SSF 214 - Liturgies and Devotions of the Byzantine Rite

God’s Dwelling Places

1. Introduction

The course has awakened my interest about the importance of the architecture of churches. Indeed,
God dwells with a sinful people who experience His glory. God became flesh and become one with us. It
is interesting to take note that the Byzantine Rite has a distinctive church architecture. Byzantine
structures featured soaring spaces and sumptuous decoration: marble columns and inlay, mosaics on the
vaults, inlaid-stone pavements, and sometimes gold coffered ceilings. The design is meant to facilitate
our encounter with God in order to be in union with Him and with others so we can experience His glory.

2. Experiencing God’s Glory through Churches

Churches are sacred places where we go to be in communion with God and others. There are several
thoughts that came to me.

2.1. Filling the walls with prayer

The Founder of Notre Dame de Vie Institute, Blessed Fr. Marie Eugene of the Child Jesus-, insisted
that we must “fill the walls with prayer.” We have Houses of Solitude and we stay there for 3 weeks
every year. This reminds me that our parish church and rectory must be filled with prayer.

2.2. Atmosphere of Prayer

St. John Paul II had visited so many countries during his pontificate. He would always visit shrines in
the countries. Some would say that he went there because of the tradition of prayer in those shrines.
There is the living tradition of prayer because people had prayed in those places. St. John Paul II was also
a pilgrim among pilgrims. He emphasized the centrality of prayer. Our parishes must become “schools of
prayer” so that people can deepen their relationship with God and with one another. We teach people
about many things. We must also teach them how to pray.

2.3. Pilgrimages

One parish activity that I love and promote is leading pilgrimages. Some people think that they
must go to other countries in order to have a pilgrimage. I lead them to shrines near our diocese so even
the poor can join us. We keep the cost affordable so people can join. We assign prayer leaders in every
shrine or church and we try to minimize talking so it is a day of prayer and reflection. It facilitates
encounter with God and the people become closer to one another. We also share our food with one
another so that everyone can eat with satisfaction. They grow closer to God and to one another. God
builds communion. It is still difficult so we will have an online virtual pilgrimage so that we can still do it
despite the pandemic.

3. Conclusion

The lockdowns during pandemic prevented the people from going to the church. This led us to re-
discover the importance of the families as domestic churches. We encouraged the parishioners to pray.
They have small altars in their houses. We also distributed prayer pamphlets that will help them to pray.
We asked the parents to teach their children to pray. The pandemic had closed our main church but it re-
invigorated our domestic churches. We hope that we will become a community that prays. God dwells
also within us so we must always remember this. We are God’s dwelling places. A few weeks ago, the
Gospel was about the Transfiguration. Prayer transforms the person because there is encounter leading
to union with Him and can also transform our families and the world provided that we ask the Lord to
teach us how to pray.

Liturgy: Towards Union with God and His People

1. Introduction

During the height of the pandemic, online celebrations were the norm. Last Holy Week, we only had
online celebrations. I am really thankful to the Social Communications Ministry for their role so that the
people can participate online.

After the cases went down, many people went back to the Church especially the elders. I talked with
some of them and they told me that they still prefer onsite celebrations because they can receive Holy
Communion. The central importance of the Liturgy is highlighted as the means of encountering God and
the Church.

2. Three Important Reminders about the Liturgy

2.1. Liturgy involves the entire community

When we were studying Ecclesiology, we used a book by Archbishop Bruno Forte. The title is the
Church: Icon of the Trinity. The Church comes from the Trinity, journeys with the Trinity through history
and fulfills itself in the Trinity.

It brings us into communion with God and with one another so the Liturgy must be an action of the
entire community. One effect of the pandemic is the longing of our community to celebrate the
sacraments. I notice this in the way they listen to the Word of God, in singing and in receiving
Communion.

I attribute this to our Lord who is present in every liturgical action. When the Church baptizes, it is
really Christ who baptizes. So, it is the Lord who acts primarily in every liturgical celebration.

2.2. Liturgy takes place in time

Time is one of the most important gifts of God to us. We must devote ourselves to God. The Liturgy
of the Hours is there to help us sanctify the day. It keeps us in contact with God.

The most important liturgical service is the Eucharist. It is the fulfillment of all the other services. It
is primarily thanksgiving to God. It becomes truly Church through the Eucharist. I remember an old
Christian saying, “the Eucharist makes the Church, the Church makes the Eucharist.”

In the Eucharist (Greek for "thanksgiving"), the Church presents itself and all creation to God, after
the example of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our great high priest. It is in this act of thanksgiving that
the Church becomes what God intends for it to be; in a certain sense, it is the Eucharist that makes the
Church. Here, we have several celebrations in the Church. We have enough intervals between
celebrations so that we do not rush the celebrations.

2.3 Liturgy has a goal

It is very important to point out the goal of the Liturgy. It is primarily union with God. We also do
several actions like conversion from our sins, glorify God, thanking God and asking for His saving actions.
Everything must be focused on helping people encounter God so that they can journey towards
communion with Him. This union depends so much on the Trinity who transforms us through the
celebration. We must express our faith in the Liturgy. On our part, our words and actions must flow from
our faith.

3. Conclusion

The Liturgy that we celebrate has to flow into our daily lives. There must be no dichotomy nor
compartmentalization between what we celebrate and how we live. This came to be that as we help the
poor through our programs, it is the fruit of our encounter with God through the Liturgy especially the
Eucharist. We try to involve as many people as possible and we offer the time to God as thanksgiving. In
living our faith in everyday life, our relationship with God deepens more so we can advance towards
union with God.

The Liturgical Year

Introduction

There is a tendency to focus on the holidays during the year. Those days are important as we have to
remember important events that happened. Here in the Philippines, many wait for those days because
those are holidays.

The historical events are significant but our primary attention must be on the principal events in the
life of Our Lord and his Mother. We must also celebrate the lives of the saints. We also celebrate the
significant events in the life of the Church like Pentecost and others. The cycle of feasts, fasts and
commemorations that we celebrate each year is called the liturgical year.

2. The Liturgical Year

2.1. The liturgical year is a school of prayer

St. John Paul II said in Novo Millenio Ineunte [33] that the parish must be a school of prayer. The
parish has so many programs and activities. It must start, be sustained and be completed in prayer.
Decisions in the parish must be rooted in prayer. There must be an encounter with our Lord so that we
can fall in love with Him and follow Him. The role of the priest is very crucial because he must give
witness to the necessity of prayer. The celebrations during the liturgical year will help us to pray so that
we can deepen our relationship with God and with one another.

2.2. The liturgical year is a source of God's grace.

When we celebrate, we do not just recall events in the past. We enter and join the celebration of
an event that God makes present. It is the Lord who pours grace to the world. We must become
channels of grace so that transformation happens in the persons, communities and the world. Our faith,
hope and love increase whenever we encounter God.

2.3. Finally, the liturgical year is a means of union with Christ.

The goal of the Liturgy is union with God. This very important. There was a tendency to focus on
externals and forget what is essential. For me, the crucial question is this. Will this assist the people to
encounter God? If what we do leads to attention to us, it must not be done. Liturgy is primarily God’s
action. God gathers, blesses and unites the people to Himself. We must be open and surrender ourselves
to Him.

3. Conclusion

Our class made me realize that I must follow and observe faithfully the Liturgical Year. There are some
possible actions that can help me and the community entrusted to my care.

-Liturgical Calendar- I can post a diagram of the Liturgical and explain it. I have a calendar that
shows the Daily Readings and Liturgical celebrations.

-Catechesis- This is very important in order to deepen our understanding of the Liturgical Year. Luis
Antonio Cardinal Tagle has a program called “The Word Exposed”. He explains the Sunday Readings and
the last part is called the Faith Exposed where he explains an important truth of our faith. He also
discusses a liturgical celebration during that Sunday.

-Readings- the Daily Scripture Readings and practicing Lectio Divina can truly facilitate the
encounter with God. I always remind the parishioners to read and pray over the Readings before
participating in the Eucharist so that they will be more open to the action of the Lord.

Celebrating the Liturgy is not just about the past. The mystery becomes present every time we
celebrate with faith. This will help transform the person, the family and the community into a praying,
celebrating and loving community and brings us closer to God.

Sacraments: An Encounter with the Father through Christ and the Spirit

1. Introduction

The session today is very interesting. The celebrations of the sacraments in the Byzantine Rite made
me appreciate the Faith that we share. We can really learn and enrich one another.

2. Sacraments: A Description from the Catechism for Filipino Catholics

2.1. A saving symbolic act or a visible sign

In the Philippines, we have this common idea that we “receive” the Sacraments. However, we have
to remember that we celebrate the sacraments. It is the Lord who acts in order to save us. It is visible
and sensible so the encounter is very real.
 2.2. Arising from the ministry of Christ

It is the continuation of the actions of the Lord. It starts with Him and He remains present in the
sacraments. For example, it is the Lord who really baptizes in the Sacrament of Baptism. It is the same
situation in the other sacraments.

2.3. Continued in, by and for the Church

The sacraments are by and for the Church because they are entrusted to the Church. It pours grace
to the people who celebrate the sacraments with the Church. The Church is the sacrament of Jesus and
the seven sacraments are sacraments of the Church.

2.4. Which when received in faith

Sacraments can have effects if celebrated in faith. Without faith, no saving personal relationship can
be established or strengthened. We must always ask for an increase of our faith so we can have an ever
deepening relationship with God and with the Church.

2.5. Fashions us into likeness to Christ in his Pascal Mystery

The sacraments also transform us into the likeness of Christ. It transforms us into Christ’s way of
thinking, acting, praying, loving, forgiving and serving. By following our Lord and sharing in His Paschal
Mystery, we become more fashioned into His image and likeness.

2.6. Through the power of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Lord and Giver of Life who sanctifies us and makes us holy. The Holy Spirit
makes the Father and the Son to dwell in us.

3. Conclusion

The sacraments are real encounters between the Trinity and the Church to which we belong. During
our course in Theology, we did not have any course about the Byzantine tradition. The liturgical and
devotional practices we discussed deepened my love for the Catholic Faith.

The Treasures of the Byzantine Tradition

1. Introduction

The pandemic has affected so many of us. It was very challenging and I discovered the Avila Institute
and I was able to study. It is online so it is very convenient. The sessions are quite interesting because it is
about Spiritual Theology. The courses enabled me to get in touch with the Doctors of the Church. At the
same time, I came to know about the Theology and Spirituality of the Eastern Rite. Both are necessary
and complimentary. There are so many learnings in this session that helped me a lot.

2. Treasures from the East flowing to our parish

2.1. Sacred Space

 The course made me realize the importance of sacred space. I really enjoyed the videos showing the
liturgical celebrations. I like the arrangements inside the church and the fact that the entire church is
filled with prayer. The singing is also very inspiring. This course made me realize the need to make
arrangements so that our church may become a real sacred space. This will help in attracting people to
go to the Church and participate in the celebrations.

2.2. Sacred Actions

From Sacred Space, the course led me to appreciate sacred action. The vestments are also very
magnificent and inspires reverence. I really admire the liturgical celebration because I sensed the
sacredness. The celebration also involves the entire community. There is real participation. The
celebrations leads to the goal of the Liturgy which is primarily union with God.

2.3. Sacred Year

The liturgical year is also given much emphasis. The community becomes a school of prayer. It
becomes a source of God's grace. It is entering and joining the celebration of an event that God makes
present. There is an encounter with God and the Church which leads towards union with Christ.

3. Conclusion

The course enabled me to explore the spiritual treasures of the Byzantine tradition. The liturgical
practices are very rich and very deep. I cannot visit a Byzantine church physically but I can do it online. I
can now understand and appreciate the structure, the celebrations and the feasts because of this course.