Course 4, Chapter 1: Christianity visible. — Necessity and advantages of exterior worship

1. What is worship?

Worship is the aggregate testimony of the respect, submission, love and confidence which we havo towards God.

2. How many kinds of worship are there? '

There are two kinds of worship; interior worship, which consists in the sentiments of faith, hope, adoration, and love, which we owe to God; and exterior worship, which is the manifestation of these sentiments?

3. What are ceremonies?

Ceremonies are exterior and mysterious actions, established to accompany exterior worship, and to render it more august, expressive and sublime.

4. What is a rite?

A rite is a ceremony performed according to the order prescribed by the church. Hence we say Roman rite or Parisian rite, to designate the ceremonies as performed at Rome or at Paris.

5. What is the liturgy?

The liturgy is the aggregate ceremonial employed in the divine service. The word liturgy sig nifies the action by excellence; because the divine service is the most noble action we can perform, since it unites or connects us with God.

6. Why is exterior worship necessary?

Exterior worship is absolutely necessary: 1st, because man owes to God the homage of both soul and body; the soul honors God by interior worship, and the body by exterior worship; 2d, because man, not

being a pure spirit, needs the aid of sensible things, by which to raise himself up to spiritual things.

7. What is the first advantage of exterior worship?

The first advantage of exterior worship is to remind man, unceasingly, of those truths which it most behooves him to know, love and practise.

8. How do you explain this?

Under the patriarchs, exterior worship reminded man of the creation of the world, the unity of God, his providence, and a future life. Under the law of Moses, man was reminded that God was not only the master of all nature, but the arbiter of nations; and that he rewards or punishes infallibly, according to our works.

9. Of what truths are we reminded by exterior worship under the gospel?

Under the gospel, exterior worship reminds us of all the great truths revealed to the patriarchs and to Moses; it reminds us of all the mysteries of our Lord, and of all the duties which we are bound to fulfil to wards God, our neighbor, and ourselves.*