On June 29, the Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis «Desiderio desideravi» on the liturgical formation of the People of God was published. In Vatican News, we share the reflection made by Juan Manuel Sierra López, Professor of Liturgy at the Ecclesiastical University of San Dámaso in Madrid, Spain.
The communication of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, in announcing this new document, presents it as a reflection (meditation) on the beauty of the liturgical celebration. Although the Dicastery warns, previously, that following the Motu proprio «Traditionis custodes», intends to increase the ecclesial communion according to the liturgical books of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council
Structure of Desiderio desideravi (Dd)
The theme that appears in the heading is: «the liturgical formation of the People of God». The text of Dd begins with a brief introduction (n. 1) where the Pope explains that after Traditionis custodes he wants to reflect on the liturgy.
More clearly he expresses his intention in number 16, dealing with the theological meaning of the liturgy, when he writes: «With this letter […] I would simply like to invite the whole Church to rediscover, guard and live the truth and power of the Christian celebration».
Still, in number 61, by way of conclusion, he asks that the holy people of God be helped to drink from the main source of Christian spirituality, rediscovering the principles expressed in the Constitution «Sacrosanctum Concilium» of the Second Vatican Council on the sacred liturgy.
And as a final touch, in the last paragraph of the Letter, the Pope asks to abandon polemics in order to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Church, maintaining communion, admiration for the beauty of the liturgy, under the gaze of Mary.
Source: Vatican News