Cardinal Jose Advincula on Tuesday urged the nation’s liturgy directors to ensure that worship leads not only to an encounter with God but also to concrete acts of love and service to others.
Preaching at the opening Mass of the 39th National Meeting of Diocesan Directors of Liturgy at the Manila Cathedral, he said the liturgy is both a “mountain,” where believers are rooted in faith, and a “plain,” where that faith overflows into solidarity, especially with the poor.
“In the liturgy, we are impelled to solidarity with our brothers and sisters, especially the poor,” Advincula said.
He added, “we do not only receive and celebrate the love of God; rather, we also share and witness to this love towards our brothers and sisters, especially the deprived, the desperate, and the distressed.”
The cardinal stressed that true worship extends beyond celebration, urging ministers to engage with the “wounds and filth of the people of today’s world.”
This year’s gathering, themed “Renewing the Church in Hope,” is focusing on “Rediscovering Vatican II through the Liturgy.”
Advincula told the assembly of bishops, priests, religious, and lay liturgical ministers that renewal means guiding the faithful to “rise above the mundane” and translate worship into mission, especially in service to the poor and the struggling.
Organizers said about 280 participants from dioceses across the country — including the clergy, lay collaborators, and students — are attending the four-day conference, which runs until Sept. 12 in Manila.
