CELEBRATION OF THE HOLY MASS. Image from ewtn.com via google.com |
Example of liturgical prayer is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and of communal or community prayer is the recital of the Holy Rosary if done with others. But we can only derive the maximum benefit out of these prayers if we make them our own, that is, if we internalize the celebration and truly participate in these spiritual and religious activities. If we will not make these celebrations as our own personal prayers, we'll be just passive audience or part of a crowd.
By making liturgical celebrations and community spiritual activities as our personal prayer too, we make them real sources of graces and blessings and we express more our being members of the Church and of the Communion of Saints. We become one with the Church and each member of the Church in a personal and deeper way.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church Eucharist states that the Eucharist is the Source and Summit of Christian Life [CCC 1322]. It is a memorial of [the Lord's] death and resurrection, a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet "in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace and a pledge of future glory is given to us" [1323]. Therefore, our optimum presence and participation during the celebration is necessary for if we do not, it would be like snubbing the Lord Jesus Christ, disrespecting His Real Presence, disregarding His great sacrifice for our salvation, rejecting His love, rejecting the call to unity, and more.
The Holy Rosary on the other hand is a prayer whereby we mediate on the significant events in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the blessings which God has endowed upon the Blessed Virgin Mary. By truly and personally meditating on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary we make the important act of learning about the life of the Lord and God's generosity to those who obey His will and so become able to apply these into our own lives.
These are just examples of liturgical celebrations and community devotions. There are more like the Liturgy of the Hours and the Angelus, the Three O'clock Habit, etc. But what is important is that we participate attentively and be truly present - not letting our minds wander - during the activity for when we pray we are in the special presence of the Holy Trinity. Who and what else could be more important than God? We may not be able to do it during the first few times but as it has been stated before, practice makes perfect. We can only not achieve it if we do not make an effort to start and sustain.
By making these liturgical celebrations and community devotions as our own personal prayers too, we can promote and improve our participation in such activities with the Church and even a smaller community. And we can surely maximize the graces and blessings that God endows through such activities when we give our optimum participation.
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