Sophomore TheologySophomore Theology

1 – Seasons of Love, Life, and

Faith

“What was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries”-- St. Leo the Great

Opening Prayer

Prayer:“Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection

may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

- St. Thomas Aquinas, 1225-1274

Introduction to the Liturgy

Sophomore Theology Liturgy and the Sacraments

Seasons of Love, Life, and Faith

Overview

• Introductions

• How important is Liturgy?

• What does “necessary” mean?

• Christianity takes practice…practice makes perfect

• Importance of “right worship”

• When is the liturgy celebrated?

• Celebrating the liturgical seasons of the Church

How important is liturgy?

• Liturgy = participation of the people of God in the work of God

• Necessary for salvation

• Why would it be necessary for salvation?– Brings about the sanctification (holiness) of mankind– Without holiness, we cannot be saved– God working in us, with us…co-workers of God (1

Cor 3:9)

What does “necessary” mean?

• Sacraments necessary for salvation (CCC 1129, CCCC 230)*

• The Church means by “necessary” one of two senses:– Absolutely necessary, as food/water is to our life– “Most fitting,” as a car or plane is necessary to travel

• St. Thomas Aquinas:– “It would seem most fitting that by visible things the invisible

things of God should be made known” (Summa Theologica, III,1,1)

– “What frees the human race from perdition is necessary for the salvation of man.” (ST, III, 1, 2)

*CCC = Catechism of the Catholic Church; CCCC = Compendium of the CCC

What does “necessary” mean?

• St. Thomas Aquinas: “A thing is said to be necessary for a certain end in two ways. First, when the end cannot be without it; as food is necessary for the preservation of human life. Secondly, when the end is attained better and more conveniently, as a horse is necessary for a journey.” (ST, III, 1, 2)

• God with His omnipotent power could have restored human nature in many ways. But in the second way [ie., “most fitting” way] it was necessary that God should become incarnate for the restoration of human nature.

• St. Augustine (De Trin. xii, 10): “other ways were not wanting to God, to Whose power all things are equally subject; but that there was not a more fitting way of healing our misery.“

• St. Thomas Aquinas: “the effect of the sacrament can be secured by every man if he receive it in desire” (ST, III, 80, 1)

What does “necessary” mean?

• Salvation as the Justification of the sinner:– “translation from that state in which man is born a child of the first

Adam, to the state of grace and of the adoption of the sons of God through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our Savior.” (Council of Trent, Session VI, ch. 5)

– “This translation however cannot, since promulgation of the Gospel, be effected except through the laver of regeneration [ie., sacramental baptism] or its desire, as it is written:

• Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [John 3:5]”

• Baptism, or its desire, is necessary in the absolute sense• The remainder of the Sacraments are necessary in the second

sense, as there “was not a more fitting way of healing our misery.”

Christianity takes practice

Christianity takes practice

Practice makes perfect

Importance of “right worship”

• Through practice we become perfect (holy), which is the very goal of salvation

• Orthodoxy = “right worship”• Fidelity to Christ is assured if people remain faithful in

the worship of God that the Savior handed on, through the apostles, to the Church He founded

• Liturgy = exercise NOW on earth of Christ’s priestly office– Priestly work concerned with “right worship” and

sanctification

Importance of “right worship”

• Liturgy is specially directed toward giving due honor to God & making the faithful more holy & pleasing to God– “…keeping one self unstained from the world” (James

1:27)

• Two aspects of Liturgy which are unseparable:– Honor due to God – Mankind’s sanctification

Soccer analogy…

• Every member of the team has a duty to the team: he must honor the coach and strive to become better team member so as to better perfect the entire body, the team

• That duty includes PRACTICE! It is not always fun, but can be rigorous, repetitive, regimental, takes much effort and work

• In fact the duty includes “right practice”– If you practice contrary to growth or increase in

perfection, you are working contrary to the duty and obligation you have as a team member

Soccer analogy…

• Example: contrary to the direction of the coach, you choose to pick up the ball with your hands, run down the field, and throw the ball into the opponents goal– Is this “right practice”? Will it allow you to grow and

increase in perfecting your soccer skills? Will is perfect the team as a whole?

• Two things wrong:– Disobedience to the coach does not honor the coach– Detrimental to perfection in soccer

Soccer analogy…

• Just as honor is due to the coach in the practice of soccer, so too honor is due to God in the liturgy

• Just as “right practice” is necessary for becoming a more perfect soccer player and a more perfect team, so too is “right worship” (orthodoxy) necessary for becoming a more perfect Christian and a more perfect Church

Sidenote on “honor” and “worship”

• Dulia versus Latria – page 442 The Catholic Catechism by Fr. John Hardon– “The technical name for worship of God is adoration or

latreutic worship (from the ancient Greek word latreia, which meant the service given to the gods). The lesser form of veneration given to the angels and saints that Catholicism recognized has the theological name of dulia (from the Greek term douleia, which means the respect shown to a master by his servent).”

• For example, “Honor thy Father and Mother” is a distinct kind of honor that is obligatory, but is different than the adoration that is due only to God

When is the Liturgy Celebrated?

• When is the liturgy celebrated? Every day– Daily Mass– Liturgy of the Hours

• Liturgy of the Hours – ancient practice, monastic tradition – obligatory for all clergy and religious orders– Office of Readings (can be prayed anytime in the day)– Morning Prayer (first hour of the day)– Day Prayer (mid-morning, mid-day, mid-afternoon)– Evening Prayer (at or near sunset)– Night Prayer (at the end of the night, before sleep)

When is the Liturgy Celebrated?

• Weekly Liturgy– The center of the liturgical week is Sunday, the “Lord’s day,”

(Gk kyriake hemera; Latin dies Domini)--the day the Lord rose from the dead

– Every Friday—day Christ died—is a day of penance (excepting when solemnities fall on Friday)

• All Fridays – abstain from eating meat or practice other form of penance• Abstain from eating meet during Fridays of Lent

– Every Sunday—day Christ rose—is a day of joyful celebration

• Annual Liturgy– Liturgical year also centers on the “Lord’s Day” or Easter (pacha

festiva), but does so by celebrating the whole mystery of Christ from his Incarnation to his return in Glory

Liturgical Year

Celebrating the liturgical seasons of the Church

• Liturgical cycle of the Church– Advent: “something adventurous is coming” (Advent marks

beginning of Church year)– Christmas: “Christ’s mass” – feast of the nativity of Jesus Christ– Ordinary Time– Lent: Old English for “lengthen”; as in lengthening days or

springtime• As Friday is a “day of penance” for every week, Lent is the “season of

penance” for every year • Penance – “repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance”

(Acts 26:20)

– Easter • Easter Triduum, Easter, Pentacost (birthday of the Church)

Questions?

Homework:

Understanding the Catechism – Liturgy and Sacraments

• Chapter 1 – Seasons of Love, Life, and Faith

• Chapter 2, A Holy People, A Holy Place