FAMILYYA Lessons: What is Liturgy?

LITURGY

Rev. Dr. Joseph G. Marabe, JCD introduces us to the fundamentals of the liturgy in the Catholic tradition.

Comes from the Greek word
Λειτουργία or leitourgia

from λαός / Laos, "the people" and the root ἔργο / ergon, "work"

HISTORY

In Ancient Greek times, the word attributed to community service in entertainment, education, and defense. The community service came at one’s personal expense without remuneration.

OLD TESTAMENT

As a theocracy (religion-based government), liturgy was a worship of Yahweh, something done for the state.

NEW TESTAMENT
Passages mentioning liturgy:

• Luke 1:23 – Zechariah enters the Temple
• Romans 15:16 – “ … liturgist of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles”
• Corinthians 9:12 – collections taken up for the poor in Jerusalem
• Philistines 2:30 – services rendered to his person

Liturgy is

• Prayers/Sacrifices
• Community services as opposed to devotions of private piety (examples of private piety include the rosary, Stations of the Cross, novenas, etc)

Pius XII: “public worship which our Redeemer as Head of the Church renders to the Father, as well as the worship which the community of the faithful renders to its Founder, and through Him to the heavenly Father … [integral public worship of] the Mystical Body of Christ in the entirety of its Head and members”

FORMS

• Adoration
• Sacrifice
• Oblations/offerings
• Tithes
• Vows
• Praise
• Prayer
• Sacrament
• Making of Oaths

These forms of liturgy are done in “public,” meaning that they are done in the name of the whole Church:

• Common to all members
• Express worship of all members
• Affects all members

ELEMENTS

 Exterior – Elements of a human way; ritual actions; a “shell”

• Examples: music, response, liturgical dance
• Symbols:
• The altar, the priest is a symbol of Christ
• The opening procession and the recessional represent the cycle of coming from the people and back again to the people
• The baptistery at the front of the Church symbolizes the welcoming
• Churches are shaped like “tents” to represent a temporary stay

 Interior – Elements of the supernatural, internal reality, sanctification

PROPERTIES

• Christian – Christo-centric
• Hierarchical – Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders
• Social – Welding people together, not only Agape but Eucharist: Agape was a morning meal while Eucharist (thanksgiving) was later in the day. Often people would attend Agape but not Eucharist; both must be attended.
• Sanctifying – Assimilation and insertion to Christ