Paranavai – Parana (Wednesday, 04/22/2015, Gaudium Press) Bishop Geremias Steinmetz, of Paranavai, state of Parana, states in his monthly article that after celebrating Lent, Holy Week and Easter, we enter the Easter season. He says that this liturgical time of the year is characterized by the joy of the resurrection of the Lord until the day of Pentecost.
The prelate recalls that in the period of so-called Liturgical Movement, which was the time that preceded and prepared the great liturgical reform, it was said very clearly that “the liturgy should be the source of spirituality of every Christian and the Church.” Therefore, he said, is that the Liturgy was theologically understood as a continuation of the history of salvation.
Another aspect mentioned by Bishop Steinmetz, quite significant, was to go back to an old principle of the pure Roman Liturgy, which is the root of the liturgy as we celebrate it in the Western Church. For the Bishop the liturgy should be: simple and precise, short, not verbose, little inclined to feelings. He also mentions that its disposition must be clear and lucid, with sacred and human grandeur, it must be spiritual and of great literary value.
“The Church understand that these characteristics lead to a perfect theological and anthropological exchange, meaning that God is perfectly glorified and man is sanctified. All these characteristics are very much present in the Lent and Easter liturgical celebrations…. the Church is the liturgy and the liturgy shapes the Church. However, he warns, we must be very careful in our celebrations, as often occurs that we put the man first. “I remember some Masses in which the group sings songs almost alone, without involving the community, with melodies that only they know and with songs that have nothing to do with the mystery being celebrated. It gives the impression of a Show Mass” says Bishop Steinmetz.
Finally, the Bishop of Paranavai points out that the Second Vatican Council defined the Church as “at the Service” (Gaudium et Spes) and “in dialogue” (Lumen Gentium). According to him, the Liturgy should be, along with the preaching the Word of God, the basis of evangelization, because by the means of the preaching and the liturgy we should form the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ for them to be faithful servants of God the Father. (FB)
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