“Woman, you are set free"

Jesus teaches in the synagogue on the sabbath in every Liturgy of the Word. The Holy One who comes really and substantially in the Sacrament to free His people from their sins speaks when His word is proclaimed in the sacred Liturgy.

Holy things must be treated in a holy way. God calls His people to surround Him with holy gestures and words in prayers and hymns of adoration and praise.

But a liturgy help captive to special interests binds the One whose power alone can "set free" all of humanity "crippled by a spirit" that is not of God. An agenda which places other concerns before those of the Lord as He acts in the liturgy are these forces which hinder His coming among us in the most powerful way with all of His healing power.

Place the will of the Lord first by obedience to the rubrics governing word and action that He may be welcomed with all of His divine power to save us and raise us up.

The "horizontalism" present in holding hands during the Our Father neglects the vertical aspect of this prayer to the heavenly Father.

The neglect of the rubrics, such as the striking of the breast when praying the Confiteor, is a lost opportunity to pray with the Body of Christ in a more profound way.

The insertion of elements and persons into the liturgy out of misplaced sympathy or because such are thought to be "cute" work against the sacredness of the presence of the Most Holy in encounter with His people. We do not celebrate the liturgy as a mirror of ourselves or our own preferences. Rather we do so to open our minds and hearts to the living God as He comes in His fullness in Christ.

Stand erect! "Behave like God as his very dear children." Pray the Liturgy OF the Church WITH the Church and, therefore, in and with Christ the Lord.

Jesus sees us, also, and desires that we may hear Him say to us, "you are set free of your infirmity."

Stand "up straight" and glorify God! Would you not also see "the splendid deeds done by him" ?