The Heart of the Matter: If Christ Is Truly Present, Why Are We Fighting Like He’s Not?

The ongoing debate between the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and the Novus Ordo (the post-Vatican II Mass celebrated in most Catholic parishes today) has gone from a difference of preference to something far more divisive. In some circles, it’s begun to create suspicion, judgment, and even animosity between Catholics who otherwise share the same Eucharistic faith.

A question that we each should honestly ask ourselves:
Are we more concerned with the way we worship than with Who we are worshiping?

This isn’t just a liturgical question. It’s a deeply spiritual one.

Jesus Christ — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist. That is what the Church teaches. That is what we profess to believe.

And if we believe that, then we must confront a hard reality:
Why are we acting like Jesus is “more present” in one form of the Mass than the other?

Christ Is Fully Present — Always

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states without ambiguity:

“In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ — and therefore the whole Christ — is truly, really, and substantially contained.”
— CCC 1374

That means that every valid Mass — whether prayed in Latin or English, in a cathedral or a gymnasium — is a true encounter with the living God. Whether it’s a quiet morning Low Mass or a bustling family Mass filled with restless toddlers, He is there.

This fact alone should be enough to stop us in our tracks. Every Mass — regardless of form — is a miraculous gift. It demands reverence not because of the setting, language, or music, but because Jesus Christ is truly present.

“Man should tremble, the world should quake, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.”
— St. Francis of Assisi

If the angels themselves tremble before the altar, so should we — not with fear of each other, but with awe of the mystery that unites us.

Let’s Not Reduce the Eucharist to a Symbol of Division

There’s no question that the Traditional Latin Mass has been a profound source of spiritual fruit for generations. The silence, the beauty, the ritual precision — it draws many deeper into the mystery of God. And for countless others, the Novus Ordo has been a place of active participation, Scriptural richness, and connection with the life of the Church.

Both liturgies have unique strengths, and both can bear fruit when celebrated reverently and attended with faith. The tragedy is that too often, these forms are no longer seen as complementary paths to the same Christ — but as ideological battlegrounds.

Have we let our love of form become greater than our love of Christ Himself?

On one side, some Catholics fall into the trap of believing that the TLM is the only true or acceptable form of worship — dismissing the Novus Ordo as invalid or deficient. This can quietly grow into spiritual pride and disunity.

On the other side, some see devotion to the Latin Mass as dangerous, regressive, or divisive — ignoring the deep Eucharistic devotion, humility, and fruit borne in many traditional communities.

There’s a well-known quote — often attributed to St. Augustine, though more likely from the 17th-century Lutheran theologian Rupertus Meldenius — that I believe captures the heart of what’s needed in this moment. It’s attributed to Augustine because it echoes themes he spoke to in other writings, even if these exact words weren’t his:

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

So if you find yourself firmly on one side of this divide, here’s a gentle question to consider:
Would you characterize the way you view the other side as charitable?

The Mass Is a Gift — Not a Weapon

The Mass is not a stage, a political tool, or a cultural artifact. It is the re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, where God gives Himself to us — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — not because we deserve it, but because He loves us.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16

Think about that for a moment: God so loved you — and every person who has ever lived — that He allowed Himself to be beaten, mocked, pierced, and nailed to a cross. And at every Mass, that same sacrificial love is made present again, not as a symbol or memory, but as a living reality.

Liturgy matters. Reverence matters. Language and form matter. But they are meant to serve the mystery, not replace it.

When we elevate one form by degrading another, we risk forgetting the very essence of the Eucharist: Christ giving Himself entirely out of love.

Conversations about liturgy can be meaningful — even necessary — when they are rooted in love, humility, and fidelity to truth. But they must begin from a shared foundation:
Christ is here. The Eucharist is real. And we are called to be one in Him.

Let the Mass Form You — Not Just Your Opinions

So here’s the challenge — and maybe the invitation:

Let’s not measure each other’s faith by what form of the Mass we attend. Let’s measure it by how the Mass shapes us into people of mercy, humility, and holiness.

Let it form us to forgive, even when we’ve felt misunderstood. To listen, even when we’ve felt dismissed. To serve, even when we disagree.

And above all, to love Jesus more — in every tabernacle, on every altar, in every moment of reverent communion.