…participation of the People of God in the work of God.
The liturgy is especially celebrated in signs and symbols:
- signs of the human world
- signs of the covenant
- signs taken up by Christ
- sacramental signs
See Catechism of the Catholic Church #1145-1152
The signs and symbols make present the invisible reality. God takes normal elements of life and elevates them to become signs of the covenant. The things Jesus actually said and did have actual power that is communicated to us in the sacraments.
God has written this into reality/humanity. God speaks to us through visible creation – we can read traces of our creator there.
Worship:
We get to express our response to God – we offer worship to him. The whole assembly is worshipping – each has an office to perform. The heart of religion is worship and the heart of worship is sacrifice.
Participation:
Our role: first, to be present.
We delight in the presence of community to pray together. We bond through the breaking of the bread and sharing of the cup.
“…another key to enriching our experience lies with reading and praying with the texts of the liturgy just as we have discovered the importance of reading and praying with the Bible…” – Baldovin
You don’t need to add jobs for everyone because everyone already has a job by reason of their Baptism as Kingdom priests. (We still, of course, need the ministerial priesthood too!)
United your heart to His heart and your mind and consciousness to what he is saying. The congregation con-celebrates the liturgy (celebrates with) – they exercise their kingdom priesthood.
Small Catholic 