杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

Addressing members of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Sant'Anselmo in the Vatican on Saturday, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that their meeting, celebrating 60 years since the institution鈥檚 foundation, 鈥渃ame about as a response to the growing need of the People of God to live and participate more intensely in the liturgical life of the Church鈥�. He noted that their institution's dedication to the study of the liturgy is well recognised and that experts that were trained in their classrooms promote the liturgical life of many dioceses in very different cultural contexts.

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to note three dimensions that emerge clearly from the Council鈥檚 drive for the renewal of liturgical life. These are: active and fruitful participation in the liturgy; ecclesial communion animated by the celebration of the Eucharist and the Sacraments of the Church; and the impetus to the evangelising mission from the liturgical life that involves all the baptised.

Active participation in liturgical life

Speaking, firstly, of the formation to live and promote active participation in liturgical life, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that it is an aspect that should encourage the members of the institution to 鈥渇oster, as the Council wished, this fundamental dimension of Christian life鈥�. He explained that here, the key is 鈥渢o educate people to enter into the spirit of the liturgy鈥� and that in order to do this 鈥渋t is necessary to be imbued with this spirit鈥�.to feel its mystery, with an ever-new wonder鈥�. The liturgy is not something you possess, continued the 杏MAP导航, but rather, it is learned and celebrated, through active participation 鈥渢o the extent that one enters into its spirit鈥�. It is neither a question of rites, but rather the mystery of Christ, who once and for all revealed and fulfilled the sacred, the sacrifice and the priesthood: Worship in spirit and in truth. 鈥淥nly in this way can participation translate into a greater sense of the Church, which makes us live evangelically in every time and in every circumstance鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航.

Growing in ecclesial communion

Speaking then of the second point, the institution's dedication to liturgical study on the part of both professors and students, 鈥渁lso makes you grow in ecclesial communion鈥�, noted the 杏MAP导航. He explained that giving glory to God in the liturgy finds its counterpart 鈥渋n love of neighbour, in the commitment to live as brothers and sisters in everyday situations, in the community in which we find ourselves, with its merits and limitations鈥�. It is the path to true sanctification, he added. Therefore, the formation of the People of God is a fundamental task for living a fully ecclesial liturgical life.

Each celebration ends with mission

The 杏MAP导航 then turned to the third and final aspect, that every liturgical celebration always ends with mission. 鈥淲hat we live and celebrate leads us to go out to meet others, to meet the world around us, to meet the joys and needs of so many who perhaps live without knowing the gift of God鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. Genuine liturgical life, especially the Eucharist, always impels us to charity, 鈥渨hich is above all openness and attention to others鈥�, he added, stressing that this dimension, then, 鈥渙pens us to dialogue, to encounter, to the ecumenical spirit, to welcome鈥�.

Faith in the mystery

杏MAP导航 Francis then reiterated the importance of liturgical life and the study of it leading to 鈥済reater ecclesial unity鈥�, stressing that 鈥渢he liturgy must be studied while remaining faithful to this mystery鈥�.

Bringing his discourse to a close, the 杏MAP导航 notes that 鈥渢he challenges of our world and of the present moment are very strong鈥� and that for this reason, 鈥渢he Church needs today as always to live by the liturgy鈥�. Finally, the 杏MAP导航 thanked the members of the institution for the service they render to the Church and encouraged them to 鈥渃arry it forward in the joy of the Spirit鈥�.