Holy Liturgy: An Organic Tapestry

Organic Development: A Cardinal's Insight

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger emphasized the organic nature of the Catholic Liturgy, describing it as "a reworking...as one phase in a long history of growth." Rejecting the notion of fabricated liturgies, he asserted that the Liturgy has developed seamlessly since Apostolic times.

Devastating Consequences

Ratzinger decried the "prohibition of the missal that was now decreed," seeing it as a "tragic rupture" in the history of the Church. He argued that the destruction of the traditional liturgy created the illusion of a "self-made" liturgy, eroding its sacred and mystical nature.

Professor Tolkien and the Living Tree

J.R.R. Tolkien also employed the organic metaphor in his writings. Treebeard, the majestic Ent, symbolizes Tradition, the organic continuation of all that grows under Divine Providence. His presence represents the resistance to the destruction wrought by those who embrace the spirit of technical revolution.

"I am not going to tell you my name...For one thing it would take a long while: my name is growing all the time, and I've lived a very long time; so my name is like a story...Real names tell you the story of the things they belong to in my language..."

Growth vs. Regression

Tolkien rejected the Protestant pursuit of simplicity and returning to an undefined "primitive Christianity." He maintained that the Church is a living organism, evolving through interaction with its divine legacy and the changing world. Reducing it to an "acorn" state, as reformers sought, is an absurdity that goes against the natural trajectory of growth.

However, these reforms were driven by a desire to eradicate outdated traditions, ignoring the organic development of the Liturgy. Nonetheless, like Treebeard, the ancient spirit of Tradition remains ready to stand against those who seek to destroy it.