Wednesday, January 05, 2005

The mystery of conduct - 3

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Paul warns about "speaking in tongues" because it makes for a private and unmeasurable spiritual experience, one that doesn't "edify" the person outside it. Such is the cunning of the devil that the eucharistic liturgy, arising from Paul's own words, evolved into a form of speaking in tongues.

That is, people sit in front of the liturgy and listen (with wandering attention or none) but rarely feel its words hooking into their own will. It must have been really bad in the old days with the Catholic priest intoning Latin and turning his back on the congregation. But the modern liturgy still feels like a form of private speech. If it was talking to the parish wouldn't the parish be talking back?

Then there is the sermon. Does the sermon alter the listeners' conduct? Does it invade the will like a loving virus? Not a rhetorical question, my love, but not an exam question either. The most important questions are answered after the exam when all the textbooks are closed. Or else... the real exam is on the sidewalk waiting in line.

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