Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items

There is nothing new about church leaders arguing over worship, including whether the rites have become too casual or superficial. Take St. John Chrysostom, for example, who complained about the irreverence he saw in the churches of Constantinople. Back in the old days, he said, people knew what it meant to solemnly observe the holy mysteries. Alas, some believers seemed to be going through the motions -- in the fourth century. The archbishop urged his flock: "When I say, 'Peace be unto you,' and you say, 'And with your spirit,' say it not with the voice only, but also with the mind; not in mouth only, but in understanding also." With the start of Advent, we also saw the implementation of the revised liturgy in the Catholic Church. It was different and it did require us to be more attentive. There were nervous moments and some folks were smiling when they muffed a response. Everyone was glued to their tri-fold guide. It will be a while before we become completely comfortable with the new Mass. Once we become comfortable with the new responses, then we will begin to focus on what the priest is saying. There are a number of changes for the celebrant and during the consecration it was very obvious. The use of the word chalice instead of cup was most noticeable. Again, time will allow us to more fully explore the changes. As a lifelong Catholic, I have always marveled at the drama of the Mass. It evolves in our conscientiousness the older we become. The nuances are revealed as we mature. It is in celebrating the Lord's Supper for years that we come to appreciate the beauty. It will come again. This is an exercise that will ultimately make us better. The changes encourage us to dig deeper in our faith development. And so I say to you, "Peace be with you and with your spirit."