Day 145: Introduction to the Liturgy (1066-1075)
It’s Day 145!!
We are talking about THE LITURGY
Today we are introduce to a new document SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM
It is from Vatican II
It has really guided the way in which The Catechism has presented the Sacraments
Fr. Mike is reviewing yesterday’s episode a bit so I’m not going to
God is so transcendent
God is so other
AND YET…
He reaches down to us
He comes to us in the LITURGY
He comes to us in the SACRAMENTS
We SERVE
We WORSHIP
We PRAISE the Lord through the Liturgy
There is this incredible high and powerful vision
We are going to get the nuts and bolts of the Liturgy
WHY THE LITURGY?
WHAT DOES THE WORD LITURGY MEAN?
Paragraph 1069 says, “The word ‘liturgy’ originally meant a ‘public work’ or a ‘service in the name of/on behalf of the people.’ In Christian tradition it means the participation of the People of God in ‘the work of God.”
Paragraph 1070 says, “In the New Testament the word ‘liturgy’ refers not only to the celebration of divine worship but also to the proclamation of the Gospel and to active charity.”
We are going to use all these meanings for the Liturgy
God is doing something in this world
When we enter into the Liturgy, we are entering into and participating with what God is doing in this world
This is the SOURCE of our life
Tomorrow we will start SECTION ONE: THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY
So let’s pray!!
Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, we give you thanks. We praise you. We give you glory and we love you. Help us to love you. Not just in our hearts. Not just to love you in our thoughts, or having a good attitude, or having a good opinion of you, Lord God. Help us to love you through worship. Help us to love you by participating in your work. Your work of sanctifying this world. Your work of redeeming this world. Your work of transforming this world. Your work of reaching out to our brothers and sisters who are in the most need. We ask that you please help us to do that now in the course of our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen”
There we have it!!
The Church asks the question WHY THE LITURGY?
Hopefully you caught the answer
The answer is here is what God has done for us
God has created this world
God has redeemed this world through the Paschal Mystery
The life, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven
God wants to bring what He has done for us to us
He does that in the Power of the Holy Spirit through THE LITURGY
It is through the Liturgy that we encounter the Grace that Jesus Christ has won for us
What is the work of God?
EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD
But in the ECONOMY OF SALVATION…
In the way that God has saved this world…
What has He done?
Through His life, death, Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven…
By giving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost…
He has REDEEMED us for the Lord
He has made it possible for us to live in right relationship with God
Not just for living in Heaven
BUT…
Even in THIS WORLD we get to have access to God Himself
WHY THE LITURGY?
Because of what Jesus has done for us
He has given us the Holy Spirit
It is through the Liturgy that we encounter and participate in what God has done for us
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!
Paragraph 1069 says, “The word ‘liturgy’ originally meant a ‘public work’ or a ‘service in the name of/on behalf of the people.’ In Christian tradition it means the participation of the People of God in ‘the work of God.’”
It is really important for us to understand
We are going to use the term LITURGY a lot
What is the work of God?
REDEMPTION
SANCTIFICATION
RECONCILIATION
God wants to make us LIKE HIM
DIVINIZATION
This is our participation in what God is going
Everytime we show up for the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, it is the work of God
Think about Anointing of the Sick
The work of God is HEALING
The work of God is giving His DIVINE LIFE
Whether the body or soul is healed, there is a HEALING
The work of God is HEALING, RECONCILIATION, STRENGTHENING, GIVING THAT PERSON COURAGE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN LIFE
When we celebrate this Sacrament, we are participating in that work of God
What is happening in the Mass with the Eucharist?
The self-offering of the Son to the Father in the Power of the Holy Spirit
It is a sacrifice ONCE FOR ALL that happened on Calvary
But it is constantly being presented to us
It is constantly happening
We get to participate in that self-offering in the Liturgy
We are participating in what God is doing
The Liturgy is not meant to be dry, empty, or going through the motions
What we are doing EVERY SINGLE TIME is tapping into what is happening in God
We are not simply observing
Too often when we show up to worship and the Sacraments we are simply WATCHING
We are watching someone else pray
We are maybe praying along
We are maybe following along
BUT…
WE ARE MEANT TO PARTICIPATE FULLY!!
Paragraph 1071 says, “...the ‘conscious, active, and fruitful participation’ of everyone.”
That doesn’t mean you are now a lector or an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion or a greeter
This means that you and I understand WHAT IS HAPPENING
What is going on in this particular Liturgy?
We are participating in it in whatever way we possibly can
When we go to Confession we are participating in the work of God which is RECONCILIATION, HEALING, GIVING STRENGTH
We participate by confessing our sins and receiving His Grace
If we go to Mass we participate by praying and offering up our hearts and the Sacrifice of the Eucharist in participation with the ministerial priest and in participation with Jesus Christ, the High Priest
If we can get this, it will be our key for the next number of days
The work of God is SANCTIFICATION
The work of God is REDEMPTION
The work of God is DEIFICATION
The work of God is RECONCILIATION
The work of God is ACTIVE RIGHT NOW
EVERY TIME WE SHOW UP FOR THE LITURGY WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT WORK OF GOD!!
If we get that, the next number of days, weeks, months will be powerful
Even if we don’t get it, it will still be powerful
Have your eyes open
Have your ears open
Watch for the opportunity to participate in God’s work
Because that is the LITURGY
It is our participation in the work of God
REMEMBER THAT!!
IT IS OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK OF GOD!!
We want to get this so absolutely clear
Fr. Mike is praying FOR YOU!!
Please pray for Fr. Mike and for each other!!
I cannot WAIT to see you tomorrow!!