The Beauty of Reverence, by Paul Krause

By Paul Krause, Crisis Magazine, March 6, 2021

Paul Krause a humanities teacher, classicist, and essayist. He is also a Senior Contributor to The Imaginative Conservative and Associate Editor at VoegelinView.

It is no secret that it is hard for a reverent Catholic to find a beautiful Mass. The desire for reverence is not the desire for a valid Mass, for the Mass—however obnoxious or orderly—is valid thanks to the Grace of God. However, the spirit of reverence adds to the power and majesty of the Mass; moreover, the spirit of reverence is the most fervent manifestation of faith in an age not of unbelief, but of crudity and crassness.

St. John Chrysostom warned us never to be indifferent to God: “In approaching God, by contrast, we yawn, scratch ourselves, look this way and that, pay little attention, loll on the ground…If on the contrary we were to approach him with due reverence and prepare ourselves to converse with him as God, then we would know, even before receiving what we asked, how much benefit we gain.” Reverence is at the heart of worship. In fact, reverence’s highest manifestation is through worship. For in total awareness, understanding of the good things God has bestowed, we are moved to worship the God of creation, grace, and salvation. Reverence is the way we give back an appreciation and understanding of God’s love for us. ….

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