YOUCAT Catechism +
Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 179
Ave Maria Series
How We Celebrate the
Mysteries of Christ
179 Who celebrates the
liturgy?
In all earthly liturgies, Christ the Lord himself is the one
who celebrates the cosmic liturgy, which encompasses angels and men, the living
and the dead, the past, present, and future, heaven and earth. Priests and believers participate in
different ways in Christ’s divine worship.
[1136-1139]
Lay members of the Woodruff parish
about to assist in the distribution 0f holy communion.
“And so, with the
Angels and all the Saints we proclaim your glory, as with one voice we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts,…” (Eucharistic
Prayer II of the Church)
“It (the liturgy) is entering into the liturgy of the
heavens that has always been taking place…It is not the case that you think
something up and then sing it; instead, the song comes to you from the
angels. Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict
XVI, “In the Presence of the Angels I Will Sing Your Praise” in “A New Song for
the Lord.”
[1136-1139]
WHO
CELEBRATES?
1136 Liturgy is an "action" of the whole
Christ (Christus totus). Those who even now celebrate it without
signs are already in the heavenly liturgy, where celebration is wholly
communion and feast. –Catechism of the
Catholic Church, Second Edition
1137 The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the
Church's liturgy, first reveals to us, "A throne stood in heaven, with one
seated on the throne": "the Lord God." (Revelation 4:2,8; Isaiah 6:1;
compare Ezekiel1:26-28)1 It then shows the
Lamb, "standing, as though it had been slain": Christ crucified and
risen, the one high priest of the true sanctuary, the same one "who offers
and is offered, who gives and is given." (Revelation 5:6; Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom,
Anaphora; compare John 1:29; Hebrews 4:14-15; Heb 10:19-20) 2 Finally it presents "the river of the water
of life . . . flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,"
one of most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit. (Revelation 22:1;
compare Rev 21:6; John 4:10-14) 3 --CCC
1138 "Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones
who take part in the service of the praise of God and the fulfillment of his
plan: the heavenly powers, all creation (the four living beings), the servants
of the Old and New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People of God
(the one hundred and forty-four thousand), (compare Revelation 4-5; Rev 7:1-8; Rev 14:1; Isaiah 6:2-3)4 especially the
martyrs "slain for the word of God," and the all-holy Mother of God
(the Woman), the Bride of the Lamb, (Revelation 6:9-11; Rev 21:9;
compare Rev 12)5 and finally "a
great multitude which no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes,
and peoples and tongues." (Revelation 7:9)6 --CCC
1139 It is in this eternal liturgy that the Spirit and the
Church enable us to participate whenever we celebrate the mystery of salvation
in the sacraments. --CCC
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