I.

THE HOLY MASS

It nourishes our relationship with God.
We are called to participate in it with proper disposition.

Points to Consider in Celebrating the Holy Mass:

1. The Mass is the Most Important Event.
Happens to humankind each day.
The Eucharistic Sacrifice is the source and summit of all Christian Life. It is a
single sacrifice that embraces everything. It is the greatest treasure of the
Church. It is her life. (John Paul II)
2. The Mass is the Center of Christian Life.
All the sacraments, prayers, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, devotions,
mortifications and apostolate offered to God.
Mass as the central point of reference.
If the center were to disappear and if attendance at Mass were consciously
abandoned, the whole Christian life would collapse.
3. The Mass is the Most Pleasing Reality we can Offer to God.
Every baptized member of the Church receives the right and duty of taking part
in the sacrifice offered by Jesus.
We are encouraged by our Mother Church to assist at the Mass not as mere
strangers or passive spectators.
Being conscious, pious and active manner, right dispositions and cooperating
with divine grace as we fully participate in the Holy Mass.
We participate both internal and external.
a. Internal Participation:
1. ADORE the Blessed Trinity.
The Sacrifice of the Cross is a Sacrifice of adoration and praise of God.
The Church teaches us that the Mass is not offered to the saints but to
God alone who has given them their crown, we honor only the saints in
their memory.
2. Give THANKS.
The second aim of the Mass.
Can offer a worthy hymn of thanksgiving only to God alone.
Our Lord unceasingly gave thanks to God the Father from the Last
Supper until he was hung on the Cross. He continues to thank God the
Father for us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
3. Ask PARDON for our sins.
A desire for expiation and atonement should lead us to make a good
confession.
The same Christ who died on the cross for our sins is present and
offered in the Mass so that sins may be forgiven.
4. PETITION.
To ask for the many things, spiritual and material which we need.
Just as Jesus died on the cross offering prayers and supplications as was
heard because of His reverence and obedience. And now in heaven,
lives always to make intercession for us. (Heb. 5:7; 7:25)

These graces benefit those who attended the Holy Mass and the persons for
whom it is offered.
These should be our thoughts and intentions at every Mass, uniting ourselves
with Christ and making His desires and sentiments on the cross our own.
b. External Participation:
1. ATTEND the Mass with a spirit of prayer.
Avoid distractions
Be one with the words, actions and gestures of the celebrant who acts
in the person of Christ.
Give up personal preferences.
Accept the option which the pastor considering the circumstances of
the people in each community.
2. PARTICIPATE actively listen, response (answer), acclaim, sing or keep
opportune silence.
In a way to facilitate our union with God and deepen our reflection on
the Word of God.
3. GESTURES ofstanding, sitting, kneeling, bowing.
Be serene if others are not.
4. Be PUNCTUAL.
Arrive before the priest starts the Mass and leave after the priest has
left the altar.
To avoid distractions especially if the Mass is going on already.
5. DRESS PROPERLY.
Dressed appropriately and well- groomed as to celebrate with Jesus,
considering it a very special day to be with Him.
On our Faith
God speaks to us through the Liturgy of the Word. We open up ourselves in the
mystery of redemption and salvation. To nourish our spiritual life as Christ
Himself present in our daily life.
Jesus offered Himself in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. For us to receive Him as our
spiritual nourishment after we heard His Word. Those who receive Him worthily
in faith will enjoy eternal life or salvation.
In our active participation in the Liturgy we are blessed. We are called to
cultivate proper disposition and attitude during the celebration of the Liturgy of
the Word and the Eucharist. We make Gods word our own and we also affirm
our adherence to it by the profession of faith.
We receive the Eucharist in the State of Grace, allowing Christ be present to
transform us into His Likeness and Image and direct us in our relationship with
others in what we do every day.
II.

THE NATURE OF LITURGY

What is Liturgy?
It is a public worship laid down by a church or religion.
It is the presence of Christ in the celebration of the Mass, the sacraments, the
Word of God and the Divine Office.

 The public worship which our redeemer as a head of the church renders to the
Father as well as the worship which the community of the faithful renders to is
founder, and through Him to the Heavenly Father (MD).1
An exercise of priestly office of Jesus Christ. The whole public worshipped
performed by Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the head and its member.
An action of Christ, the priest and His body which is the church (SC).2
Role of the Church in the definition of the Liturgy:
Christ associates Himself in the capacity minister through:
(1)the hands of the priest, (2) when a person baptizes, (3) when the Holy
Scriptures are read, (4) when the Church prays and sings.
Liturgy is a sacred action surpassing all others; no other action of the Church can
equate its effectiveness by the same title and the same degree.
Aim of Liturgy.
1. The Perfect glorification of God
2. Sanctification of those who celebrate it.
These are made known and brought about by means of signs perceptible to the
senses.
Liturgical signs- are signs or symbols that gives the liturgy a sacramental
dimension, containing and revealing the presence of Christ and of the mystery
that the Church celebrates.
It consists of: (1) sacramental formularies, (2) gestures and (3) material
elements.
Essential Component of the Liturgy.
SACRED SCRIPTURE, from the Scriptures that the readings are given and
explained in the homily and that the psalms are to be sung. The prayers,
collects and liturgical songs are inspired by Scriptures and it is from the Word of
God that actions and signs derived their meaning (SC #24)
It is always included in the Sacraments, Sacramentals and Liturgy of the Hours
(Divine Office).
Fundamental Principle of the Liturgy.
Culmen et fons3 (MD) the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of
the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power
flows. (SC #10)
Full, conscious and active participation as the aim of the conciliar reforms and
promotion of the liturgy (SC #14). An ACTIVE PARTICIPATION is the right and
duty of every faithful by their virtue of their baptism.
Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations belonging to
the church (SC #26).
Provisions shall also be made, when revising the liturgical books, for legitimate
variations and adaptations to different groups, regions, and peoples, especially
in mission lands, provided that the substantial unity of the Roman rite is
preserved; and this should be borne in mind when drawing up the rites and
devising rubrics (SC #38).

The liturgy is celebrated in the concrete situation of the worshipping

community; therefore, it considers their culture and traditions. This
explains the need for adaptation and inculturation.
Liturgy as an Encounter with God.
This can be defined as well as an encounter with God.
He comes to meet us in the celebration of His Word and His sacraments. This
implies that through the worshipping community, the faithful, both as a body
and as individual members, enter into the presence of the Triune God.
God speaks to us directly through the Sacred Scriptures (during Mass and in the
reading of the Liturgy of the Hours).
The Church offers worship to the Father, through the Son and in unity of the Holy
Spirit.
The ancient doxology4 formulary expresses: Ad Patrem (to the Father), per
Filium (through the Son), in Spiritu Sancto (Holy Spirit). This is pattern
after the Trinitarian activity in the history of salvation.
Liturgy is a personal encounter in the sense that human persons meet the three
Divine Persons according to the particular role each of these plays in the history
of salvation.
The Trinitarian Dimension of the Liturgy.
Basic Concepts:
1. Anamnesis-(Greek word) act of recalling Gods salvation
leads to epiclesis, just as the Paschal mystery led to Pentecost.
a liturgical statement in which the Church refers to the memorial character
of the Eucharist or to the Paschal mystery.
It has its origin in Jesus word at the Last Supper, Do this in memory of
me.
Called to mind by the assembly present in the liturgical act and made
present in their midst.
It is through this act of recalling that the worshippers are enabled to
experience in their lives Gods work of salvation.
The Mass and the Sacraments are always an anamnesis of Gods saving
work, a presence of His in the form of rituals and an experience of faith.
2. Epiclesis- (Greek word) completes the action of Anamnesis.
epi means over; kaleo means to call/ invoke
Is the part of Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer) by which the priest invokes the
Holy Spirit (or the power of His blessing) upon the Eucharistic bread and
wine.
The Holy Spirit consecrate the people and the sacramental elements we used in
worship.
In the liturgy, we do not only call to mind the Paschal mystery of Christ but we
also receive the Holy Spirit.
This Trinitarian dimension is expressed by the liturgy through its basic
components of anamnesis and epiclesis, whereby the different roles of the three
Divine Persons are recalled and their saving presence invoked.
The Various Liturgical Actions.

 These are actions of those that the church recognizes as part of its public
worship.
It provides certain chapters for the (1) mass, (2) the sacraments and
sacramental, (3) the divine office, (4) the liturgical year, etc. The Church claims
them as its official form of worship.
Christ is present in each of these celebrations because the liturgy is the exercise
of His priestly office.
The Holy Spirit is also bestowed in every liturgical celebrations. Therefore, every
liturgy is anamnesis of the Paschal mystery and a Pentecostal epiclesis.
The Church highly encourages the people to join in popular devotions but with
limitations that they harmonized with the liturgical seasons and in accordance
with the liturgy, in some way derived from it, and lead the people to it (SC
#13).
Liturgical Worship.
The Church made some distinction on what is liturgical and what is not.
It depends on what the church claims as its official form of worship.
These can be distinguished into:
(a) Cult of the Church (liturgy)
(b)Cult in the Church (personal devotions)
There are devotions that have been approved by the church e.g. rosary, station
of the cross, several novena prayers that are done publicly without granting
them the status of liturgical worship.
Sacrsanctum Concilium (SC) limits itself to Popular Devotions. They can also
refer in a broader sense as Popular Religiosity e.g. pilgrimages, religious drama,
dance and processions.
If religious popularity is vibrantly practiced on a certain place, it is important to
balance it with the liturgy. So that popular religiosity can share the doctrinal
content of the liturgy and liturgy itself can acquire a more popular character.
The Integral Parts of the Liturgical Celebration.
1. Sacred Music- the liturgy can be celebrated without music
SC #121: The texts intended to be sung must always be in
conformity with Catholic doctrine; indeed they should be drawn
chiefly from Holy Scripture and from liturgical sources
2. Sacred Arts- should set apart for the liturgy. It should be truly worthy, becoming
and beautiful signs and symbols of the supernatural world.
SC #122:
(a) Considered to rank among the noblest activities of mans genius,
and this applies especially to religious art and to its highest
achievement.
(b)These arts, by their very nature, are oriented toward the infinite
beauty of God which they attempt in some way to portray by the
work of human hands.
3. Sacred Furnishings- the Church has been particularly careful to see that sacred
furnishings worthily and beautifully serve the dignity of worship (SC #122).

 It is proper and fitting also to celebrate the liturgy in the ambience of beauty,
nobility and dignity, although, the liturgy can make use of the decent and
suitable place.

This is to add delight to prayer, foster oneness of spirit or invest the rites with
greater solemnity.

Each has ministerial role to play, each possesses a sacramental and symbolic
character.
CHRISTS PASCHAL MYSTERY5- principally celebrated by the Church especially in the
Liturgy.
EUCHARIST- is the center of the Churchs liturgy which commemorates the Paschal
mystery of Jesus.
Effects of Christian Liturgy.
1. It nourishes our faith and lifts our minds up to God.
2. It helps our Christian life grow every day.
3. It is the realization of our salvation and helps the faithful express Christs
mystery and the church nature in their lives.
4. It serves to edify our lives likewise contributes to the unity of humankind.
On our Faith.
Through Him, with Him and in Him our doxology, our oneness with Jesus as
He offers Himself to the Father for the expiation of our sins. As a living sacrifice, a
perfect offering acceptable to the Father for the sanctification of His Mystical Body, the
Church. Our active participation is a sign of our free- loving response to Gods
invitation of intimacy with Him. Our intimacy with God brings us to loving service
toward our neighbor. Let us participate consciously and actively in the liturgical
celebration.
1

Mediator Dei (MD)- an encyclical letter issued by Pope Pio XII, year 1945. It aims to
bring reform on the
liturgy. It suggests an active participation on the liturgy.
2
Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC)- promulgated by Pope Paul VI. A Constitution of the
Sacred Liturgy,
governing the structure and meaning of liturgy.
3
Culmen et fons- source and summit.
4
Doxology- doxa (greek word, means glory); logos (greek word, means word)
5
Paschal Mystery- Christs Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension.
III.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LITURGY
1. Trinitarian and Paschal- Churchs liturgical prayer is directed to the Triune God- God
the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
Trinitarian form takes on a Paschal quality since the liturgy celebrates the
Good News of our actual salvation worked by the Blessed Trinity through
Jesus Christs Paschal Mystery.
The Trinity, far from being an abstract God of the theologians, is the concrete
living, saving God who comes to us in the Risen Christ, and the Spirit, within
the Christian community, the Church (CCC #1084 ff; CFC #1506)
2. Ecclesial- the Liturgy is the prayer of the Church gathered in assembly.

 An ecclesial activity, celebrated by the whole Christ, Head and members (SC
#26 ff.; LG1 #10; CCC #1140)
It is the action of Jesus Christ the Priest and at the same time, an activity of
the community.
The Liturgical Assembly is arranged according to different roles:
Priest
Deacon
Readers
Ministers of music and of communion, etc.
While we all share the one holy Spirit of love, different spiritual gifts or
charisms are given to community members for the good of all. The power of
salvation is mediated through various relationships within the Church (CFC
#1507).
3. Sacramental- celebrated through symbolic rituals, words and gestures by which the
faithful both express Faith in Christ and share in the salvation symbolized.
Predominant Symbols used in the liturgy:
The Gathering of the Baptized Assembly itself;
The Natural Symbols from creation e.g. light, darkness, water, fire
Humanly Produced Symbols e.g. bread and wine, and
Christian Salvific Symbols e.g. reading and interpretation of Scripture,
the Sign of the Cross, the Paschal Candle, laying on of hands, etc.
4. Ethically Oriented- directly related to moral life by empowering full responsible
Christian discipleship.
One goal of liturgical celebrations is that we the faithful return to our
ordinary activities, newly strengthened in faith, confirmed in hope and
inspired with the power of love.
One norm for celebrating an authentic liturgical worship is our relation
with service of our neighbor (CFC #1510)
5. Eschatological- study of the last things (death, judgment, heaven and hell),
especially the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Making present Gods Kingdom already begun but not yet fully
accomplished.
The liturgy, commemorates Christs past saving Mystery, demonstrates
the present grace effects brought about by Christ, and points to the
future glory yet to all come. (CFC #1511)
This future orientation is operative now, and every moment of our daily
livesthe liturgy, calls u to share in Christs own mission of saving the
world. We are the intrinsic connection between authentic worship and
Christian moral witness (CFC #1512).
Eschatological future and the now dimensions are effectively brought
together in celebrating the feasts and seasons of the Liturgical Year (cf.
CCC #1163- 73; CFC #1513). Vatican II 2 describes how in the course
of the year, the Church unfolds the whole mystery of Christ from the
Incarnation and Nativity to the Ascension, to Pentecost and the
expectation of the blessed hope of the coming of the Lord. (SC #102;
CFC #1513)
This cycle includes the five stages:
1. The Lords Day
2. Holy Week, prepared for by Lent

3. Advent, preparing for Christmas

4. The 33- 34 Sundays of the Ordinary Time
5. Special Feasts, especially of Christ and Mary. (cf. NCDP #336-41)
On our Faith.
An authentic liturgy makes us living witnesses of Christ and to be the light of the world
and the salt of the earth. The Characteristics of the liturgy are important in forming
our faith and morality. We might find some difficulties in participating in its act of
worship to the Triune God but it is important that we are still fully, consciously and
actively participate in the liturgies. Our full participation would lead us into an
intimacy with God and towards the fulfillment of Gods Kingdom began on earth but
not yet fully accomplished.
1

Lumen Gentium (LG) (Latin word, means Light of the Nations) the Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican
Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November
1964.
2
Vatican II (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council)- addressed relations between the
Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first ecumenical council of
the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It
was formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and
closed under Pope Paul VI on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December
1965. Several changes resulted from the council, including the renewal of consecrated
life with a revised charism, ecumenical efforts towards dialogue with other religions,
and the universal call to holiness.
IV.
A.

LITURGICAL YEAR: SEASONS, COLORS, VESSELS AND VESTMENTS

LITURGICAL YEAR (note: illustration please refer to the last page)

It is also known as the Christian Year.
Consists of liturgical seasons which determines when solemnities, feasts,
memorials and commemorations are to be observed and which portion of the
Scriptures are to be read.

B.
LITURGICAL SEASON
I. ADVENT SEASON (Liturgical Color: Violet, the bluer hues of violet; Gaudete- 3 rd Sunday:
Rose)
Latin word, Adventus which means coming; Greek word, Parousia which
refers to Second coming.
Is the beginning of the liturgical year.
Season of recalling the long years of waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a four- week celebration wherein we prepare ourselves for the coming of
our Lord.
II. CHRISTMAS SEASON (Liturgical Color: White)
Refers to the period between Christmas Day to Epiphany (appearance or
manifestation)
Epiphany is a Christian Feast which celebrates the shining forth or
revelation of God to us man and woman by the form of a human which is
Jesus; also called the Twelfth Day because it is the 12th Christmas.

III. LENTEN SEASON (Liturgical Color: Violet; Laetare- 4th Sunday: Rose)
It is the season of soul- searching, repentance and reflection
Serves as the preparatory time for Easter.
Lent or Quaresma starts with Ash Wednesday and is a forty- day period before
the Palm Sunday or forty- six day until Black Saturday.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week it ends on Black Saturday before
Easter Vigil/ Season.; the last Sunday of Lent.
IV. EASTER SEASON (Liturgical Color: White)
Known as Eastertide
It comprises 7 weeks following the Easter Sunday. It includes the Feast of our
Lords Ascension which occurs after 40 days, and Pentecost Sunday, 10 days
after we celebrate the Ascension.
Essence of Easter:
1. The day we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.
2. The most important Feast of the Christian Liturgical Year.
3. It is the Feast of feasts, the Solemnity of solemnities.
4. The Great Sunday (St. Athanasius)
Why Easter is a Moveable Feast?
Easter is observed during the 1st Sunday after the 1st ecclesiastical full moon on
or after March 21 (The day of ecclesiastical vernal equinox). It dont follow the
Julian or Gregorian calendar which is according to the movement of the sun but
rather, they are based on lunar calendar similar- but not completely the same- to
the Hebrew calendar.
Note:
Vernal equinox- the day and night time are equal (Easter
Sunday)
Winter Solstice: longer nights and shorter days (Advent Season)
Summer Solstice- shorter nights and longer days (Lenten season)
ASCENCION- the ascent of Christ into heaven and on the fortieth day after the
Resurrection.
PENTECOST SUNDAY- Greek word Pentekoste it means the 50 th day after the
Easter Sunday; the feast which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the
Apostles, the Saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

V. ORDINARY TIME (Liturgical Color: Green)

C.LITURGICAL DAYS runs from midnight to midnight, with the exception of
Solemnities, Sundays and Feasts of the Lord occurring on Sundays, which begin
with Evening Prayer I on the preceding day.
1. Sundays
2. Solemnities
3. Feasts
4. Memorials
a. Obligatory
b. Optional
5. Ferial Days
D. LITURGICAL COLORS
refer to Reporters copy
E. SACRED VESTMENTS, VESSELS AND BOOKS
and Supplementary

On our Faith.
In every liturgical celebration, we are reminded of the infinite love and mercy of God
through Jesus Christ. These events are the fulfillment of Gods promises and give us
hope to live with Him forever. Living with Him forever is salvation. Salvation is a gift
and at the same time a task. We are challenged to follow Jesus footsteps, who is the
way, the truth and the life. To follow Jesus is through our observance of the Liturgical
seasons properly, prayerfully and with reverence.

jijiosa/7.2016