It is rather Christ Himself who is ever living in His Church.His mysteries are ever present and active they still influence us because each mystery brings its own special grace for our salvation." Pope Pius XII explains in "Mediator Dei": "The liturgical year devotedly fostered and accompanied by the Church, is not a cold and lifeless representation of the events of the past, or a simple and bare record of a former age. Her feasts are not merely an historical commemoration of the life of Christ they are not merely an example to inspire us-they are the re-living of the whole work of Christ on earth by His Mystical Body. The Divine Office with its readings, psalms, hymns and prayers extends the theme and spirit of the Mass through the whole day, enveloping us in the particular mystery which the Church is celebrating.įor the Church not only re-presents the great mysteries of Christ in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in the Divine Office-but she allows us actually to re-live these mysteries through our participation in her prayer. We meet Christ, too, in the Divine Office, the official prayer of the Church, which an increasing number of families and lay apostolic groups today are adopting and adapting as their family and community prayer. Moreover, all these family customs and observances in the school, parish, and apostolic group, should lead us back to the Mass and to a more meaningful participation in this great central Act of our lives where we meet Christ and grow in grace. If each successive Christmas season is to plunge us ever more deeply into the mysteries of Christ, it is necessary that all our celebrations and customs be an overflow of our participation in the holy Sacrifice of the altar. THE HEART AND CENTER OF THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY Theme Song for the Last Days of Advent from Vespers for the Fourth Sunday Blow ye the trumpet in Sion, for the day of the Lord is nigh: behold, He shall come to save us, Alleluia, Alleluia!
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