Liturgy November 19
Therefore, when this wonderful song of praise is rightly performed . . . it is truly the voice of the bride addressed to her bridegroom; it is the very prayer which Christ Himself, together with His body, addresses to the Father (Vatican Council II, SC 84).
The liturgy of the Christian community is the prayer of the whole Church, Head and members. The members communicate with the Head in the liturgy, receiving its life from him. The liturgy brings to the members of the Church the grace of the Paschal Mystery of Christ. In the liturgy, Christ saves the life of his Body. And the members thank him. The liturgy is, in effect, the nuptial communication between Christ, the Spouse, and the the Church, his bride. At the same time, the salvation of the world is always the result of the unique intercession of Christ that he makes by his Cross and that he continues eternally as the Resurrected One before his Father. Because it is not possible to separate Head and Body, Christ and his Christians, what Christ does is also done by his members. Its is the whole Church, Head and members, who pray to the Father for the salvation of the world. The members of the Church are associated with the sacrificial love of Christ by the gift of themselves in him to the Father. So, the liturgy is at the same time the nuptial communication between the Head and the Body and the re-presentation of the Paschal Mystery for the sake of the world.
The bride of the Lord is she who is given to him. (Shi)
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