Funereal Pomp: Liturgy or Idolatry?

April 07, 2011 by Elizabeth Scalia

Continued from Page 1

It's just a tribute. No one left St. Peter's having worshipped Karol Wojtyla, and no one left there unsure of who is the Savior of the world.

But they did leave St. Peter's with full hearts, having had a chance to do what my son's classmates did for their fallen friend—to remember and pay a little tribute—and they got to do it surrounded by visual and aural beauty so that all of their senses participated in the worship of the Creator of so much that is still so mysterious to us all.

I'm glad you wrote to me about your concerns, and I hope I helped put them to rest. If I haven't all I can say is, well, I am not that smart, and someone else may do better job of explaining it all. But, as John Paul himself said many times, do not be afraid! It may seem very strange to Christians with no traditions or rituals to fall back on. But don't be afraid to dip a big toe into the lake of liturgy. It doesn't burn, I promise!

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4/7/2011 4:00:00 AM

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About Elizabeth Scalia

Elizabeth Scalia is a weekly columnist at First Things.

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