Dear Friends in Christ,
The writings of Msgr. Romano Guardini have become an important and edifying part of our spiritual formation as Sisters. “Meditations before Mass,” published by Sophia Press, is a collection of 32 consecutive short talks that were presented by Msgr. Guardini prior to his Masses in order to instruct and inspire his flock in regard to the meaning and depth of the Divine Liturgy. These simple talks were deemed so helpful that they were subsequently published.
Yesterday I read about composure, about putting our whole heart, mind, soul and strength into a task or relationship, about being totally present to it. The great commandment to love God this way came to mind (Deut 6:5, Mt 22:37). Guardini explains that the Divine Liturgy is about this same kind of presence, for us and for God. God is present here, in the Eucharist, which is a great mystery indeed! He is not present in this way outside of the Eucharist. As much as many might think that they possess the totality of God in the surrounding beauty of nature, they simply do not.
This incredibly astounding presence of our God, body, blood, soul, and divinity, at Holy Mass in the Eucharist, demands a response from us, His creatures; a response of our presence, our totality- “with body, mind, and soul, with attention, reverence, and love.” Guardini expounds: “That is composure. Only he who is composed can have God’s presence within him and appear before Him to respond to His outpouring grace with adoration and love (p.28).” From here the good monsignor explains how our totality of presence, our composure, should translate into a position of “attentive listening” and an overall bearing that speaks of being in the Divine Presence.
As I meander through this wonderful text, I am struck by just how powerful the simple can actually be, and of how lacking in many of these simple things our overall culture has become. We can become so comfortable in our mannerisms from being in the outside world that we forget to stand straight and tall in the presence of Divine Majesty. The inside of the Church must be different from the outside. I invite you to invest in a copy and see if you, too, aren’t transformed by the awe of simplicity.
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