Conversations with a Catholic 5: Liturgy

My conversation with Brian, a Roman Catholic, continues. You can read previous posts by clicking on the links below.

Conversations with a Catholic 1: The Church
Conversations with a Catholic 2: Tradition
Conversations with a Catholic 3: Glasses
Conversations with a Catholic 4: Interpreting Scripture 

Brian’s Letter 

Let me address the Eucharist, statues and icons, etc. later. Remember, a 2000 year old Church has a lot more to explain than does a church started two weeks ago in someone’s living room. Getting too much thrown at me leads to a disjointed discussion which accomplishes little.

For now, I think it’s important to return to your statement that you don’t see hierarchy and liturgy in scripture. I didn’t go in depth with regards to hierarchy and only cited a passing example or two, which were summarily pooh-poohed. But, let me exert a more thorough attempt at showing liturgy. (Although more thorough, it scarcely scratches the surface, but you should be able to catch the gist of it.)

This isn’t about “proof texts”, but is more an arms length view of scripture. So, lay your Baptist glasses on the desk for a moment, and try on these Catholic glasses…

First, for definition sake, liturgy is ritual public worship that is sacrificial. The NT speaks of John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, fulfilling his time of priestly “service” in the Temple. Luke uses the Greek word “leitourgeios” to describe this. That’s basically the root of the word, and the Jews had liturgical worship, and Christians have liturgical worship. Indeed, virtually every page of scriptures points to liturgy.

Recall the Genesis creation story. In Genesis 1 and 2 we see a divine liturgy. God could have created the world in a split second, yet he did so in a progression and a procession over 6 days. Then on the seventh day, the consecration so to speak, took place as the seventh day was declared holy. Consider this as you recall Solomon’s building of the temple. Though a mammoth undertaking, he made certain is was built so that it could be completed to be consecrated in the seventh year. Not proof texts, yet these are illustrative of liturgy. Know that over half of the Pentateuch is liturgical ritual worship.

Consider Noah, who was called to gather “clean” animals (a liturgical reference to the clean animals required for sacrifice). Once off the ark, a sacrifice was made and a renewal of the covenant. You know a covenant is more than law… it’s kinship, and more than that, it’s how that family celebrates its familial life. This is liturgy. Liturgy provides entrance to this covenantal family… circumcision in the OT, and baptism in the NT. Also, God renews his covenant. The OT says in places, “… and God remembered his covenant.” Does anyone think he forgot it? No, remembering his covenant means renewing his covenant. That’s liturgy. This liturgical, covenantal relationship to the OT Jews took the form of festivals, Passover, the Day of Atonement, the feast of Tabernacles, and pilgrimages, all following the calendar.

Jesus can be seen observing such as stories of his childhood tell us of his life revolving around the Temple in Jerusalem. And all four gospels contain stories where he returned to the Temple throughout his ministry. Mark’s gospel in particular is disproportionately centered on the 6 or 7 days leading up to the passion (the sacrifice of the New Covenant). This coincided with the Passover feast. Passover is where the Jews would kill the unblemished lamb, spread his blood, and they would eat the lamb. One cannot miss the liturgical parallel of this and the Last Supper and Crucifixion. This is also reminiscent of Ex 19-24 where the Book of the Covenant is mentioned, and the covenant is sealed as the sacrifice is made and the blood is thrown upon the alter, the Book, and the people.

But, you may be thinking, I see what you are saying, but you Catholics take it too far with your rituals bordering on superstition, especially as contained in the Mass. Not so! What do we find in the book of Revelation?… an alter, a Lamb, a Book, candles, incense, virgin priests (celibacy anyone?), robes, and those involved are chanting “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Hmmm… All that liturgy kinda sounds like the Mass to me. What about the walk to Emmaus? Jesus tells the two disciples how scripture is fulfilled (the Word), and they finally see him in the “breaking of the bread” (the Eucharist). That’s why the Mass contains two parts, the “liturgy of the Word” and the “liturgy of the Eucharist,” and in the Mass we read OT readings, psalms, and a Gospel reading in the liturgy of the Word, and we celebrate communion in the liturgy of the Eucharist.

Lastly, let me say that the OT promises are fulfilled in Christ’s sacrifice, for he said he didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, and this fulfillment doesn’t end with his sacrifice, for these promises live in the life of the Church and it’s people and is renewed through the sacraments. Liturgy inseparably links the body of Christ and the communion of saints for all time as it enables us to step into the stream-bed of salvation history.

Through liturgy, Christ’s sacrifice becomes a present reality. His sacrifice, once, for all, is mysteriously ever-present before the Father. Liturgy plugs us into that. Contrast my broad illustrations of “liturgical worship” in this email with the much of Protestantism’s idea of worship… singing and preaching a sermon. That’s not to say those aren’t commendable, but they don’t contain the fullness of all that worship is. Ultimately, if nothing else, Christians should get “worship” right. But, what is the fullness of worship… appreciating a sunset, a hymn, good preaching? I don’t think so. Fortunately, God provided the means to worship as he desires. I know what that is, and I pray that all will worship in accord with what he has laid out for us in liturgy.

This conversation continues here.