Jimmy Abegg – Reflections of Rich

In my stronger Catholic days, I went to mass every day. The beauty of attending any kind of denomination that expresses its worship through a tried and true liturgical year—if you and I live in different parts of the world, you live in Calcutta and I live in Colorado, through the liturgy we hear a similar message in our daily life. We are unified. If we could execute some level of liturgy in our existence as a community, wouldn’t life be different? It’s an unattainable goal, but if we don’t aim high, how can we hit higher?

What I have come to discover, what Rich helped me discover, is the things that are most important in life are invisible, like the idea of friendship. What is real friend- ship? Well, real friendship is that you would lay down your life for another. That’s strong. I can’t even get my mind around that.

This is part of why I believe that liturgical living can create in us the kind of atmosphere that can be contagious for spiritual evolvement and for birth and rebirth of all kinds. It is heaven. If we practice a routine, a silent pursuit of a God who cares for us, then we will find him. Knock and the door will be opened. These are simple concepts and I don’t think it is that hard to be semi-obedient where they are concerned.

Liturgy is a life-changing mechanism in the world for our benefit. It helps define the highway for living. I’m still on that highway.

*Excerpted from the new book, Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth: Spiritual Conversations Inspired by the Life and Lyrics of Rich Mullins (buy), authored by Andrew Greer.