The Power of the Liturgy
One of the most meaningful elements of my Catholic faith is the liturgy of the Mass. It has been a breath of fresh air compared to the Protestant traditions I experienced throughout my life. On one side, I encountered seeker-driven movements focused on entertainment to appeal to visitors: light shows, fog machines, catchy music, and even fireworks designed to wow people and drive growth. On the other side, I saw groups emphasizing the teaching ministry of the church, striving to be more intellectually rigorous than emotionally engaging.
In the liturgy, however, I’ve found something extraordinary—an experience that is both emotional and intellectually rich.
How Is This Achieved?
What’s fascinating is that this is not a new innovation but an ancient practice. One of the earliest records of Christian worship comes from St. Justin Martyr, who described a structure still recognizable in the Catholic Church today. Writing in the second century, he explained:
“On the day we call the day of the sun, all who dwell in the city or country gather in the same place. The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits. When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things. Then we all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves…and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation. When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss. Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren. He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…and the distribution and participation of that over which thanks have been given is made to each” (First Apology, Chapter 67).
This description highlights the foundational elements of worship that have been preserved through the centuries: the reading of Scripture, the teaching, the prayers, and most importantly, the Eucharist.
Why Is It Different?
The liturgy isn’t primarily focused on what we can learn or on entertainment, though it contains elements of both. Its main focus is encountering Christ in the way He prescribed: through the Eucharist.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church expresses this beautifully:
“His Paschal mystery is a real event that occurred in our history, but it is unique: all other historical events happen once, and they pass away, swallowed up in the past. The Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast, cannot remain only in the past, because by his death He destroyed death, and all that Christ is—all that He did and suffered for all men—participates in the divine eternity, and so transcends all times while being made present in them all. The event of the Cross and Resurrection abides and draws everything towards life” (CCC 1165).
This is the soul and center of the liturgy: the work of Christ, transcending time and history, made present to us today.
An Invitation
If you find yourself longing for more than entertainment or hour-long lectures, I encourage you to attend a Catholic Mass. This ancient practice of the Church surprised me and continues to nourish my faith in ways I never anticipated. It might just catch you by surprise too.
