All Illustrations previously published on Zephyrinus’ Blog.
Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless stated otherwise.
In a special manner does she exercise her Divine Commission by means of Sacramentals and Preaching.
The Sacramentals are all the observances and Holy things used by The Church in her Worship, and especially at Mass, as, for instance, the Ceremonies, Rites, Objects, and Prayers, etc.
Preaching is often attached to the acts of Worship; indeed, The Mass is a Catechism, whereby, in the course of the year, The Church inculcates her dogmatic truths and moral precepts by investing them with the visible beauty of Ceremonies and Chant.
“In instructing the people in the Divine truths and raising them to spiritual and interior joys”, said Pope Pius XI, “the splendours of the Liturgy are more efficacious than documents of the Ecclesiastical Magisterium and even more important”.
We should cultivate in our minds a deep respect for the Missal. It contains the very expression of The Church’s Prayer, and is the framework of her most august Rites of Consecration and Communion.
It shares with the Sacred Species the right to be placed upon the Altar. In the light of the Sacred Text contained in the Missal, the Altar becomes each day before our eyes a corner of Palestine, where we celebrate with Jesus the events of His life: His coming (Advent); His birth (Christmas); His Preaching (Lent); His suffering and death (Passion); His Resurrection (Easter); His Ascension and the coming of The Holy Ghost (Pentecost).
Whereby, we receive those special Graces which Holy Communion infuses into our Souls.
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Thus, in the Liturgy, the whole Mystical Body of Christ lives again the life of The Master, in imitating His virtues and examples.
The Missal is thus the sure guide by which The Church, charged with the care of Souls, traces herself in us, with a maternal solicitude, and we should follow it in order to attain unto God, through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
This completes the Article on Liturgical Worship.
