The church's liturgy

More about the book

Throughout all changes of time and across all cultural differences, the liturgy of the Church is only possible as a response to the service which God has always rendered. The Divine Service is first of all an expression of God's service to the Church, of his work for his own son's many sisters and brothers; only then is the capable of celebrating the liturgy as a response to God's action. The idea of life-creating, even deifying communication, between God and man is the central theme of the book. The first part deals with God's descent towards man, the catabatic dimension of the liturgy as God's invitation to man to enter the divine fullness of life. The second part is concerned with man's acceptance of this invitation, with man's ascent to God, the anabatic dimension of the liturgy. Those two parts from the general liturgiology, the following four parts are dedicated to special liturgical subjects: the celebration of the Eucharist, the sacraments and the benedictions, the liturgy of the Hours and other common services, the ecclesiastical year. The object of this publication is to arouse and confirm the love of the liturgy, of God's service to the multitude, and the service of the many believers for the greater glory of God.