Let Us Return to Prayer
Dom Alcuin Reid has a wonderful article on Pope Benedict XVI’s liturgical reforms. Here’s a taste:
There was much noise before and after his historic 2007 ruling that the older liturgical rites were henceforth to be available without restriction. Yet in the midst of the cacophony the Supreme Pontiff took the trouble to write at length to the world’s bishops and explain his act. “What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful,” he taught – a truth that is having an ongoing impact.
A collection of the Holy Father’s liturgical writings, homilies and other discourses shall surely appear. From them we can learn so much about liturgical prayer, the integral role of art, music, architecture and much more. He has also spoken of the “the misunderstandings and errors in the practical implementation of the reform” following the Council, underling the need to give this further attention.
Among his writings the 2007 apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis ranks highly. His conviction expressed therein, that “everything related to the Eucharist should be marked by beauty”, was reflected in papal liturgies. These became master classes on how to celebrate the modern liturgy in continuity with tradition, where the best of the old and of the new serve to raise our minds and hearts to God. Countless priests and seminarians have participated in this course in practical liturgy – bishops and cardinals also. Its fruits are increasingly experienced worldwide.
At the heart of his reform is Pope Benedict’s conviction that Catholic liturgy “is not about us, but about God”. …
The conclusion of Pope Benedict’s final public Mass was yet another lesson about the liturgy. Not unnaturally, there was sustained applause. But even on that occasion Pope Benedict the liturgist could not allow personal adulation to take priority. “Thank you,” he said. Then, with five words which may well serve as his liturgical testament, he brought it firmly to an end: “Let us return to prayer.”
