I recently read “Unitatis Redintegratio” (fancy Latin name for “Decree on Ecumenism”). It’s a document from the Roman Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council (V2). This was a revolutionary council for its time, and instituted a renewal for the Catholic Church. This renewal is actually what Jesus wanted – for without such renewal, the Church on earth will not unify all humanity as Jesus himself called his Church to do. Jesus even prayed for all of us to be unified through him.
Of course, there are many who want to go back to the “old way.” I’m not one of those. In fact, I’m a product of the modern Church. I was born way after all the changes were in place and the V2 changes were the norm. I’d never heard of V2 before maybe junior high (or perhaps high school Church history)? And I never cared about it much. It really had no effect on me until my recent class on V2 . Once you see where the Church was and where it went as a result of the council (with groundwork laid by previous councils), it’s mind-boggling. Like OMGee amazing.
Once, I did take my nephews to a Latin Rite Mass. The reaction? Not too favorable. I’m a modern Church girl and I won’t be back. For me, God wants to be present with us present for him. He wants participation – a little bit of effort on our part to have a relationship with Him.
Now this renewal doesn’t mean giving into our every human whim. Let’s face it. We’re human and we’re weak. We’re fickle. One day we love Jesus and the next he’s a burden to earthly social life.
And in case you were wondering, this renewal business for the Church, doesn’t just extend to the Pope and the Magisterium (teaching arm of the Church). It extends to the every day Catholic. By living the Catholic life (properly and all that), each Catholic puts a shine on the Church’s renewal. It deepens your faith, opens your heart to dialogue with others and shows the rest of the world the true face of the Church.
Now if that’s not an OMGee moment, nothing else is.
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