Mystagogical Reflections: Free Resources from the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions

The FDLC has produced a wonderful set of resources for reflection on the Liturgy.

The Quasimodo introit famously quotes St. Peter’s words: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Pet 2:2). On the Second Sunday of Easter, the newly baptized begin to follow a process of mystagogy, delving into and delighting in the mysteries of the sacramental life.

This, I believe, is the true work of the New Evangelization: drawing out from the Liturgy, the font and summit of the Christian life, various helps to the life of prayer. Not content with simply attending the Mass, we want to be awash in its riches. This is the kind of RCIA that never ends, a constantly replenished well that everyone in the Church, old or young, can draw from.

The FDLC series currently offers two sets of reflections, on the Collects, and on the Prayer after Communion. The reflections are brief and rich and would be useful for many purposes that reach the “people in the pews,” either as homily helps, quotes on parish websites, weekly email updates, or bulletin announcements. Wide permission is given for these and other uses.

The FDLC hopes both member and non-member diocesan offices and commissions will post these weekly one-page reflections on diocesan websites as well as make them available for parishes and institutions to post or print in local sites and publications. Although these reflections include copyrighted texts of ICEL (used with permission of the USCCB Committee for Divine Worship) and are the copyrighted work of the FDLC, you are free to share and to reproduce them as long as they are not bought or sold. 

Details may be found on the FDLC website here.

What a wonderful initiative!