LITURGICAL CELEBRATION: A CONFESSION AND/OR A PROCLAMATION OF FAITH

The thought from the apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis, Evangelii gaudium, that the Church "evangelises and is itself being evangelised by the beauty of liturgy" reminds us of the need to reflect on the fundamental relation between liturgy as an act of faith (actus fidei) and evangelisation that has its source in the celebration of faith. Liturgy is sacramental in its "proclamatory" part (verbum in celebratione fit sacramentum) as much as it is proclamatory in sacramental memory-act of the Mystery of Christ. Therefore, this article will try to cast light on the intrinsic relation between Verbum and Sacramentum and reflect on the Beauty that is, as an event of salvation, gracefully mediated in the celebration of faith. These issues are always current in the home of the Church, as the source of and meeting point with the mystery of faith; the place where faith is gracefully gifted, enlightened, renewed, and gracefully shared with brothers in faith. Although evangelisation is not its primary goal, liturgy as a place of graceful gifting of faith is always proclamatory and, through that, it has impact on evangelisation.