The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely the saints the Church has produced and the art which has grown in her womb.
Better witness is borne to the Lord by the splendour of holiness and art which have arisen in the community of believers than by clever excuses which apologetics has come up with to justify the dark sides which, sadly, are so frequent in the Church's human history.
If the Church is to continue to transform and humanise the world, how can she dispense with beauty in her liturgies, that beauty which is so closely linked with love and with the radiance of the Resurrection?
No. Christians must not be too easily satisfied. They must make their Church into a place where beauty—and hence truth—is at home. Without this the world will become the first circle of hell.
Guess who said this...
4 comments:
Beautiful words -- Tell me! Who said it?!
Pope Benedict XVI.
:-O
Wow; has he actually seen a Novus Ordo "Mass"?
David, I suspect that this statement was made in connection with his support of the "reform of the reform" an agenda which includes the encouragement of liturgical celebrations which are rubrical and more in line with traditional norms.
Have you seen an Ordo Novus Mass on EWTN? It CAN be celebrated "decently and in order".
Conversely, as lamented by Alphonsus de Liguori so many years ago, the TLM can be celebrated sloppily and in haste.
His Holiness is of course correct in this instance. However, one cannot read remarks such as these and forget that personal holiness is costly. One cannot acquire "the pearl of great price" without sacrificing everything in, with, and through Christ.
May we all make this sacrifice on a daily basis for if we do, we ourselves shall become shining examples of the beauty that is holiness and in finding our own salvation we shall indeed extend our Lord's grace to all about us, Muslim or otherwise.
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