8/13/2019 Liturgy History
1/31
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
2/31
Fundamentally, the liturgy is a structured
worship ritual. The Church has always
been liturgicalin its worship. The wordliturgyis derived from the Greek word
leitourgiameaning "public work". It has its
roots well before the ancient Church to the
Jewish people. The liturgy was originally
used in reference to the "public work" or
"work" of the people of the Temple in the
Old Law. For Christians, a newerunderstanding of liturgy is given form with
reference to Christ.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
3/31
The word leitourgiabecame associated with
worship practices when the Old Testament
was translated from Hebrew into Greek, ina translation called the Septuagint. The
only Greek word that the translators could
use to refer to worship practices in the
temple was orgia, which was a reference tothe practices at pagan temples, and has
the same connotations in Greek that it has
today in English. The word leitourgiawas
substituted because corporate worship is a
public activity that we all participate in
individually.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
4/31
The liturgy is illustrated by the heavenlyliturgy described in the book of
Revelation, where the multitudes aregathered around the Altar where theLamb of God "stands as though it hadbeen slain." Liturgical worship is
centered fundamentally on thethemes of sacrifice (Christ's onesacrifice), communion (fellowship ofthe community), and covenant(remembrance of covenant). Theearliest liturgies had a great amountof Jewish liturgical influence.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
5/31
The Church did not receive a
ready-made mass from Jesus.
It was, and still is, up to thechurch as to how the mass will
express itself.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
6/31
From 100 AD to 313 AD, the
church was forced to live a secret
life because of persecution
against Christians.
In 313 AD, Emperor Constantine
converted to Christianity and thechurch then flourished.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
7/31
During the time from 604 AD to 1517 AD,
many changes were made to the liturgy. For
example, the host became small, round, and
white. People received it on the tongue.People went to communion less and less
often, and preferred to see the Eucharist.
Communion rails were added, and the priests
turned their backs to the people to say mass.
None of these practices were part of the
traditions of the early church. The mass
became very solemn and dignified. Peoplewere no longer participants in the liturgy, but
became spectators. Gregorian chant was
sung by the priest and the choir, and the
people had no role in it.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
8/31
The two basic elements of the mass
- the sacrifice and the gift of Jesus
as food - were undisputed realitiesfor Christians in the Middle Ages.
Pope Paul III called the Council of Trent in1542 and it shaped Catholicism for the next
400 years. Trent affirmed that: Christ
remains in the consecrated host even after
the mass is over; adoration of the BlessedSacrament is legitimate, and the mass is
truly the sacrifice of Christ.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
9/31
A new missal for the mass was made official
in 1570 by Pope Pius V. The missal was
obligatory for the entire church and nothingcould be changed or improvised in the liturgy.
It was forbidden to use any language other
than Latin.
In January 1959, Pope John
XXIII first talked about a second
Vatican council. Liturgical reformwas talking place in the half-
century leading up to Vatican II.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
10/31
The Constitution of the Liturgy was adopted
by the council and it emphasized the real
presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. It alsosaid that the liturgy is an action of Christ, the
priest, and of his body which is the church.
Vatican II saw liturgy as the "summit towardwhich the activity of the church is directed; at
the same time it is the font from which all her
power flows."
A keyword in the Vatican II documents on the
liturgy is "participation." The faithful are
called to full, active, and conscious
participation in the liturgy.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
11/31
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
12/31
The Last Supper was never named that by
Jesus. "Do this as a remembrance of me"
(Luke 22:19) was the only term the gospelsgave to the first Eucharist which took place on
the eve of Jesus' passion and death.
Because Jesus did not give the apostles astrict formula for celebrating the "Breakingof the Bread" the apostles had to decidehow often they were going to carry outChrist's mandate. How often would they
celebrate it? Once a year with Passover ormore often? Would it be a rite? Whatwould be the ceremonial pattern? Matterslike these needed to be settled by thechurch.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
13/31
The early church's task was to give
the mass form and expression. It
was and still is up to the CatholicChurch to decide how the liturgy will
express itself.
The church has divided the mass into two
parts: the liturgy of the word and the liturgy
of the Eucharist. The liturgy of the word
comes from the Jewish word service, whilethe roots of the liturgy of the Eucharist can
be traced to the Last Supper.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
14/31
The liturgy of the word is divided
into two parts: gather and
procla im. There are also two partsto the liturgy of the Eucharist: break
and send .
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
15/31
The purpose of the gathering rite is to help
people become a worshipping community by
being ready to hear the Word of God, receiveJesus in the Eucharist, and be Christ to one
another.
The church proclaims the Word of God
during the liturgy in the midst of the
assembly in order to assist the faithful in
experiencing the life-giving presence ofJesus in his word. Proclamation in the
midst of the assembly is the first purpose of
all scripture.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
16/31
Styled after the Jewish table blessing prayer,
the Eucharistic prayer - which is the prayer of
the church - is the story of all that God hasdone for his people with an emphasis on
Christ's death and resurrection.
The assembly prays the Eucharistic prayerover bread and wine with the belief thatthrough this prayer the elements of breadand wine become the Body and Blood of
Jesus. Following the presider's words ofconsecration, Jesus is fully present in thebread and wine.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
17/31
The Catholic Church offers the
Eucharistic prayer in the powerof the Holy Spirit. Not only is the
bread and wine transformed into
Christ's body and blood, but it isthe hope of the church that
people's hearts are transformed
in Jesus as well.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
18/31
The dismissal or sending rite sends
each member of the community to
go forth to do good works while
giving praise and thanksgiving to
God. The goal at the end of the
liturgy is not to get out of the
parking lot as soon as possible. We
are commissioned and blessed tobring the gospel message of Christ
to a waiting world.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
19/31
Vatican II tells us that the Eucharistic
response of the assembly does not stop when
mass is over. The ultimate and most
important Eucharistic response is what is
done after one goes home.
As the assembly we are sent out as theLord's disciples, not just individuals,but as "church" to proclaim the Good
News of Jesus' love for all. EachCatholic at liturgy has a role inevangelization.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
20/31
In summary, the Mass can be thought of as:
-Prefigured by the sacrifice of the Passover lamb,
slain and then eaten in remembrance of Covenant.
-A representation of and participation in Christ's (theLamb of God) once and for all sacrifice, a perpetual
sacrifice.
-A communion of His Body, the Church.
-A remembrance of the New Covenant of Christ,
through His once and for all Sacrifice.-A participation in the Liturgy of Heaven.
-A participation in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
-where Christ's death is proclaimed, His resurrection
confessed, and He is remembered until He comesagain.
-Finally, a sending forth of the Body of Christ into the
World, after having been nourished at the Lord's table
with His own Body and Blood.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
21/31
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
22/31
The word liturgy comes from the Greek which
means the people's work. It is a public work
done for the service of others. In ancientGreek, it originally meant the cooperation of
all citizens to make society work.
The Catholic church defines liturgy asthe public worship for the service of
others. Liturgy is public prayer andritual; it is communal in nature. Thereis nothing private about the mass.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
23/31
As Christians we are called to be
Christ to others. We are called by
Jesus to be of service, and this
attitude is required of us at liturgy.
The specific purpose of the mass is to servethe community. We come to mass to be ofservice, to give praise and worship to God,and to bring others to Christ. As Catholicswe do not come to liturgy just for ourselves,but for others, so that others canexperience Jesus through the Word, theEucharist and us. Like Jesus, it is in ourdoing that others experience new life.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
24/31
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
desires that all the faithful would be led to full,
active, conscious, and active participation in
liturgical celebrations (14), and yet if one wereto observe the assembly during liturgy, there
are still many Catholics who are not singing or
participating in the liturgy.Full participation means that a person does
not mentally weave in and out of the liturgy.
Our duty is not just to be present; our dutyis to be fully present. The songs are meant
for singing (Gather Faithfully Together, 91,
92).
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
25/31
The Catholic Church asks that our liturgies be
life-giving and that each of us play a vital role
in it. We do this by being on time for mass,
reaching out to others in a spirit of Christian
hospitality, actively praying and singing, and
staying for the entire liturgy.
The goal of liturgy is the transformationof people's lives to Jesus. It is about
the conversion of hearts. The CatholicChurch teaches that good liturgybuilds faith, and poor liturgy destroysit. (Music in Catholic Worship, 6).
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
26/31
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
27/31
The importance of the liturgical
environment is vital to good liturgy.
From where one sings and participatesduring the liturgy greatly enhances or
distracts from the celebration.
In the minds of many modern Christians, the
Gothic cathedral represents the ideal
architectural form for worship. The liturgy it
makes possible differs greatly from thechurch's present understanding of itself
and liturgical theology.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
28/31
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
says that when churches are built, great
care must be taken so that they aresuitable for the celebration of liturgical
services and for the active participation
of the faithful. (124).
The primary symbols of the liturgy -- theassembly, the altar, the ambo, and
the presider's chair -- should bepositioned in a way so they areprominent.
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
29/31
Narthex or vestibule of the Church
Baptismal fontAmbo
Presiders chair
The AltarTabernacle
Ambry
Reconciliation chapelSaints
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
30/31
The liturgical traditions or rites presently inuse in the Church are the Latin (principally
the Roman rite, but also the rites of certainlocal churches, such as the Ambrosian rite,or those of certain religious orders) and theByzantine, Alexandrian or Coptic, Syriac,
Armenian, Maronite and Chaldean rites. In"faithful obedience to tradition, the sacredCouncil declares that Holy Mother Churchholds all lawfully recognized rites to be of
equal right and dignity, and that she wishesto preserve them in the future and to fosterthem in every way."[69]
8/13/2019 Liturgy History
31/31
That in all things, Godmay be glorified!