I found it interesting how people understood yesterday’s post about the Cain Syndrome.

It was meant to be an observation about a general trend within human nature and especially within religious behaviors.

Some readers, however, interpreted as being only about the liturgy wars. By liturgy wars I mean the traditionalists who believe only the Latin Mass is valid and good and the progressives who wish the Latin Mass were outlawed.

Both sides saw themselves as Abel not Cain–when the whole point of the post was to hold up a mirror so that we might see ourselves as Cain when we attack our brother.

One reader pointed out that in the story it is not stipulated before the offerings were made which one was right. We are simply told that Cain offered a sacrifice from the produce he had grown and Abel offered a lamb. In other words, both were doing what they thought best. Cain was angry because his offering was not preferred by the Lord.

When it comes to the liturgy wars in the Catholic Church, surely both sides need to admit that both the Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form are valid and good. In an increasingly diverse, multi cultural Catholic Church it must be the case that diversity in worship in a good thing is it not?

To get clarity and charity we have to ask what liturgy does and what it is for in the first place… Read More.