The purpose of the Christian religion

The purpose of the Christian religion is to assimilate man to God through Christ; to form mankind, therefore, in the likeness of Christ. Christianus alter Christus -- the Christian is another Christ. The purpose of the Christian religion is to sanctify, to spiritualize, to deify mankind, to bring us as transfigured Christians to the transfigured Christ. This is accomplished through sacrifice and sacrament and prayer, that is, through the liturgy. The purpose of the liturgy is the transfiguration of human souls. It is this transcendant purpose that has brought out the inherent beauty of the liturgy and made it a consummate work of art. In a word: the idea of Christian transfiguration is the art-principle of the liturgy.

Ildefons Herwegen, in Return to Tradition