Sunday, December 2, 2012

The Angelic Liturgy

This icon depicts the angels
carrying the gifts
for the Great Entrance.

            Angels fill the Divine Liturgy. The Little Entrance recalls the concelebration of angels. The Great Entrance recalls the angelic escort of the King. In the Anaphora, the triumphal hymn is introduced as angelic praise of God, to which we add our Liturgy. These symbols of angelic presence in the Liturgy reveal the reality that the Liturgy takes place also in heaven where angels ceaselessly worship God. Liturgy is not only material, but also spiritual, not only human, but also angelic. Angels remind us that to worship our spiritual God liturgically “in truth,” we must worship him “in spirit” (John 4:24).

Posted by John R.P. Russell at 12:00 AM 0 comments
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