Pope Francis Is Free to Break Tradition

A recent article by The Associated Press states that Pope Francis is not making the liturgical "traditionalists" in the Catholic Church very happy. Apparently "the last straw" was his "decision to disregard church law and wash the feet of two girls – a Serbian Muslim and an Italian Catholic – during a Holy Thursday ritual."

The article goes on to state that "virtually everything he has done since being elected pope, every gesture, every decision, has rankled traditionalists in one way or another." I guess when you elect a pope who rode the bus to work as an archbishop, you better be prepared for a guy who thinks outside the box.

And what's wrong with thinking outside the box? Jesus often did it. The Pharisees hated Him for it. Jesus loved the poor. The Pharisees loved their traditions. Jesus gave His life for the world. The Pharisees were obsessed with perpetuating their church laws and customs. Perhaps the liturgical traditionalists in the Catholic church would be wise to follow the example of Pope Francis.

Millions of Christians in our world have worship services which are sometimes referred to as "low church." In other words, there is very little pomp and circumstance. There are no elaborate liturgical elements to the service, or fancy vestments worn by the preacher. It is pretty simple, and yet often extremely uplifting and sincere. There are many Christians in the world who are blessed by more of a "high church" experience. That is their right, and their freedom in the Gospel. They are free to utilize traditional liturgical worship, just so long as they don't worship the liturgy rather than the One who is to be at the center of our worship.

Pope Francis seems very down to earth. A man of the people. A lover of the poor. And a heart that appears far more interested in helping people than in promoting liturgical perfection. Nothing against liturgy, but come on. It's just liturgy. It's not people. It's not God. It's just a style, and a tradition, and an approach. OK, a respectable approach when done in the right spirit I suppose, but certainly not the only approach. In fact, millions of Christians find it way too confining and extremely difficult to utilize in a meaningful way. It feels almost robotic and certainly way too formal to many believers. Therefore, they opt for a "low church" approach. Read more