His Excellency, Archbishop Charles Chaput, gave a lecture at the Liturgical Institute at Mundelein Seminary on the liturgical renewal that is being undergone throughout the Church. His talk could not have come a better time and, I would say, his talk can occur over and over again, until it becomes an echo in the hearts of the faithful. The current battle in the episcopal circles within the United States and, perhaps to a lesser degree, is, in fact, surrounding the Sacred Liturgy -- particularly, in the area of translation. Sadly, these squabbles direct the real need in the Church for a greater understanding as to the real intention of the Second Vatican Council in its document, Sacrosanctum Concilium, and the succeeding documents of the Church.
The Sacred Liturgy is, in essence, a dialogue within the GodHead -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through God's grace, we are able to participate and share in that dialogue, by virtue of our baptismal consecration. The signs, actions, gestures used at the Liturgy are designed and offered as a means to participate more fully -- bodily, intellectually, spiritually in that dialogue: to take up our proper roles and parts in the spirit of Faith and devotion. There is a reason why the Church calls the celebration of the Eucharist (the culmination and source of all Liturgical celebrations) the 'source and summit' of the Christian Life. The very lifeblood the Her Apostolic Mission in the world is centered around the Liturgy. As Archbishop Chaput candidly and poignantly said, "The reason we evangelize" is to bring people closer to God, in communion with Him in the "Eucharist".
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