MEDIATOR DEI
The Liturgical Cycle:
The Mass and the Divine Office center especially around the person of Christ throughout the entire year, and so our Savior dominates the scene in the mysteries of His humiliation, redemption, and triumph. While the liturgy calls to mind the mysteries of our Lord, it aims at making all take their part in these mysteries. Thus the divine Head with the fullness of His holiness will live in all the members of His Mystical Body. By these suitable methods the liturgy at stated times proposes the life of Christ for our meditation. Thus the Church shows us examples to imitate, and reveals treasures of sanctity for us to make our own, since it is only right for the mind to believe what the lips sing and that what is believed should be practiced in public and private life.
The liturgical year is a sublime hymn of praise offered to the heavenly Father by the Christian family through Jesus Christ their personal Mediator. It requires prayerful study on our part to be able to know and praise our Redeemer more and more. It requires effort and practice to imitate His mysteries, to enter willingly upon His path of sorrow, and thus finally share His eternal joy and happiness.
[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]
The Mass and the Divine Office center especially around the person of Christ throughout the entire year, and so our Savior dominates the scene in the mysteries of His humiliation, redemption, and triumph. While the liturgy calls to mind the mysteries of our Lord, it aims at making all take their part in these mysteries. Thus the divine Head with the fullness of His holiness will live in all the members of His Mystical Body. By these suitable methods the liturgy at stated times proposes the life of Christ for our meditation. Thus the Church shows us examples to imitate, and reveals treasures of sanctity for us to make our own, since it is only right for the mind to believe what the lips sing and that what is believed should be practiced in public and private life.
The liturgical year is a sublime hymn of praise offered to the heavenly Father by the Christian family through Jesus Christ their personal Mediator. It requires prayerful study on our part to be able to know and praise our Redeemer more and more. It requires effort and practice to imitate His mysteries, to enter willingly upon His path of sorrow, and thus finally share His eternal joy and happiness.
[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]
