170 The Holy Spirit and the Church in the Liturgy - part 5

YOUCAT Lesson 170, part 5 of 9 parts

YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth

God and the Sacred Liturgy

What is the most profound origin of the liturgy?

170  The most profound origin of the liturgy is God, in whom there is an eternal, heavenly banquet of love—the joy of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Because God is love, he would like to let us participate in the feast of his joy and to grant us his blessings.  [1077-1109]

…….Painting above:  A Roman Catholic priest in Sicily distributing the Eucharist to a child at her first Holy Communion. ..... “By his transforming power, he makes the mystery of Christ present here and now.” (see CCC # 1092 below) …..170

Our earthly liturgies must be celebrations full of beauty and power: Feasts of the Father who created us-that is why the gifts of the earth play such a great part: the bread, the wine, oil and light, incense, sacred music, and splendid colors.  Feasts of the Son who redeemed us—that is why we rejoice in our liberation, breathe deeply in listening to the Word, and are strengthened in eating the Eucharistic Gifts.  Feasts of the Holy Spirit who lives in us—that is why there us a wealth of consolation, knowledge, courage, strength, and blessing that flows from these sacred assemblies.  179

Blessing:  A blessing is something good that comes from God (Latin benedicere; Greek eu-logein=to call good) to bless is a divine, life-giving, and life-preserving action.  God, the Father and Creator of all being, says: It is good that you exist.  The fact that you are is something beautiful.

Then I will go to the altar of God, the God my exceeding joy; and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.  Psalm 43:4

…….THE LITURGY - WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY

III.  THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH IN THE LITURGY

.......1091 In the liturgy the Holy Spirit is teacher of the faith of the People of God and artisan of "God's masterpieces," the sacraments of the New Covenant. The desire and work of the Spirit in the heart of the Church is that we may live from the life of the risen Christ. When the Spirit encounters in us the response of faith which he has aroused in us, he brings about genuine cooperation. Through it, the liturgy becomes the common work of the Holy Spirit and the Church. –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

…….1092 In this sacramental dispensation of Christ's mystery the Holy Spirit acts in the same way as at other times in the economy of salvation: he prepares the Church to encounter her Lord; he recalls and makes Christ manifest to the faith of the assembly. By his transforming power, he makes the mystery of Christ present here and now. Finally the Spirit of communion unites the Church to the life and mission of Christ. --CCC