Reverence

I once watched a man stare with awe at an old car. This was not a stare of admiration; it was a stare of adoration. You read that right, he was so amazed by this car that he was afraid to touch it for fear of staining its "purity" (that was his word, not mine). Each one of us, in the depth our hearts, longs to be reverent towards something. But that desire for reverence is only fulfilled by something that is truly greater than us, and that means God.

This example says much to us. It shows us that there is something within our very nature that makes us appreciate greatness. Not a common greatness (like, "that was a great home-run") but a greatness that goes beyond the norm (like, "how did you lift that car and save those people who were trapped inside?").

The desire for traditional and reverent liturgy exists within every one of us as well. We all long to be reverent before the Lord, because He is the greatest of all, and nothing can compare with Him. We know this, but many Catholics today want to deny it. They deny in the name of being "up to date" or "comfortable" or even "merciful". Yet, seeking to be contemporary in the liturgy is like people who get a facelift because they always want to look like they are 18 years old: they have no respect for what has endured for centuries (otherwise called "mature").

The biggest problem for those who reject reverence in the Mass is that they still need to be reverent somewhere. They will each find something else in their lives to be reverent toward, but it will not be God. They will become reverent toward a sport or towards a hobby, but never toward the Lord Who created them. Let us test our hearts and minds and make sure that we are truly reverent toward the Lord, and that it is for the right reason.