8.89. What’s wrong with modern worship being joyful and informal? Isn’t it more personal and uplifting than the old, rigid Latin Mass?
The purpose of the liturgy is not to entertain us, stir up feelings, or create emotional highs—it is to worship Almighty God, offer the Sacrifice of Calvary, and sanctify souls through awe and reverence. True liturgy lifts man toward God, while modern worship brings God down to man’s level, making Him a peer rather than a King.
The Traditional Latin Mass reflects the truth that God is holy, man is sinful, and the Mass is the unbloody re-presentation of Christ’s Sacrifice on Calvary. Modern Novus Ordo “worship”, influenced by Protestantism and modern psychology, replaces reverence with emotion, informality, and theatricality—destroying the sense of the sacred and causing the collapse of belief in the Real Presence.
Below is a comparison between reverent sacred liturgy and modern Novus Ordo worship practices.
| Category | Traditional Catholic Liturgy | Novus Ordo / Modern "Worship" | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | God-centered: adoration, sacrifice, reverence | Man-centered: participation, emotion, inclusion | Vertical worship replaced with horizontal community gathering |
| Language | Latin—sacred, unchanging, solemn | Vernacular—casual, profane, varies by culture | Latin preserves mystery and doctrinal precision |
| Posture | Kneeling, silence, bowed heads, genuflection | Standing, waving, hand-holding, clapping | Loss of bodily reverence undermines belief in Real Presence |
| Music | Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony | Guitars, drums, pop tunes, Protestant hymns | Music forms the soul; modern music forms it wrongly |
| Vestments & Architecture | Ornate vestments, altars, tabernacles, candles | Casual vestments, minimalist design, banners, microphones | Exterior forms reflect interior belief |
| Atmosphere | Quiet, solemn, sacred, mysterious | Chatty, noisy, informal, social | Silence fosters recollection and awe |
| Reception of Communion | Kneeling, on the tongue, deep interior preparation | Standing, in the hand, casual or automatic | Irreverence leads to sacrilege and unbelief |
| Liturgical Discipline | Unchanging rite, exact rubrics, centered on the Cross | Endless options, creativity, local innovations | God is not honored by novelty and improvisation |
| Fruits | Vocational growth, conversions, deep piety | Empty pews, doctrinal confusion, loss of reverence | “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) |
Summary:
The sacred liturgy is not about how we feel—it is about what is true, and how we respond in awe to the infinite majesty of God. True reverence leads to humility, silence, repentance, and sanctity. Modern worship, born of Vatican II’s anthropocentric revolution, leads to self-centeredness, distraction, and ultimately loss of faith.
As Pope Pius XII warned:
“It is neither wise nor laudable to reduce everything to antiquity or to bring the sacred down to the level of the people.”
True liturgy should elevate us to God—not drag God down into our comfort zone.