The Celebration of the

Christian Mystery

Topic 8
Etymology of the Word

The term LITURGY: is from 2 Greek words compounded, namely;

LAOS = people, assembly, public

ERGON = work, service.
THUS, LITURGY means PUBLIC SERVICE
Development of its Usage
I- PRE-CHRISTIAN ERA

● “Leitourgia” (Gk) mean “Public works”

● It is work, activity, or service for the people and for the benefit of
the community.
● EARLY RELIGIOUS USAGE. For the Greeks, Liturgy has become more frequently used in socio, civic,
and political areas. Then a development came when it was seen as service to the gods in their
“mystery religions”. Thus, the development of the usage of liturgy begun with service, public in
character and a sense of obligation, and later on became the service for the gods with its cultic
significance.

II EARLY CHRISTIAN ERA

● Liturgy is used in the Christian ritual of worship. Thus, it was narowed down to
designate public worship of the Church.
Development of its Usage
III- ROMAN CATHOLIC TRADITION

● Liturgy designates the official public worship of the Church.

OFFICIAL means that it is authorized by and takes place in
communion with the local bishop according to the norms
approved by the Roman See. PUBLIC means that it is the activity
of an assembly of believers visibly gathered. WORSHIP means
that it is a prayer.
● PCP II’s stress on full, active participation of the whole People
of God __ everyone __ and the essential inner connection of
liturgy with social action (cf. SC 26f; CCC 1140f).
WHAT IS A SACRED LITURGY?
● The Sacred Liturgy is the true worship of God, enacted by
Jesus Christ and his body, the Church, through the power
of the Holy Spirit.

● Vatican II describes the liturgy as: “an exercise of the priestly

office of Jesus Christ” in which our human “sanctification is
manifested by signs perceptible to the senses and is effected in a
way proper to each of these signs,” so that “full public worship is
performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the
Head and his members” (cf. SC 7).
●
WHAT IS A SACRED LITURGY?
● Eucharist is the CENTER of the Church’s
liturgy which commemorates the Paschal
Mystery of our Lord Jesus Christ __ His
Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension,
and the sending of the Holy Spirit (cf. SC
5).
●
WHAT IS A SACRED LITURGY?
● The Sacred Liturgy is the true worship of God, enacted by
Jesus Christ and his body, the Church, through the power
of the Holy Spirit.

● Vatican II describes the liturgy as: “an exercise of the priestly

office of Jesus Christ” in which our human “sanctification is
manifested by signs perceptible to the senses and is effected in a
way proper to each of these signs,” so that “full public worship is
performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the
Head and his members” (cf. SC 7).
●
WHAT IS A SACRED LITURGY?
● Vatican II: affirms that
● -“Liturgy is the summit toward which
the activity of the Church is
directed.”
● -“the fountain from which all her
(Church) power flows.”(SC 9-10; CCC 1074)
●
TWO-FOLD FUNCTIONS OF LITURGY

1.To give honor and praise to God - Worship

2.To obtain blessings for the human race-
Sanctification
Essential Qualities of the Liturgy
1. Trinitarian and Paschal : directed to the Father, through His
Son’s Paschal Mystery in the Holy Spirit
2. Ecclesial : celebrated by the whole Church, Head & members
3. Sacramental : celebrated through symbolic rituals, words and
gestures by which the faithful both express Faith in Christ and
share in the salvation symbolized.
4. Ethically Oriented : directly related to moral life by empowering
full responsible Christian discipleship
5. Eschatological: making present God’s Kingdom already begun
but not yet fully accomplished.
What does the Church stresses in the Liturgy
today?
❖ Today, the Church stresses full,
conscious, and active
participation in the Liturgy. (SC 14)
THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR/YEAR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZhQMaFTYVc
THE LITURGICAL
⦿ Time has an YEAR
important place in our
spiritual life:
⦿ It helps us reconnect
with God.

⦿ There are two types

of time:
⦿ Chronos and Kairos
THE LITURGICAL YEAR
⦿ Chronos is the time
we measure.
⦿ Ex: hours, days,
weeks, minutes
⦿ Kairos is the Lord’s
time.
⦿ It is God’s special
time.
⦿ Kairos reveals his will
THE
⦿ LITURGICAL
The Liturgical year or YEAR
Church calendar helps
us celebrate the life,
death and
resurrection of Jesus.
⦿ This is called the
paschal mystery.
THE LITURGICAL
⦿ The Paschal mystery
CYCLE
is celebrated through
specific seasons.
⦿ There are five
specific seasons in the
Church’s calendar:
⦿ Advent, Christmas,
Ordinary Time, Lent
and Easter.
THE
⦿ LITURGICAL
The Liturgical year is YEAR
a cycle of seasons
repeating itself at the
end of each cycle.
⦿ The Church year or
cycle begins with
Advent and ends with
ordinary time.
THE
⦿ LITURGICAL
The Church calendar YEAR
or Church year begins
with the Holy season
of Advent.
⦿ The Church year
begins in late
November or Early
December.
⦿ Four weeks prior to
December 25.
THE
⦿
LITURGICAL
The word liturgy YEAR
comes from the Greek
word “Leitourgia”
⦿ Leitourgia mean
“Public Works”
⦿ In Church language
liturgy is the public
worship given to God.
⦿ I.E. Mass and
sacraments.
LITURGICAL YEAR
⦿ Through the Liturgical
Calendar Christians
express their faith in
Christ their saviour.
⦿ Each season of the
Liturgical year
celebrates an
important aspect of
Christ’s life.
THE
⦿EachLITURGICAL
season in the ⦿YEAR
Each season has
Liturgical calendar
different religious
has a particular
theme. practices, and
symbols.
⦿ Each season has a
particular
liturgical color.
⦿ Each season
concentrates on
different parts of
the Bible.
 COLORS OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR
⦿ Advent Christmas Ordinary Lent Easter

Purple White Green Purple White

Symbols
Advent wreath Nativity Chi-Ro Ashes Paschal Candle
THEMES
Advent Christmas Ordinary Lent Easter
Time

Awaiting for the The Birth The Public Repentance New Life
Messiah
Preparing for Of Christ Ministry Conversion Resurrection
Christmas The Incarnation Of Christ
Final Judgement Penance Witnessing
THE LITURGICAL YEAR
WAYS TO CELEBRATE THESE SEASONS
Advent Christmas Ordinary Lent Easter
Time

Prayer Reconciliation Discipleship Prayer Sharing our

Acts of Kindness following Jesus’ faith with
Good deeds Peacemaking teaching in the Fasting
routine of every
others
Penance Almsgiving
day life.
LITURGICAL DAYS
1. SUNDAY
-It is the original feast day and the weekly commemoration of
the Resurrection of the Lord going back to the apostolic times.
Thus, it is a day of special importance and can be replaced only
by solemnities or feasts of the Lord.

2. SOLEMNITIES
-It is a feast day of greatest importance and can have as its
content a mystery of the Lord or a saint.
LITURGICAL DAYS
These are the following solemnities:
January 1 – Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God,
January 6– Epiphany, March
19 - St. Joseph,
March 25 – Annunciation,
June 24 – John the Baptist,
June 29 – Peter and Paul,
August 15 – Assumption
November 1 – All Saints
December 8 – Immaculate Conception
December 25 – Christmas.
Moreover, these are the movable Feasts: Holy Trinity, Corpus Cristi,
Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Christ the King
LITURGICAL DAYS
3. FEASTS
These are commemorative celebrations of an event of the life of
Christ or of a saint that is of special importance. (Feb. 2- Presentation
of the Lord, Au.6, Transfiguration)

4. MEMORIAL
-It is a simple remembrance of a saint, and whenever possible it
is celebrated on his/her birthday to eternal life, i.e. on the day of
his/her death.