The Biblical and Heavenly Roots of the Sacred Liturgy

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 9/6/2010 | Msgr Charles Pope

[markomalley]

Catholics are often unaware just how Biblical the Sacred Liturgy is. The design of our traditional churches, the use of candles, incense, golden vessels, the postures of standing and kneeling, the altar, the singing of hymns, priests wearing albs and so forth are all depicted in the Scriptures. Some of these details were features of the ancient Jewish Temple, but most all of these are reiterated in the Book of Revelation which describes the liturgy of heaven.

The liturgy here on earth is modeled after the liturgy in heaven and that is why it is so serious to tamper with it. The Book of  Revelation describes the heavenly liturgy and focuses on a scroll or book  which contains the meaning of life and the answers to all we seek. It also focuses the Lamb of God, standing but with the marks of slaughter upon it. Does this not sound familiar? It is the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

We do well to be aware of the Biblical roots of the Sacred Liturgy not only for our own edification but also as an answer to Protestant Christians who have largely set aside these rituals and, some of whom, criticize our use of them. Many people consider our rituals empty and vain, “smells and bells.” Some consider austere liturgical environments devoid of much ritual to be “purer,” and closer to the worship in “spirit and in truth” that Jesus spoke of in John 4.

To such criticisms we must insist that these rituals, properly understood, are mystical and deeply biblical. Further, they are elements of the heavenly liturgy since almost all of them are mentioned as aspects of the worship or liturgy that takes place in heaven. In this light it is a serious mistake to set them aside or have a dismissive attitude toward them.

With that in mind we ought to consider the Biblical references to the most common elements of Catholic and Orthodox liturgies. I place an ocassional note in Red where it seems appropriate.

 Candles  -

• Rev 1:12-13 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,  and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man. In traditional catholic parishes there are six candles on the high altar and a seventh candle is brought out when the bishop is present. 

• Rev 4:6 Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne.

Altar -

• Rev 9:13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. 
• Rev 8:3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.

Chair -

• Rev 4:1 and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne! And he who sat there appeared like jasper and carnelian, and round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald…. 
• Daniel 7:9  As I looked,  thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat;… In the sacred liturgy the Chair of the priest is prominent. But, as he takes his seat we are invited not to see Father Jones, but rather the Lord himself presiding in our midst.

Priests (elders) in Albs: 

• Rev 4:4 the elders sat, dressed in white garments…..

Bishop’s Miter, priest biretta –

• Rev 4:4, 10 With golden crowns on their heads……they cast down their crowns before the throne…. In the Liturgy the Bishop may only wear his miter at prescribed times. But when he goes to the altar he must cast aside his miter. The priest who wears the biretta in the Old Mass is instructed to tip his biretta at the mention of the the Holy Name and to lay it aside entirely when he goes to the altar.  

Focus on a scroll (Book) The Liturgy of the Word -

• Rev 5: 1 And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I wept much that no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” In the ancient world books, as we know them now, had not been invented. Texts were written on long scrolls and rolled up.

Incense, Intercessory prayer -

• Rev 8:3 another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God…..

• Rev 5:7 and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; 

Hymns  –

• Rev 5:8 – And they sang a new hymn: Worthy are you O Lord to receive the scroll and break open its seals. For you were slain and with your blood  you purchase for God men of every race and tongue, and those of every nation.
• Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and lo, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads… and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.  

• Rev 15:3 And they (the multitude no one could count) sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and wonderful are thy deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are thy ways, O King of the ages!  Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord? For thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and worship thee,  for thy judgments have been revealed.”

Holy Holy Holy

• Rev 4:8 and day and night they never cease to sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

Prostration (Kneeling) -

• Rev 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne. …
• Rev 5:14 and the elders fell down and worshiped  - In today’s setting there is seldom room for everyone to lie, prostrate and  flat on the ground. Hence, kneeling developed as a practical solution to the lack of space but amounts to the same demenor of humble adoration.

Lamb of God -

• Rev 5:6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain,

Acclamations –  

• Rev 5:11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Amen!

• Rev 5:14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!”.

Silence

• Rev 8:1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (and you thought your priest paused too long after communion?)

Mary -

• Rev 12:1 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. 

Happy are those called to his “supper”

• Revelation 19: 6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying,  “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;… And the angel said£ to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Golden Vessels, vestments  -

• Rev 1:12 – And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
• Rev 1:13 – and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest
• Rev 5:8 – the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense
• Rev 8:3 – Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, at the golden altar before the throne.

• Rev 15:16 – The angels were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests.
• Rev 15:17  seven golden bowls

Stained Glass -

• Rev 21:10 [The heavenly city] had a great, high wall, with twelve gates,… The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. (The image of stained glass in our Church walls is hinted at here).

Here is but a partial list, drawn only from the Book of Revelation. I invite you to add to it.  You might also read The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn, and The Mass: A Biblical Prayer,by Fr. Peter Stravinskas.

[dartuser]

I understand that you believe Mary is the woman in Revelation 12 ... My question is ...

Since you believe Mary is sinless ... and actually your doctrine of “Mary didnt die she was assumed bodily” seems to be because Mary is sinless. My question is if Mary was sinless why was she cursed with pain in childbirth? Rev 12 shows she was clearly cursed with childbearing pain which was part of the penalty for sin in Genesis.

[annalex]

Well, that Mary is sinless does not prevent her from suffering for others. In fact, the scripture says that her heart will be pierced so "that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed" (Luke 2:35). This is also consistent with her being persecuted in Rev. 12, despite her lack of sin.

It is true that the penalty of sin is death and pain, but the scripture does not say that the very person guilty of sin is to endure pain. Rather, the scripture tells us that others, themselves freed from sin, can take the sin of some:

he hath made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21)

[I] now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church (Colossians 1:24)

There is a hypothesis in the Catholic Church, that Mary, because of her birth free from the stain of original sin, could not have suffered the pains of childbirth. However, that is not a doctrinal belief obligatory of the Catholics. If you were of the persuasion that Mary did not suffer from the pains of childbirth, you would probably hold to the belief that Mary suffered in the metaphysical sense, as indicated by Luke 2:35, but not in the physical sense of experiencing pain.

The Catholic reading of the scripture is direct. If a woman described as mother of the Christ is in the scrupture, we don't look to run away from this revealed truth. Likewise, if the scripture reveals to us that man is not saved by faith alone (James 2:24), we do not try to put some Protestant nonsense on sticks to teach the opposite. You want to be free from these convolutions, become Catholic. god bless you for your questions.

[annalex]

Incidentally, the Old Testament is often to be read as "type" as well as as literal history. This is what it means: the historical events in the life of Israel are caused by God in order to better prepare Israel, adn the world throughthem, for the Revelation of Jesus Christ. For example, many events are related to cleansing or purity: the journey through the flood by Noah, the crossing of the Red Sea and of the Jordan; the ritual ablutions before meals, and abstinence of certain foods. While these are real historical facts, they are also typology: they all prefigure Christian baptism:

they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. [21] Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [22] Who is on the right hand of God, swallowing down death, that we might be made heirs of life everlasting: being gone into heaven, the angels and powers and virtues being made subject to him.

Similarly, figures like Jonah, Moses or David, while historical figures in their own right, are also types of Christ insofar as they lead Israel to victory over the enemies, like Jesus lead His Church to victory over death:

as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40)

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up (John 3:14)

he went into the house of God, and took and ate the bread of proposition, and gave to them that were with him, which is not lawful to eat but only for the priests? (Luke 6:4)

So is Mary typified by anything in the Old Testament? Surely she is. Firstly, the entire nation of Israel was chosen to God so that the Savior can be born into her:

all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: [5] Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke. (Matthew 21:5)

Secondly, the Tabernacle was a sacred vessel of the Word in the direct sense of being a box in which the scripture dictated by God was kept; but also Mary is the human tabernacle, who kept the baby Jesus, the Divine Word, in her as His mother:

[27] ...a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. [28] But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it (Luke 11)

The Virgin Mary is a fulfillment of the purposes of Israel. Therefore, it is not wrong to see Israel in the woman of Revelation 12, -- better still, one should see the Catholic Church in her -- but it is mariophobic stupidity to deny the direct meaning of the sacred text, which makes a clear, albeit poetic, reference to Mary.

Note, too the precision of the prophecy: Mary appears next to the tabernacle in the temple during liturgy (Rev. 11:19); she is attacked by Satan who wants to prevent the rule of her Son (Rev 12:4-5); she is removed to safety as Archangel Michael fights Satan (vv 6-11); she is taken up to Heaven (v 14); she is slandered and hated (Rev 12:15, Rev 13:6); and the attacks on her are also attacks on the entire Church (v 17). In the figure of the dragon, in his hatred of Mary and her Church, we see a prophecy of the Reformation and the temporary triumph of the secular world (Rev 13).

It is no coincidence that the impotent anger of the Protestants focuses on Mary: it has been foretold.

[dartuser]

Well, that Mary is sinless does not prevent her from suffering for others.

That is not the issue. The Rev 12 passage says she cried out from her birth pangs ... that implies she was suffering from the Genesis curse during childbirth. If she was sinless, how could she be cursed with this? ... especially if she was spared physical death (another Genesis curse for sin) by being assumed into heaven.

[dartuser]

Likewise, if the scripture reveals to us that man is not saved by faith alone (James 2:24), we do not try to put some Protestant nonsense on sticks to teach the opposite.

We are getting way off topic ... but when the majority of the NT teaches "faith alone" ... I have an obligation to believe it. The difference is ... when I look at James 2:24 in light of the rest of the NT, the preponderance of evidence from the rest of Scripture argues against James teaching "faith plus works = salvation." I may have a difficult time explaining the passage ... but the Scripture cannot contradict itself.

Now if you take James to teach "faith plus works" ... you have a much larger task explaining the rest of the NT. I would rather be in my position than yours.

[Pyro7480]

Because you never read the word of God?

Where is Semiramis specifically mentioned by name in Scripture?

[Pyro7480]

That is not the issue. The Rev 12 passage says she cried out from her birth pangs ... that implies she was suffering from the Genesis curse during childbirth.

Not necessarily. It could be symbolic of the sufferings the Holy Family had in the early years of Jesus's life, flight into Egypt and all.

If she was sinless, how could she be cursed with this? ... especially if she was spared physical death (another Genesis curse for sin) by being assumed into heaven.

The Catholic Church doesn't explicitly teach whether or not she died at the end of her earthly life. That is a debate that has merits on both sides. Personally, I think she died, as why should she be spared from what her Son suffered? Also, there's the liturgical tradition of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the East.

[dartuser]

Not necessarily. It could be symbolic of the sufferings the Holy Family had in the early years of Jesus's life, flight into Egypt and all.

While I find that explanation unsatisfying ... my point was to understand how Catholics think about this; and that seems to be producing some fruit. Thanks.

[Pyro7480]

Well, don’t site me as an authority on Catholic theology. ;-)

[dartuser]

The Catholic Church doesn't explicitly teach whether or not she died at the end of her earthly life.

Do I misunderstand the assumption? I thought it was bodily ascension prior to death.

[dartuser]

Is there a website you frequent that could clarify?

[Pyro7480]

Do I misunderstand the assumption? I thought it was bodily ascension prior to death.

Here's the key quote from Pope Pius XII's proclamation of the dogma: we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

It doesn't say anything about whether or not she died or not. It is interesting to note, however, that Pius XII quoted from Pope Adrian I earlier in the document: "To cite an illustrious example, this is set forth in that sacramentary which Adrian I, our predecessor of immortal memory, sent to the Emperor Charlemagne. These words are found in this volume: 'Venerable to us, O Lord, is the festivity of this day on which the holy Mother of God suffered temporal death, but still could not be kept down by the bonds of death, who has begotten your Son our Lord incarnate from herself.'"

A later quote: The holy Fathers and the great Doctors, in the homilies and sermons they gave the people on this feast day, did not draw their teaching from the feast itself as from a primary source, but rather they spoke of this doctrine as something already known and accepted by Christ's faithful. They presented it more clearly. They offered more profound explanations of its meaning and nature, bringing out into sharper light the fact that this feast shows, not only that the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary remained incorrupt, but that she gained a triumph out of death, her heavenly glorification after the example of her only begotten Son, Jesus Christ-truths that the liturgical books had frequently touched upon concisely and briefly.

[dartuser]

Thanks for the clarification ... it does seem clear ... that its unclear what the RCC teaches concerning Marys death. But the bodily assumption ... whether dead or alive is clearly taught.

[Pyro7480]

Thanks for the clarification ... it does seem clear ... that its unclear what the RCC teaches concerning Marys death. But the bodily assumption ... whether dead or alive is clearly taught.

You're right on the second part, but those quotes seem to point anyone reading it to the conclusion that Mary did indeed die.

[editor-surveyor]

> “Where is Semiramis specifically mentioned by name in Scripture?”

.
Not by name but by title: “Queen of Heaven”

.
Jer 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead [their] dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

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Jer 44:17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.

.
Jer 44:18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all [things], and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.

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Jer 44:19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

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Jer 44:25 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.

.
The worship of a woman in place of God is the essence of pagan idolatry. The association of Semiramis to the titles “Queen of Heaven” and “Mother of God” is rampant in historical writings of the first millenium BC.

“The Two Babylons” by Alexander Hislop is an excellent treatise on the subject.

[Pyro7480]

“The Two Babylons” by Alexander Hislop is an excellent treatise on the subject.

Thank you for confirming what I earlier suspected. Hislop was the 19th century version of Jack Chick, and even non-Catholic Christians have refuted his nonsense.

[editor-surveyor]

You’re a dreamer!

Nothing in “The Two Babylons” has ever been refuted. It is one of the solidest historical texts on papism that has ever been written.

[Pyro7480]

Nothing in “The Two Babylons” has ever been refuted. It is one of the solidest historical texts on papism that has ever been written.

I would encourage you to look outside of such books for your history of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

[editor-surveyor]

The “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church” is not the Roman Catholic Church; it is the mystic Body of Christ, consisting mostly of groups of two or three believers at a time, as the Lord said.

He rejected the nicolaitanism of the Roman Catholics three centuries before they formed their “church.”
.

[Pyro7480]

He rejected the nicolaitanism of the Roman Catholics three centuries before they formed their “church.”

Ah, more pseudo-history of the "Da Vinci Code" type.