Mel Gibson builds a $37m church in the Malibu hills

Perth Now ^ | September 5, 2007 | Peta Hellard

[onedoug]

Building reverence to God; I would thou coulds’t.

[NYer]

Building reverence to God; I would thou coulds’t.

Yes - but - it is always important that we not lose ourselves in worship! In our great desire to worship the Lord and God of the Universe, there are those of us who humble ourselves and seek to show this through a devout worship service. For some of us, mired in liturgical abuse, we see that service in something more reverent like the Tridentine or Maronite Divine liturgies. These are ancient prayers, timeless in nature, that draw our hearts, minds and souls closer to God. But we must NEVER confound that desire with authentic worship, regardless of our own personal emotions. Recall what our Lord showed to St. Faustina.

How closely He is united [with His representatives]. ..He gives priority to their opinion over His. I have come to know the great intimacy which exists between Jesus and the priest. Jesus defends whatever the Priest says, and often complies with his wishes, and sometimes makes His own relationship with a soul depend on the priest's advice. O Jesus, through a special grace, I have come to know very clearly to what extent You have shared Your power and mystery with them, more so than with the angels. I rejoice in this, for it is all for my good. (1240)

It is so easy to stand in judgement of those priests with whom we disagree or who do not rise to the level of eucharistic celebration to match our expectations. You know my deep love, affection and gratitude to our Lord for guiding me to the Maronite Catholic Church. He had His reasons for instilling this burning love within my heart. I do not question it. Yet if tomorrow, the Maronite Church that I so dearly love should disappear, I would immediately return to any one of the local area RC parishes, even with their liturgical abuses.

Essentially, what I am saying is that we must never place the form of celebration above valid Godly worship. To do so, would be grievously offensive to Him. Our hearts may clamor for what our minds distinguish as a more reverent form of prayer but, ultimately, all worship glorifies God.