I got a very different impression when reading this book. Other
liturgical books usually contain how rites or prayers had been appearing in
worship as well as their historical background behind it. In addition, most of
them also contain scientific explanations of the meaning of various kinds of
liturgical practices. However, it seems as though Guardini did not want things
like this to appear in this short book.
In this book Guardini wanted to make a liturgical education book, and
not a liturgical scholarship book. He wants to emphasize that the liturgy is
not only at the level of ideas, and does not just exist in the past, but it is
a real manifestation of today. For Guardini, the liturgy has a sacramental
character that makes liturgy become something that is alive and manifest a
divine reality that is invisible and often hidden.
For this, Guardini took some elements which the faithful encounter every
day when they celebrate liturgical ceremonies, namely: Sign of the Cross, the
hands, kneeling, standing, walking, striking the breast, steps, doors, candles,
holy waters, sanctified time, evening, midday, the name of God, etc. Guardini
raised these elements in the discussion and tried to describe in the level of
daily living. Only then, slowly he reveals the spiritual meaning and the
Christian meaning of the gestures and the various objects. In writing this book
Guardini positioned himself as a teacher who was explaining the meaning behind
the various elements present in the liturgy, but also as “a mother” who is
teaching his son how to live the Christian faith simply.
For those who are accustomed to reading scientific/academic liturgical
books (that have "high level" scientifically) maybe this book feels
so subjective, too casual, and a little impressionistic, but for me personally,
I am inspired by Guardini to make my liturgical catechesis truly understandable
by the people easily and not just to satisfy my own mind, and at the same time
abandon the needs and context of the faithful’s life. Keeping everything simple
does not mean that we are stupid.
Genius is the
ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.
(C.W. Ceram).
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