(1)Culture and Religious Formation

Mahatma Gandhi said that “A…culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people”. Culture, in its general understanding, has a wide connotation, depending on the geographical, anthropological, religious, or even societal context. The building of this research topic is focused on the diverse cultural existence in the religious context. 

Culture differs in practices from one community, religion, race society, and congregation to another. The Marianist congregation has a diverse cultural setup, which is beneficial, and at the same can be a challenge to the living of the spirit of inclusive among members of the congregation living together from different cultural backgrounds. 

In his anthropological view of culture, (Magesa 1997), provides its dimension on “…the difference between how people live…and how they should or ought to live.”[1]This aspect of living is what makes the fundamental development of the ideas behind the formation of cultural diversity in the community living in the Society of Mary, as manifested among brothers in the Region of Eastern Africa. 

(2)

 Peace and spirituality: ‘The Theological Kindergarten’, by Robyn Wrigley-Carr

Introduction

Spirituality and Liturgy is about how the Holy Spirit guides the liturgical celebration in the church. This is based on the practices and the activities that surround liturgical participation in the church. Therefore, in the liturgical celebration, it is desired that the harmony of the activities within the church, especially in the office of the hours, adoration, benediction, the Eucharistic celebration, and various devotion, be aligned to the rules and regulations-as guided by the Holy Spirit, and those that are set by the church. The basis of this paper is the summary of an article, Peace and spirituality: ‘The Theological Kindergarten’, whose components are spirituality-focused sub-themes. This article is chosen in that, by looking into its aforementioned elements, the knowledge of the spirituality of liturgy is improved, added, and clarified more. Peace and spirituality are common denominators in liturgical participation, and, as introduced, our liturgical fulfillment is characterized by its fulness, active, and fruitfulness, in participation. 

The aspects of peace discussed in this article, though it reflects the effects of the second world, the distortion of peace at that, it is more appropriate in contemporary spiritual practices, more so in liturgical practices. Therefore, this summary work delves into the elements that are important in peace within as a spiritual means of good liturgical participation. 

Summary

(Wrigley-Car 2022), in his work, Peace and Spirituality: ‘The Theological Kindergarten’,[1]outlines a number of aspects that contributed to the cultivation of peace-both at an individual and group level. The article, though developed in a protestant climate and viewpoint, it is relevant in the catholic liturgical concept in that, elements such as: the contemplative approach which is based on prayer, defeating evil with love, spiritual war-work, contemplative silent waiting, meditating on liturgy and spiritual writings, alert expectancy. 

These make great concern for Wrigley’s idea of peace and spirituality in the liturgy. Thus, spirituality and liturgy require these elements in various liturgical seasons and daily liturgical celebrations. Looking into each will hence enable the reader to understand how each of these elements partakes in the spirituality of liturgy, in the catholic dimension. 

Analysis

1. Contemplative Approach

As developed by Wigley-Car, the contemplative approach to spiritual peace attempts to steady and cultivate inner peace through contemplative prayer. This practice is based on the doctrine of non-resistance, and, it helps cultivate that universal charity in an individual

Union and Fellowship of Reconciliation in the contemplative approach to peaceful spiritual practices is based on prayer. This is a time when in the catholic aspect we participate in the reconciliatory exercise. This is well practiced during individual penance, during kyrie at mass, and at the point of the sign of peace. During the liturgy, it is considered a grave sin for one to participate in the liturgical celebration while holding a grudge against the neighbor. 

The act of contrition at the beginning of the mass is a sign of peaceful spiritual discernment and seeking, from both fellow humans and forgiveness from God. This provides a desire for peace since is a prayer contemplated. In this respect, though Wigley reflects on the aspects of the spirituality of peace during the second world war, and how people practiced their self-abnegation, it is clearly noted that, in liturgy, inner peace is important for full, active, and fruitful participation. 

Therefore, Wigley’s dimension of peace and spirituality is liturgically based in that, a contemplative approach requires prayers, and thus, prayer is the basic element in the liturgy. There would be no line between liturgy and prayer-the two go hand-in-hand. 

1. Defeating Evil with Love 

In the spiritual context, it is a call for participants in the liturgy n to live out the great ‘Law of charity’. In the liturgical spirituality, only through the ‘power of love’, primarily through prayer, could evil be ‘vanquished’, so believers should become ‘loving cells of tranquility’ glowing in slow circles, spreading love in action in however small a way would not only contribute to world peace but, through this process, the women would also cultivate their own internal peace. Undergirding liturgical spirituality underlines peace as a fruit of the Spirit. This is based on St. Paul’s account of deliberately ordering love before peace, for peace derives from the ‘budding point of Love’.

The liturgy thus stresses that people are encircled in peace as they bathe in God’s love through prayer. The purpose of the liturgical celebration is to bring peace and unity among the believers, coming together as one family, a family that stays together, pray together. 

1. Spiritual war-work 

In the spiritual war-work, Wigley reflects that only the contemplative life was strong enough to conquer Hitler and Nazism, so contemplative prayer became the group’s ‘spiritual war-work, thus promoting the communal characterized liturgical celebration. This concept is symbolic to the spiritual battle Christians take part in in their daily prayer lives against the evil one. 

It is therefore believed that, such radical prayer would also have an impact on the people, enabling them eventually to experience some sense of peace, especially in the moment of the experience of the peace within oneself.  

Therefore, as one strives towards his or her spiritual growth, one becomes more and more peaceful with his or herself, which is the major goal of the spirituality of liturgy

Conclusion

It is worth noting that spirituality of liturgy encompasses a great dimension of life. Wigley’s approach of the liturgical spirituality in terms of peace promotion is a complex, though practical in the contemporary understanding of the liturgical participation. In regards to the summarized article, features such as: contemplative approach which is based on prayer, defeating evil with love, spiritual war-work, contemplative silent waiting, meditating on liturgy and spiritual writings, alert expectancy, are very important in the development in spirituality of liturgy, and thus, I find the article appropriate in adding knowledge to the field of spiritual liturgy. 

Bibliography

Wrigley-Car, Robyn. "Peace and spirituality: ‘The Theological." Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 2022: 122-127.

[1] Wrigley-Carr, Peace and Spirituality: ‘The Theological Kindergarten, 2022, pg. 122-127

[1]Magesa, African Religion, 1997.