CHRIST GIVING CHRIST TO CHRIST Liturgical Spirituality for Liturgical Ministers O UR L ADY OF V ICTORY P ARISH 29 O CTOBER 2016
ST. AUGUSTINE (+430) Christian sacramental initiation Easter homilies to the newly baptized “Behold what you are. Become what you receive.” (Sermon 57) “…say ‘Amen’ to what you are.” ( Sermon 272) We have become and are becoming Christ by grace Which means … we are called not just to celebrate liturgy/sacraments, but to become liturgy/sacraments 2 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
SACRAMENTS AS ENCOUNTERS The intent of liturgy is twofold: To give glory, thanks, and praise to God To sanctify human persons In sacramental-liturgical rituals Christ acts first Our activity follows in response Encounter that establishes, deepens, and culminates in relationship 3 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
FOUNDATIONS IN FAITH God wants to be in relationship with us God is wholly and Holy Other God continues to communicate with and be in touch with human beings God chooses to make Himself known in ways that respect our capacity to receive 4 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
FOUNDATIONS IN FAITH God’s self -revelation comes to us through Sacred Scripture Tradition Liturgy (which incorporates Sacred Scripture) is a part of the living Tradition of the Church as a vehicle and expression of our faith ( CCC , 83) L ex orandi, lex credendi = The law of prayer grounds the law of belief. Complementary: “spiritual indwelling” 5 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
FOUNDATIONS IN FAITH God’s choosing to make Himself known invites a response In faith, hope, and love God’s self -communication is not so compelling that a person could not reject the invitation “The sacraments … bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.” ( CCC , 1131) 6 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
SACRAMENTAL PRINCIPLE Mediation God’s presence and will are “known” to human beings through Persons (“…they became sacramental signs of Christ.” – CCC , #1087) Events The things associated with them Not “information about,” but God’s very self 7 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
SACRAMENTAL PRINCIPLE The invisible God uses perceptible reality to be with us and to touch our lives In love To transform us To inspire us to further action To move us toward our ultimate goal In all this, human beings do not cease to be human beings Dealing with divine and human interaction 8 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
SACRAMENTAL PRINCIPLE Not a substitute for God or simply a reminder of God’s presence, but a channel and catalyst of God’s presence 9 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
REFLECTION QUESTION: How have you experienced others as a sacrament of God’s Presence (i.e., life, love, compassion, mercy, etc.) for you? How have you experienced yourself as a sacrament of God’s Presence for others? 10 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
BREAK… 11 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
CHRIST GIVING CHRIST TO CHRIST Christ the minister Christ the “sign” Christ the brother/sister Becoming by participation 12 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM, 14 “The Church earnestly desires that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations called for by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation … is their right and duty by reason of their baptism.” 13 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
PARTICIPATION… …is both internal and external (SC, 19) …includes verbal participation, ritual actions, gestures, bodily attitudes, silence, etc. …is often expressed outwardly and yet, it is primarily a habit of interior presence and assent. 14 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM, 14 “In the reform and promotion of the liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else. For it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit and therefore pastors must zealously strive in all their pastoral work to achieve such participation…” 15 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
LITURGY, ESPECIALLY EUCHARIST It’s not about us. 16 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
LITURGY, ESPECIALLY EUCHARIST It’s about God. 17 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
LITURGY, ESPECIALLY EUCHARIST It’s about encounter. It’s about relationship. 18 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
ENCOUNTER “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” Pope Benedict XVI First Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est (25 December 2005) 19 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
OUR RESPONSE We give thanks and praise. 20 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
RELATIONSHIP GROWS FROM ENCOUNTER The liturgy of the Church is a privileged place of encounter – by God’s choice. Every liturgy – every sacramental celebration – is an encounter with the living God! We should walk out different from the way we walked in because of this encounter. 21 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
PARTICIPATION AND ENCOUNTER Begin with the conviction that I will encounter the presence of the living God in the celebration of the Church’s liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 7 In the presider (and other ministers) In the Word proclaimed In the people gathered In the sacraments, uniquely the Eucharist 22 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
THE LIVING WORD OF GOD Read and pray the scripture readings before going to Mass Listen to the proclamation of the Word What do you hear? Listen to the homily How does it apply to your life? How will you live the Good News? With family and friends, ask: What did you hear? What did you experience? 23 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
LIFE LIVED AS OFFERING Bread and wine and more… Offer yourself See yourself as placed upon the altar Desire to be transformed “Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God…” 24 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
PRAY THE GREAT PRAYER “Lift up your hearts.” Caught up into Christ’s prayer Listen and pray “May He make us an everlasting gift to You…” Unity “Amen!” 25 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
INDWELLING Take and eat – take and drink Why did Christ give us the gift of the Eucharist? To be with us (presence) To join us to His ongoing saving activity (sacrifice) To grow community (friendship) Pay attention to the Life living within you 26 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
MISSION Mass – dismissal – mission Choose to make a difference Witness How did you encounter the presence of the Living God in today’s celebration of the Mass? 27 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
REFLECTION QUESTION: What are you taking away? What would you affirm? What did you find challenging? What do you need to reflect upon further? 28 OUR LADY OF VICTORY PARISH
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