Charismatics, Cholerics, and Contemporary Liturgy

One of the many problems with the loss of a sense of ritual and the insertion of "spontaneity" (even the insertion of "options") into a liturgy is that it doesn't unite people - it divides them. I have always thought that Tevye's understanding of tradition (at least in the sense of "custom") was on the mark. "We do it this way, well . . . because this is the way we have always done it!" Not that there can't be bad customs that need to be changed, but, as Thomas said with law, it is perilous to change something unless there is a very good reason for the change - the good brought by the change has to outweigh the bad effects (many of which are not realized until the change is made.)

However, we live in a society which puts a premium on change and revels in individual choice. This may have its merits, but when it comes to a common ritual that an entire community needs to embrace this can be problematic.

We do not have this practical problem at my college, but I do encounter Catholics who will argue that there should be different liturgies to suit, not only different consituencies, but different personalities. "Well, I'm an outgoing person and need a more contemporary liturgy, etc." I get that with some charismatics (although frankly not all charismatics are cholerics, some are deeply wounded melancholics who have found an outlet for emotional release in charismatic doings.)

As Chesterton said, "tradition involves submitting to the great senate of the dead." A variation on Tevye, it is "we do it this way because our fathers and forefathers did it this way - they have us outvoted." And that is the sense of a community reaching through time and a common ritual that clearly expresses ALL of us - the Mystical Body of Christ reaching out through time and "space." (the Church through the generations AND the Church militant, suffering and triumphant.)

In other ages, choleric people with bad taste would have gone to a quick low Mass - or with better taste would have sung in the choir (because they are so outgoing) and then would have gone about their choleric doings. However, there would have been no sense that they were participating in anything other than the ritual of the Mass common to all (Roman Rite) Catholics.

Now they have their own symbol, and that is problematic.

Another thing Bugnini didn't consider.