The Pope made the comments I am about to quote (found at http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1301200.htm) several days ago as the link is dated March 15. The quote of interest to me this morning is:
Why do I find this interesting? I know that many people seem to feel that all masses should be the same. Or that all children should act the same during mass. And yet, even the Pope refers to differences that are okay as long as everyone is focusing on adoring the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, by this account it is okay that people show up in different clothes, sing different songs, and even have different levels of solemness as long as we all have a respect for God, a belief in God, and try to live in a way that shows our adoration for God. This could be a great goal for all congregations as set by the Pope using reference to a story that is usually perceived as negative when reading the Old Testament and turning it into a positive.
One "curiosity," the pope noted, is that the Holy Spirit is a sort of "apostle of Babel" that creates the differences in the church.
But on the other hand, he said, it's the same Holy Spirit that "unites these differences, not in equality but in harmony," by focusing everyone's different gifts on the adoration of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Why do I find this interesting? I know that many people seem to feel that all masses should be the same. Or that all children should act the same during mass. And yet, even the Pope refers to differences that are okay as long as everyone is focusing on adoring the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, by this account it is okay that people show up in different clothes, sing different songs, and even have different levels of solemness as long as we all have a respect for God, a belief in God, and try to live in a way that shows our adoration for God. This could be a great goal for all congregations as set by the Pope using reference to a story that is usually perceived as negative when reading the Old Testament and turning it into a positive.
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