_of_God]

What would the music be like?
Always refects the readings and/or mass occasion. Not a world peace song “just because I like it”, not a Mary song “because that’s all we can sing.”
Always singable (within a decent range and intuitive for people not versed in music) and understandable (uses modern vernacular). The congregation is therefore expected to sing/pray along as part of their contribution to the liturgy.
Always rehearsed.
Always an integral part of the liturgy. It should “flow” in and out. Mass should not feel like a 4-layer song sandwich.

What would the Church look like?

Surprise me. I like many styles of churches. I would like it to be simple enough to help me focus on the liturgy (not distractingly ornate), dignified enough to look like a special place to pray (not dumpy)

What language would be spoken?

English if it is an English-speaking country. Duh.

What would the priest be wearing?

Vestments that look simple and dignified to match the space.

What are the people like?(dress, behavior, etc.)

Yes. (All are welcome.)

What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?

If stained-glass windows fit into the art/architecture/environment scheme, they can tell whatever scriptural stories they need to.

Where is the altar?

Smack dab in the center of the church. The celebration of the Eucharist should be the focal point of the space. People are seated around it. It should remind people of the Revelation image where the Lamb on the throne is encircled and all cry Holy, Holy, Holy.

(An adoration chapel is available nearby for reservation of the Eucharist and private prayer. It is soundproofed, comfortable, intimate.)

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I could give a flip answer by saying the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, or St. James, but instead I’ll tell this story.

In the Theological Academy of Kiev sometimes around 100 years ago, they decided to celebrate a perfect Vespers, doing everything the Typicon (rubrics) called for, down to who stood where and chants used.

The research required took over a year.

 

[Image_of_God]

I could give a flip answer by saying the Divine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, or St. James, but instead I’ll tell this story.

In the Theological Academy of Kiev sometimes around 100 years ago, they decided to celebrate a perfect Vespers, doing everything the Typicon (rubrics) called for, down to who stood where and chants used.

The research required took over a year.

And hence we see such dedication, to make sure everything is right. This is part of what the liturgy is about, i guess.

Thank you.

 

[puzzleannie]

any Mass that is celebrated reverently according the rubrics is a beautiful perfect liturgy, my preferences about peripherals have not a whit to do with it.

 

[Ad_Deum]

What would the music be like?
Gregorian Chant or orchestral type.

What would the Church look like?
The church would look majestically and the altar would be “ad orientem”.
Traditional European and American Church architectures.

What language would be spoken?
Latin for Catholic Church

What would the priest be wearing?
Ornated or not but beautiful and fitting to worship God (e.g. Roman and Gothic vestments)

What are the people like? (dress, behavior, etc.)
Dresses modestly and with dignity.
Shows respect first of all to God and the Lord Jesus Christ, second to the priests and religious, and third to the congregation.

What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?
Symbols that shows God’s power and might.
Jesus Christ’s life and symbols
Saints and Angels.

Where is the altar?
Center of the sanctuary against the wall.
The altar faces east.

How do you feel?
The Traditional Roman Rite/Latin Mass for me is the perfect liturgy for the Western Church.

Great questions!
I hope you find what you are searching for.

Pax
Laudater Jesus Christo
Instaurare omnia in Christo

 

[Rabbititus]

What would the music be like?

Singable and memerable, but not saccharine, trite, or corny. Traditional styles tend to fit these better than more contemporary music. Old hymns shouldn’t be updated unless they are truly incomprehensible (so keep the thees and thys).

• What would the Church look like?*

My personal preferences is for Victorian Gothic, Romanesque or a Byzantine sort of style, but any style will do so long as there is a lot of devotional imagery and a striking sanctuary. Having statues, paintings, stained glass, and stations of the cross are important to me because I think the people in the back, as well as children, should have more to look at than the butt of the person sitting in front of them. When I was little we always sat in back and we attended a plain 1970’s church - I had nothing to look at since I couldn’t see the priest most of the time.

• What language would be spoken?*

Latin, or a mix of Latin and dignified English. Never English exclusively all the time.

• What would the priest be wearing?*

Something dignified that doesn’t look cheap.

• What are the people like? (dress, behavior, etc.)

*They are reverent and somewhat dressed up - they don’t have to be wearing suits and fancy dresses, but they should dress like they would if they were going to a nice restaurant. However, someone who wandered off the street or didn’t have time to change is welcome too.

• What are on the stain glass windows, if there are any?*

Pictures of the saints and scenes from the Bible or Rosary - never abstract and formless unless the rest of the church has imagery to make up for it.

• Where is the altar?*

Prefereably it is where the architecture of the building points to and emphasizes (the lines of the building should draw your eye to it). A traditional rectangular building should have the altar at one end, up against the wall, because that is where the lines of the building natually point to - an altar in the middle of the building would get lost. A round building could have a central altar providing the altar is substantial or has a canopy, so that its importance is obvious. The sanctuary should be clearly separate from the rest of the church with a railing or screen and by being a few steps off the floor. People shouldn’t be able to prance through it while trying to find their seats like I saw at the Cathedral in Milwaukee.

In a parish church the tabernacle should be on the altar or somewhere centrally located so that people can see it.

• How do you feel?*

Like I’m in God’s presense.