Living the Liturgy

During the Western Conference for Liturgy recently held in Western Canada, Bishop Gerald Wiesner of Prince George Diocese said, "Good liturgy can strengthen the faith of the Church, express the relationship between God and His believers, and convey how Christians live through the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit."

He said, "In liturgy, the body languages of the participants, be that of the celebrant or the parishioners, all affect the liturgical proceedings."

Moreover, he used an example of a sports team to illustrate the importance of presence. He said,

"During competition, the team spirit of the players is stronger than ever. Likewise, when parishioners gather together to participate in liturgy, it is easier for them to perceive the Church as one big family."

I once said that the liturgy begins in the parking lot. I understand that many parishioners can become frustrated when parking spaces are all taken. In fact, there are many possible solutions, like changing the schedule for liturgy (I believe rushing the liturgy is not the best way), increasing the number of traffic directors, etc. I hope you can all come up with some suggestions.

Regardless, let us endeavour to live out the spirit of the liturgy in our daily lives: Christ is always living among us.