Liturgical Formation in the Spiritual Life

Extract

If we ask ourselves what is the place of the liturgy in a Christian life, we can only find an answer by going back to the origins of both. The origin of the liturgy is to be found in the Last Supper. Whether or not this was strictly a Paschal meal, as it would appear to be, there is no doubt that it was one of those sacred ceremonial meals which were customary among the Jews, at which certain ritual blessings were given, a ritual offering was made, and prayers and hymns were sung. We have here clearly all the elements of a liturgy. If we want to see what was the place of this liturgy in the early Church we cannot do better than turn to the Acts of the Apostles, where we read that after Pentecost, the disciples ‘occupied themselves continually with the Apostles ’teaching. their fellowship in the breaking of bread and the fixed Ries of prayer’ (Acts, 2, 42). So Mgr Knox: but another reading of the Greek gives an even better sense.