The Biblical Roots of the [Catholic] Liturgy

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 11-26-17 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

The Biblical Roots of the Liturgy

Msgr. Charles Pope • November 26, 2017 •

Catholics are often unaware just how biblical the Sacred Liturgy is. The design of our traditional churches; the use of candles, incense, and 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 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; 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 that contains the meaning of life and the answers to all we seek. It also focuses on 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. Many people consider our rituals to be empty and vain, “smells and bells.” Some think austere liturgical environments devoid of much ritual are “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 our 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 have added my own occasional note in red.

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 to see not 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’s 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 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, flat on the ground. Kneeling developed as a practical solution to the lack of space, but it amounts to the same demeanor 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” –

• Rev 19:6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder peals, 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, the 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, except for one quote drawn only from the Book of Revelation. I invite you to add to it.

Here is an awesome video with wonderful quotes:

[Mark17]

I am impressed that you clicked on some of the links, I am curious as to on which ones you clicked.

I just picked two from each letter of the alphabet, completely at random. The vast majority of the names, I had never heard of, so it was purely random.

[Mark17]

Gee whiz Elsie, AND IT CAME TO PASS. It sounds like an advertisement for a sports team. 🏈 ⚽️🏀🏉🏐🏒🥅 The Mormons must have some great athletes.
I remember, when I was a member of the OTC, I was embarrassed by some of the peculiar doctrines, but again, who on earth has ever heard of Star Base Kolob? Who ever heard of magic underwear? Who ever heard of becoming a god, and ruling over planets? This is the stuff of fairy tales. 😱

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Here is likely your limitation - confirmation bias, having already concluded that the assertions about Rome are correct.

Here's an easy test. When you went to the Scriptures, had you already accepted Rome as "the one true [etc.] church?"

[infool7]

Where did you get those silly ideas from? Sadly your private interpretation carries no weight since it directly contradicts what I have received on good account from the Fathers, Doctors, Saints and Martyrs of the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ Jesus.

[infool7]

Here is likely your limitation - confirmation bias, having already concluded that the assertions about Rome are correct.

Here's an easy test. When you went to the Scriptures, had you already accepted Rome as "the one true [etc.] church?"

I accepted the Gospel on good reliable and trustworthy account from individuals that made no small sacrifice to provide it to me. I think you could take that same test only for your personal reasons you rejected His Church and worse yet enlist others to do the same.

[metmom]

What this has to with the Bereans is quite inconsequential.

You are admitting you are doing the very thing the Bereans did. Comparing church teaching to what those calling themselves spiritual teachers have to say.

If what they did is in consequential, then your comparing church theology to Scripture is likewise inconsequential.

My own examination of scripture has lead me personally to agree with the Gospel as presented to me by the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ Jesus, the tenants of which I have found to be reliable and trustworthy.

And here you are admitting you are doing the very thing we are being condemned for.

The only difference is, you came to the conclusion that the church agrees with Scripture.

We didn't come to the same conclusion.

So in effect, what we are being condemned for as being invalid, isn't the comparing Catholic theology with Scripture, but coming to different conclusions.

[metmom]

Your “gospel” is significantly different from the one with which I am familiar.

AMPU's gospel is the one found in Scripture and yes, it isn't what you are used to hearing as a Catholic because the Catholic gospel is different from what Scripture teaches.

[MHGinTN]

Those entrapped by cults are unable to see the errors CULTivated over centuries. The only data needed to see that Catholicism is a cult is look at the History of what has been added to the simple Gospel of Faith in Christ Jesus. Keep work work working, Catholic, those filthy rags might be a comfort ... until ...

[infool7]

AMPU's gospel is the one found in Scripture and yes, it isn't what you are used to hearing as a Catholic because the Catholic gospel is different from what Scripture teaches.

That's your opinion and you since you refuse to reveal the authority on which it is based, it carries absolutely no weight, with me at least. You are going to have to come up with something better than "because I said so" My immortal soul is at stake and given what you have provided for me to go on I cannot consider you an authority of sufficient credibility to doubt the Gospel as I have come to understand it.

[Mark17]

those filthy rags might be a comfort ... until ...

Until what? The lake of fire closes in? 🔥

[MHGinTN]

Perhaps ... but reality will slam the cultists before the lake of fire plunge.

[infool7]

Those entrapped by cults are unable to see the errors CULTivated over centuries. The only data needed to see that Catholicism is a cult is look at the History of what has been added to the simple Gospel of Faith in Christ Jesus. Keep work work working, Catholic, those filthy rags might be a comfort ... until ...

This was easier to find than it was to re-format. Perhaps you could describe your faith community so that I could make a determination for you that you might be failing to see?

Is Catholicism a Cult- Ten Reasons Why Catholicism Is Not a Cult

What those who label Catholicism a cult do not seem to understand is that even if one considers Catholicism to be unscriptural and greatly mistaken on many important doctrinal issues (certainly this writer does), it is simply misplaced and erroneous — for a variety of reasons — to classify Roman Catholicism as an anti-Christian cult. Let me give ten reasons why I say this.

(1) Cults, generally speaking, are small splinter groups with a fairly recent origin. Most American-based cults, for example, have to a greater or lesser degree splintered off from other Christian groups, and emerged in the nineteenth or twentieth centuries. Catholicism, on the other hand, is the largest body within Christendom, having almost a two-thousand-year history (it has historical continuity with apostolic, first century Christianity), and is the ecclesiastical tree from which Protestantism originally splintered.

(2) Cults are usually formed, molded, and controlled by a single individual or small group. The Catholic church, by contrast, has been molded by an incalculable number of people throughout its long history. Catholicism is governed by creeds, councils, and the ongoing magisterium.

(3) Cults typically exercise rigid control over their members and demand unquestioning submission, with disobedience punished by shunning and/or excommunication. While Catholicism has exercised a triumphalism and an unhealthy control over its members in times past, this is far less true today, especially since the Second Vatican Council. Contemporary Catholicism’s broad diversity as illustrated in Part One of this series certainly proves this point.

(4) An appropriate description of a cult is “a religious group originating as a heretical sect and maintaining fervent commitment to heresy.”10 Regardless of one’s criticism of Catholicism, even if it is heretical at certain points, it does not fit this description. It does not originate in heresy, and, as was mentioned before, it possesses a structural orthodoxy that other cults simply do not have (see comparison chart).

(5) Cults (when defined as heretical sects) are classified as such because of their outright denial or rejection of essential Christian doctrine. Historically, this has principally been a denial of the nature of God (the Trinity), the nature of the incarnate Christ (divine-human), and of the absolute necessity of divine grace in salvation (the Pelagian controversy).11 While Protestants have accused Catholicism of having an illegitimate authority and of confusing the gospel (two serious charges to be examined later), Catholicism does affirm the Trinity, the two natures of Christ, and that salvation is ultimately a gift of God’s grace (a rejection of Pelagianism).12 I challenge anyone to name a recognized cult that affirms the Trinity or the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ (see comparison chart).

(6) Cults frequently have a low view of the Bible, replacing or supplementing it with their own so-called “sacred writings.” In fact, cults often argue that the Bible has been, to some extent, corrupted and therefore their writings are needed to restore the truth. While Catholicism’s acceptance of noncanonical writings (the Apocrypha) and placing of apostolic tradition on par with Scripture are fundamental problems to the Protestant, Catholics nevertheless retain a high view of the Bible (inspired and infallible) and see it as their central source of revelation.

(7) Cults usually have some kind of authoritarian, totalistic leader or prophet. While some feel that the pope fits this category, in reality the pope governs the church with heavy dependence upon the bishops (college of cardinals), and within the restrictions of the official teaching of the church. Protestants clearly disagree with the authority and exalted titles given the pope, but he still does not fit the category of a cult leader.

(8) A frequent characteristic of cults is their emphasis on a “remnant identity” — that is, they claim to be God’s exclusive agent or people who restore “authentic Christianity,” which has been corrupted or lost. Usually this type of restorationism has an accompanying anticreedal and antihistorical mindset. While Catholicism has at times been guilty of an unfortunate exclusivity13 (some Protestant churches have also), they emphatically deny restorationism, and strongly emphasize the continuity of God’s church throughout history.

(9) Those who classify Roman Catholicism as a cult (an inauthentic and invalid expression of Christianity) usually also give the Eastern Orthodox church the same classification. What they do not realize, however, is that if both of these religious bodies are non-Christian, then there was no authentic Christian church during most of the medieval period. Contrary to what some Protestants think, there was no independent, nondenominational, Bible-believing church on the corner (or in the caves) during most of the Middle Ages.14 Additionally, the schismatic groups who were around at the time were grossly heretical.15 So much for the gates of hell not prevailing against the church (Matt. 16:18). Some try to sidestep this argument by reasoning that as long as there were even a few individuals who remained biblically orthodox apart from the institutional or organized church, then those select individuals constituted God’s authentic church (a remnant) — thus the church was never truly overcome. This thinking, though containing an element of truth, is not completely correct. It is true that the church has an invisible16 and local dimension to it, but it also has a visible and organizational dimension (John 17:21). While the church is primarily a community of believers, it also functions as an institution through which believers encounter the ministry of the Word and the sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper). Scripture does not allow for the sharp distinction between the spiritual and organizational dimensions of the church that some would like to draw.17

(10) Even with the serious problems evident in Roman Catholic theology from a Protestant point of view, Catholic doctrine overall does not fit the pattern of the recognized cult groups (see comparison chart). Catholicism affirms most of what the cults deny and possesses an orthodox foundation which all cult groups lack.

[Mark17]

Perhaps ... but reality will slam the cultists before the lake of fire plunge.

I hope you are right bro. I don’t want to see cultists take the Lake of Fire 🔥 plunge either, but, as I think it was you who pointed out, broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter in.
I don’t know why God chose so few for Heaven. I will never understand it, but my own guesstimate, is maybe 95 to 97% of the earth's population, will take the lake of fire plunge. Sad for sure, but they choose Hell over Heaven. Just be thankful, that you and I and others are seated in the heavenlies ALREADY.
I have no intention of waiting till I die, to see if I have “attained” Heaven. If others want to wait that long, that’s on them. I will have none of it.

[MHGinTN]

‘Your faith community’ ... there are none so blind as they who choose to not see, because they are comfy on the broad road, with their community of like minded, cultists.

[ealgeone]

Would you be willing to throw away your rosaries and any "statutes" of Mary?

Would you cease to pray to her and instead pray only to God?

[infool7]

You are admitting you are doing the very thing the Bereans did. Comparing church teaching to what those calling themselves spiritual teachers have to say.

If what they did is in consequential, then your comparing church theology to Scripture is likewise inconsequential.

I apologize perhaps my unfortunate word choice and typo of the word "do" led to your completely opposite misunderstanding. I should have use the word "irrelevant" instead of "inconsequential"

What this has to do with the Bereans is quite irrelevant. My own examination of scripture has lead me personally to agree with the Gospel as presented to me by the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ Jesus, the tenants of which I have found to be reliable and trustworthy.

Your “gospel” is significantly different from the one with which I am familiar. It is strange and foreign to the one that I have previously received on good account. I am asking you what your credentials are so that I can assess your credibility. It is quite simple really. If you have nothing better to offer than “because I said so” then I cannot accept your version without putting my own soul in serious peril.

Let me offer an analogy (of which I have been sternly warned against doing but read on at your own discretion)

Take for example the source code for a complex computer operating system that had been written by disciplined and credentialed programmers that used manuals filled with specifications for a particular kind of (CPU)processor and components that met specific requirements and in following those specifications, created, tested and implemented a system that was purchased by millions of customers and used successfully every day for many years.

It is impossible to imagine that undisciplined programmers of unknown and unproven ability, unfamiliar with the specifications, processors and components could, by chopping up and re-arranging bits of source code leaving out most of it, entire modules even and using different processors and compilers could somehow create as elegant, reliable and functional a system as the first group of developers.

This is what you are asking everyone to accept and it leaves me to wonder who it actually is, that is agitating and stirring up the crowds.

[MHGinTN]

Your chosen article is founded on an error, so what followed was tainted from the start: “Catholicism, on the other hand, is the largest body within Christendom ...” Christ is a person. Christianity is a relationship with a person, not a ‘endom’. You just keep working on that relationship with your chosen institutional religion. CHRISTIANS are in a relationship with a person, God with us ... “For I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If you have seen me, you have seen the Father”. Jesus speaking wqith His closest friends then, John 14.

[infool7]

Would you be willing to abandon your absurdly disordered understanding of the Catholic faith and your unhealthy obsession with beads, statues and Mary.

And say just one Hail Mary.
Hail Mary
Full of Grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thow among women
and Blessed is the fruit of thy womb
Jesus
Holy Mary Mother of God
Pray for us
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen

[ealgeone]

But as a Romam Catholic.....how do you know your understanding of Scripture is correct without the priest to tell you it is or isn't?

We've been told on these threads an individual cannot sit down and read the scriptures and understand them.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“I think you could take that same test only for your personal reasons you rejected His Church and worse yet enlist others to do the same.”

I didn’t reject “His Church.”

I accepted Him.

As a consequence of entrusting myself to Him alone for salvation, I became a member of His Church.

Worldly affiliations will not save you.

You reject His Word while claiming the ones you heard from another source are trustworthy.

Yet salvation is available to you now.