Tuesday, October 25, 2016

170 Jesus' Presence in the Earthly Liturgy - part 4

YOUCAT Lesson 170, part 4 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: ….. On the way to Emmaus –Luke 24:15 …..”Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them." --Matthew 18:20 .....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
. . . is present in the earthly liturgy . . .

…….1088 "To accomplish so great a work" - the dispensation or communication of his work of salvation - "Christ is always present in his Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is present in the Sacrifice of the Mass not only in the person of his minister, 'the same now offering, through the ministry of priests, who formerly offered himself on the cross,' but especially in the Eucharistic species. By his power he is present in the sacraments so that when anybody baptizes, it is really Christ himself who baptizes. He is present in his word since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the Church. Lastly, he is present when the Church prays and sings, for he has promised 'where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them."'(Sacrosanctum concilium 7; Matthew 18:20)11 –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

…….1089 "Christ, indeed, always associates the Church with himself in this great work in which God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified. The Church is his beloved Bride who calls to her Lord and through him offers worship to the eternal Father."( Sacrosanctum concilium 7)12 –CCC


. . . which participates in the liturgy of heaven


…….1090 "In the earthly liturgy we share in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until he, our life, shall appear and we too will appear with him in glory."( Sacrosanctum concilium 8; compare Lumen gentium 50)13  --CCC



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