50th Anniversary of "Sacrosanctum Concilium," Part III

SACRAMENTALITY.  Pope John Paul II died on April 2, 2005.  For four days thousands, tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands of the faithful came to pay their respects at his body.  The crowds waiting hours and hours in line held signs saying, "Santo Subito!"  [Make him a saint now!]

I got up at 3:30 in the morning to watch the live television broadcast of his funeral Mass.  I am not ashamed to say the liturgy brought tears to my eyes.  I thought, "Yes, we have witnessed a saint in our midst."  Next spring, Pope Francis will canonize St. John Paul II.

Old-timers will remember question #136 of the Baltimore Catechism:  "What is a sacrament?  A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace."  Pope Paul VI a hundred years later gave a contemporary version of this, saying a sacrament is "a reality imbued with the hidden presence of God."  In the seven sacraments, and indeed in just about all of created reality, we "see" the divine in the human, the infinite  in the finite, the spiritual in the material.  In the Catholic Church's vision, all reality is (or has the potential to be) sacred.

In certain individuals, we see holiness such that we call these persons saints.  In the signs of the sacraments, we know that Jesus Christ is really, truly present to us.  In all the workings of the church, and especially when it gathers for Sunday Mass, we encounter God--Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

In the sacraments, grace (God's invisible life) is made apparent to us through human signs (such as oil, water, bread and wine, light, gestures, even the love of husband and wife).  The Sacred Liturgy Constitution called for these signs to "speak" to us, the baptized believers, with profound and unfathomable insight into the love of God poured out on us.

THE DISMISSAL TO "GO IN PEACE."  A priest was giving a tour of a newly built shelter for homeless persons to reporters.  One reporter asked, "Are the homeless you help Catholic?"  The priest replied, "We don't do these works of charity because they are Catholic.  We do them because we are Catholic.  We serve all people in need."  

We use the word "church" with several meanings.  It is the physical building where we regularly worship; it is the worldwide communion of believers in Jesus Christ; and it is the faithful souls who gather around the altar with their priest at Mass.  At the end of Mass the priest (or deacon) sends us the church outside the church into the world.   We do not live in the church (building).  We live in our homes, in our own communities.  We are to bring the love of God, the teachings of Christ, and the joys and passion of the Spirit to wherever we reside, work and play.

Further, there is an ancient connection between the liturgy and the call to bring forth justice.  The prophet Amos cried out, "Let justice flow like water."  Jesus railed against hypocrites who knew how to pray in the temple but left widows and orphans without help.  St. James tells us, "Be doers of the word and not hearers only."  Genuine worship is fruitful.  Genuine prayer consists of praise of God in the church, and the church leaving the church building to do the works of justice and peace, to bring freedom to those enslaved, to proffer forgiveness to enemies and care for the poor.  We are sent forth to be Christ's Body in action in the world.