As I did the audio version of the morning office, I noticed that most of the talking was by others and very little for the congregation. I remembered something my parish priest had said about most of Christianity having been during the centuries when only a few could read or write - and add to that the services were in Latin. He said they had no pews but the people walked around the church (usually shaped like a cross) and paintings, stations of the cross, the statues, and art would help them bring to mind what they learned during their catechism. I was wondering what it would have felt like to have loved God, been devoted to God and to have taken the time to show up when the bells ring and to love God in an atmosphere where you couldn't participate because you couldn't read or write or understand the language. What awesome men and women to have continued in the faith without the reinforcement modern and post-modern people have with education and media. But, I guess it was the only ball-park in town and most people didn't want burned as a heretic; so if that's accurate (I know so little of history), hopefully some or most of the people showed up out of devotion and love for God and God's love for them.
The Old Testament Tabernacle and later the Temple were quite ornate and yet only a few of the priests could enter the outer areas and only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies and then only once a year. Yet the people were aware of the beauty and grandeur on the inside. Although a greater percentage of Hebrews could read and write then many other cultures, I'm sure they had their illiterate groups, too. Yet, each one had heard about the beauty and embellishment of the Holy Place and recognized their own reverence for the God who lived there.
I wonder how Christianity currently works for the illiterate masses in third world countries. I've seen photos of the elegant parades for Easter in Guatemala and how the people celebrate the annual event when the statues are removed from the churches and are carried down the street with ornate pictures on the roads created with flower petals that will be stomped and crushed by eager feet. That annual celebration must imprint very deeply on the minds and spirits of the people and help them stay focused on who God is and who they are to God.
How important it must have been for the masses to have had a rosary - a little piece of something to have helped them hang on to their faith during difficult or happy times and to have said the repetitive prayers they could memorize that brought them comfort and helped them remember the God they loved and served.
The chants of Sunday morning, although in a foreign tongue, probably rang in ears throughout the week and many people would have made up their own lyrics based on their own understanding of God.
I am so grateful to the Roman, Greek, Russian, Byzantine and Celtic churches who bore the beautiful burden of carrying Christ to the next generation over and over again until the printing press allowed people to purchase their own Bible and learn to read. There are probably many other groups I haven't heard of who did their part to keep the church alive. Maybe how they worshiped God back then doesn't make a lot of sense to my modern multi-media mind; but it did what it needed to do... it assured the gospel was kept alive. I can see God in it - even with errors and sin, it fits right in with today's church that is replete with error and sin. It gives me hope that God will continue to have a church even in this time of great changes.
Another thing I respect about the Catholic tradition is the acceptance of diversity. It seems each order (Franciscan, Benedictine, Dominican, Trappist, etc.) has a slightly different interpretation of scripture, of how to practice their religion, etc. Yet they put aside their differences to participate in the greater good of unity. I think that's a lesson that would be very useful in today's world.
Maybe that's what this writing was really all about. Can I be a Franciscan in a Benedictine Anglican parish?
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I did the Invitatory Psalm, Office of Readings, Morning Prayer and preparing for Night Prayer. I missed the Evening Prayer. Even though doing most of the full divine office is new for me, it seems to add a purpose and rhythm to my life.
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