The Spirit of the Liturgy
By Romano Guardini
The Spirit of the Liturgy, first published in English in 1930, is a profound meditation on the liturgy as the lex orandi (from the proverb, lex orandi, lex credendi—the law of praying is the law of believing). To an age where the liturgy is often reduced to something therapeutic, self-directed, or meant to primarily benefit the participant, Guardini provides a powerful reminder of the true purpose of the liturgy: “In the liturgy God is to be honored by the body of the faithful, and the latter is in its turn to derive sanctification from this act of worship.”
Romano Guardini (1885–1968) was a Catholic priest, professor, and author. Born in Italy, he moved as an infant to Germany, where he lived the remainder of his life. He taught theology and philosophy at the University of Berlin, University of Tübingen, and University of Munich, in his career, and his intellectual disciples included Josef Pieper, Luigi Giussani, and Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI).
Paperback: 132pp.
ISBN: 978-1944418670