In a world marked by unrest, uncertainty and a deep longing for peace, many come to the liturgy seeking something hope-filled and life-giving.

Yet pastoral conversations reveal a quiet tension; people come seeking a God of love and mercy, but do not always experience that nearness.

What, then, is the liturgy revealing about the God we believe in?

From the Kyrie to the Lamb of God, from the Penitential Act to the Eucharistic Prayer, the liturgy gives voice to a fundamental truth: we stand before God not by our own merit, but by grace. This is not meant to diminish the human person, but to open us to the depth of God’s love.

Language of humility

We acknowledge our sinfulness, ask for mercy, and recognise our need for God, accepting that we are not self-sufficient but held in a love that precedes us.

Yet this language is always received within the complexity of human experience. Words intended to express humility and trust can, for some, be experienced as distance or unworthiness, especially when not held within a wider horizon of joy.

Mercy as encounter

In the Gospels, mercy is always relational and transformative, never abstract or distant. Jesus does more than declare forgiveness; he restores and heals. Those who encounter him are not defined by their sin, but are restored to life, dignity and belonging.

The liturgy is meant to be such an encounter.

The issue is not the presence of penitential language, but its balance within the wider rhythm of prayer. Alongside sin must be a clear proclamation of mercy. Alongside humility must be joy, and alongside our need, the assurance that we are known and loved.

Richness already present

The liturgy already holds this balance. In the Gloria, the Church bursts into praise. In the Eucharistic Prayer, we give thanks not only for what God has done, but for who God is. In the Sign of Peace, we enact reconciliation as a lived reality.

Simple pastoral choices can allow this richness to emerge. A moment of stillness in the Universal Prayer. An invitation to extend peace beyond the assembly. Even a brief introduction to the Penitential Act that begins with assurance: “Confident in God’s endless mercy and love for us, let us acknowledge our sins …”.

Beyond texts, toward love

The liturgy must remain faithful to the tradition it has received. But it must also attend to how that tradition is heard, especially by those standing at the edges, unsure of their place.

If the language of the liturgy does not help people to recognise themselves as loved and called, then something essential has been lost in translation.

For in the end, the liturgy gathers us to worship and give thanks, and to lead us into the joy and abundance of life found in the God who is already near.

• Clare Schwantes holds a PhD from the University of Queensland and a Master of Theological Studies with a focus on Liturgy, in addition to Bachelor’s degrees in Education and Psychology. She also has diplomas in Editing and Publishing and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is the Director of the Archdiocesan Liturgy Office in Brisbane, Australia and Chair of the National Liturgical Council in Australia.
• Clare is the author of From Page to Proclamation – Interpreting Scripture in the Context of Liturgy (2024).