In the "Internet Monk" thread below, Todd of Catholic Sensibility commented that all of this talk of what people want in liturgy is nice, but who’s going to to do the work? Where are the resources going to come from?

My initial, instinctive response is that it doesn’t cost a dime to pray the liturgy rather than perform it. It might, in fact, be cheaper. Don’t you think?

Oh yes, people go on and on in these comments boxes about their motets and their polyphany and their scholas, which is lovely, but don’t anyone leave here thinking that this is the point. 

The point is that people yearn to go to Mass and not be assaulted by ego and its fruits. Period.

Further, the "it costs so much" argument is derailed by another comment frequently offered here – that a lot of people keep their liturgically-centered piety alive through attendance at daily Mass. Parish liturgies may be a riot of activity, from intense, artificial efforts to "make" community, to Scouts, catechists and Tupperware salespeople being blessed and honored, to a senseless variety of music to general banality, but you can usually count on a weekday Mass to get you grounded again.

And what do you experience there – little or no music, a homily that is generally very focused, and yes, community. In general, you get what’s more clearly prayer.

This is not an argument for minimalism. It’s simply to clarify that the bottom-line issue is not about anything that costs money or even time. It’s an attitude, a stance twoard the liturgy and what is going on there, one that I’ve discussed many times: trust the liturgy that the Church has given us, put every other agenda aside, put a lid on our own egos…and pray. This is why people appreciate monasatic liturgy as well. There is no frantic need to re-invent things, no worry about who’s going to be impacted by this or that change and not come back next week, no need to make sure that everyone feels welcome or that community is created – it’s there. It’s organic. It’s reflected in and nourished by the liturgy, which is, in turn, respected, and allowed to be.

It seems to me to be so very simple. Respect the rite, start praying…and get out of the way.

No budget line required.