Deacon Lawrence Toth
(Second of a series)
Last week’s article introduced all the teachings Pope Leo planned to give this year on the subject of the documents of Vatican II. The remaining articles in this series will focus on what he said specifically about Sacrosanctum Concilium (“SC”), the Council’s Constitution on the sacred liturgy. What the Council Fathers had in mind in writing this document was “not only to undertake a reform of the rites, but to lead the Church to contemplate and deepen that living bond which constitutes and unites her: the mystery of Christ.” So, the desire was that the Church would be drawn more deeply into the heart of Jesus, knowing that the liturgy is “…the space, the time and the context in which the Church receives her very life from Christ. For in the liturgy the work of our redemption is accomplished.”
This is an amazing truth and the constant teaching of the Church! Pope Leo continues, “Here, then, is the Christian Mystery: the Paschal event, that is to say, the passion, death, resurrection and glorification of Christ, is made sacramentally present to us precisely in the liturgy, so that every time we take part in the assembly gathered “in his name” (cf. Mt 18:20) we are immersed in this Mystery.” Although Jesus has ascended to the Father, “in the holy liturgy, through the power of His Spirit, He continues to act. He sanctifies and unites the Church, His bride, to His offering to the Father.”
The pontiff explains that, in the liturgy, our union with Christ, and with one another as His Body, is achieved through rites and prayers. “The rituality of the Church expresses her faith and at the same time shapes ecclesial identity: the proclaimed Word, the celebration of the Sacrament, the gestures, the silences, the space – all this represents and gives form to the people gathered by the Father, the Body of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”
Looking forward to his teachings to come, Pope Leo encourages us: “Dear friends, let us allow ourselves to be shaped inwardly by the rites, symbols, gestures and above all the living presence of Christ in the liturgy, which we will have the opportunity to explore.”