Before the mystery of God
There is still a lot to do in order to realize a “real liturgical renewal”
desired by the Council Fathers, especially regarding the full engagement of
every Christian in the Eucharistic celebration. Benedict XVI recognized this in
his Video Message to the participants to the 50th International Eucharistic
Congress in
Dublin,
broadcast at the end of the concluding Statio orbis, at which Cardinal Marc
Ouellet presided on Sunday, 17 June at Croke Park in the Irish capital.
The Pope stated that in the light of the universal Church's experience following Vatican II, “it is clear that a great deal has been achieved” and it is not a secret that “there have been many misunderstandings and irregularities”. The invitation to the renewal of external forms was “intended to make it easier to enter into the inner depth of the mystery” in order “to lead people to a personal encounter with the Lord”, however that invitation was not well understood. Instead in some cases, “the revision of liturgical forms has remained at an external level, and 'active participation' has been confused with external activity”.
It then becomes necessary to complete the liturgical renewal in order to help the faithful “to recognize anew the mysterious presence of the Risen Lord, which alone can give breadth and depth to our life”. The Eucharist, Benedict XVI underlined, must be an occasion to rediscover Jesus, who is sustenance for our faith. Those priests and consecrated persons, who committed appalling sins abusing “people entrusted to their care” and undermining the “credibility of the Church’s message, were lacking that sustenance.
The Pontiff concluded his Message by asking the Lord to “touch us deeply” in order to aid us in becoming “true witnesses to his love” and “his truth”. That hope was also called for in the Angelus, recited that same morning in St Peter's Square. It is no coincidence that Benedict XVI recalled that God works wonders through our weakness. Turning to the parables from Sunday's readings, the Holy Father emphasized the strength of the mustard seed, expressed through its own weakness, and how its power is released during its growth.
