INTRODUCTION TO LITURGY

WORSHIP

-"Worship is the rendering to God what is owed God by intelligent beings" (Virgil Michel, OSB). Human beings are made for
love and communion with God. "God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created
man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He
calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength" (CCC 1). Because we know that the greatest act of love
is a sacrifice – to lay down one's life (John 15:13) – in worship we offer a sacrifice of praise and give everything we have to
God.

LITURGY

• The word liturgy comes from a Greek term leitourgia meaning “public work” or “a service on behalf of the people.”
In the church world, liturgy is the participation of the People of God in the work of God.

• The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Vatican 2 document) says: “The liturgy is the summit toward which the
activity of the Church is directed; at the same time, it is the fountain from which all her powers flow” (10).

• Liturgy is public worship – the work of Christ and that of the Church, the Body of Christ. By virtue of our
participation in Christ's work as members of the Body, we also participate in the divine life of the Trinity, an eternal
exchange of love between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This action – liturgical participation – is our right and duty
by baptism (SC 14). As with any sacrament, the action or "doing" is all God's, but as a good parent, he invites us to
join in it, both as the worship for which we are made and for the sanctification of the world. Liturgy is an "action" of
the whole Christ" (CCC 1136).

• Christian Liturgy “is essentially an Actio Dei - an action of God which draws us into Christ through the Holy Spirit.

• The Liturgy is an action of the whole Christ - (Christus Totus) (CCC 1136), and thus “it is the whole community, the
Body of Christ united with its Head that celebrates” (CCC 1140).

NATURES OF LITURGY

1. LITURGY IS NOT SOFT.

2. LITURGY AS GOD’S WORK.
3. THE DIVERSE AND CHANGING CHARACTER OF LITURGY

LITURGY IS NOT SOFT.

• It is objectively real.
• It is not something, but someone.
• Jesus Christ becomes present and active on the liturgy.
• It is this mystery of Christ that the Church proclaims and celebrates in her liturgy… (CCC 1068)
• The church celebrates in the liturgy above all Paschal mystery (Christ’s death and resurrection) by which Christ
accomplished the work of our salvation. (CCC 1067)
• However, these past events are not repeated, as if they were incomplete when first done on history.
• The paschal mystery of Christ is celebrated, not repeated. It is the celebrations that are repeated. (CCC 104)
• Christ said on the Cross, “it is finished!” (John 19:30)
LITURGY AS GOD’S WORK.
• The word “Liturgy” means “work” or public worship.
• The essence of the liturgy is the actual work or deed done by God’s grace in Christ, not the humanly invented
ceremonies that carry it.
• It is not merely something we do, but something God does.
• In addition to being a work of God, liturgy isa also a work of man- not an addition to God’s work, but a participation
in God’s work.
• In Christian tradition, it means the participation of the People of God in the work of God. (CCC 1069)
THE DIVERSE AND CHANGING CHARACTER OF LITURGY
• Liturgy has more diversity and change than creed because it is joint work of God and man, not just a work of God.
• Though the forms of the liturgy are diverse and changeable, its substance is not; it is hard and resistant and sharp as
the Cross.
• “The mystery celebrated in the liturgy is one, but the forms of its celebration are diverse” (CCC 1200)
• “For the mystery of Christ is so unfathomably rich that it cannot be exhausted by its expression in any single
liturgical tradition…” (CCC 1201)
• The fundamental rule for all things in the Church can be summarized in this famous threefold formula from Saint
Augustine:
1. In essentials, unity.
2. In non-essentials, diversity.
3. In all things, charity.
In essentials, unity.
• In the liturgy, there is an immutable part, a part that is divine ly instituted and of which the Church is the guardian,
and parts that can be changed, which the Church has the power and on occasion also the duty to adapt to the
cultures of recently evangelized peoples.
• The changes in adaptation are for the sake of better propagating the unchanging essence of the liturgy, not for
propagating the unchanging essence of the liturgy, not for the sake of change itself.
In non-essentials, diversity.
• The Catholic Church has many different rites, for “catholic” means “universal”, and universal means many in one or
one in many.
• The Church is catholic, capable of integrating into her unity, while purifying them, all the authentic riches of cultures.
(CCC 1202)
• In order for the mystery of Christ be made known to all the nations…, it must be proclaimed, celebrated, and lived in
all cultures in such a way that they themselves are not abolished by it, but redeemed and fulfilled. (CCC 1204)
In all things, charity.
• Liturgical diversity can be a source of enrichment, but it can also provoke tensions, mutual misunderstandings, and
even schisms. In this matter diversity must not damage unity. It must express only fidelity to the common faith…
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN PERSON

LOVER OF WISDOM

Pythagoras, a Greek mathematician (580-500BC), coined the term Philosophia (love of wisdom).

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Philosophy is the sum of all men’s belief and views about the world which guide their actions (Ariola 1989).

Philosophy is a rational critical thinking of a more or less systematic kind about the conduct of life (Ethics), general nature of
the world (Cosmology) and justification of beliefs (Epistemology). (Encyclopedia America 2013)

Philosophy is the science of all things by their ultimate principles and causes, as known by natural reason alone. Philosophy
is the only science that investigates all things in their ultimate causes, views and principles through reason alone (Pinion).

Ancient Greek Philosophers

 Pythagoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE)- A mathematician and scientist, he was credited with formulating the Pythagorean
theorem. He proposes transmigration as the ultimate end of existence.

 Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE)- He devoted himself to the study of the causes of natural phenomena. Origin of
Atom theory.

 Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323 BCE)- He was a known advocate of living a simple and virtuous life. Cynicism –
Virtuous life.

 Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE)- He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life of happiness.
Epicureanism – pleasure as ultimate goal.

 Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)- He was considered the foremost philosophers of ancient times. He was credited with
formulating the Socratic method- means of examining a topic by devising a series of questions that let the learner
examine and analyze his knowledge and views regarding the topic.

 Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE)- A student of Socrates, he wrote down his mentor’s teaching and incorporated some of
his own ideas into them. Plato’s most significant ideas included his Theory of Forms, which proposes that everything
that exist is based on an idea or template than can only be perceived in the mind. Plato is also known for his
dialectic- a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas are discussed in an attempt to arrive at new knowledge.
Plato’s lasting contribution to learning was his founding of the Academy, an institution of higher learning.

 Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)- He attended the Academy, and was the prominent student of Plato. For him, all
ideas and views are based on perception and our reality is based on what we can sense and perceive. His studies in
logic led to the formulation of a formal process of analyzing reasoning which give rise to deductive reasoning-the
process by which specific statements are analyzed to reach a conclusion or generalization

Branches of Philosophy

 Aesthetics is the branch of Philosophy which deals with the appreciation and meaning of beauty and what makes
things “beautiful”.

 Logic is branch of philosophy which deals with correct reasoning.

 Epistemology discusses the nature of Truth, knowledge and knowing.

 Ethics is the branch which deals with moral questions and dilemmas.

 Political Philosophy studies governments and deals with questions of justice, power and the rights and obligations
of citizens.

 Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy which deals with questions regarding reality and existence.

 Existentialism- A philosophical theory which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and
responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will.

 Phenomenology- it is a Philosophy of experience. Its method is descriptive analysis of the life world experience of
the individual capable of experiencing.

 Philosophy of the Human Person-is an area in philosophy that attempts to understand the human person from a
philosophical perspective.