by Dennis C. Smolarski, S.J.
Sacramental Principles and Liturgical Practice
How well do Christians celebrate those rituals that embody their belief? Thirty years after Vatican Council II and 25 years after the revised rites began to be used, it is now possible to reflect on the quality of worship in our churches, and on the degree to which the renewed liturgy has been effective. We can begin to see the celebration of sacred mysteries not merely as prescribed rituals but as actions that illuminate fundamental relationships among human beings and between them and God.
Sacred Mysteries opens by reflecting on the continual process of reform in the church and on the foundational principles for all liturgical action. It then moves to a discussion of each of the sacraments, with particular reference to the way they are ritualized in the assembly. A final chapter addresses practices that can cloud the experience of mystery during liturgical celebrations and thus inhibit rather than enhance the power of the rite. Clergy and laity who are concerned about the effectiveness of worship will find much in these pages to reflect on and to enhance the quality of their celebration.
