“Tened entre vosotros los mismos sentimientos que tuvo Cristo” (Fil 2,5). Una liturgia que configura a Cristo

Abstract

The Second Vatican Council, following in the footsteps of the liturgical movement and the previous magisterium, strongly proclaimed in the Sacrosanctum concilium that Christians could no longer attend the mystery of faith as strangers and mute spectators, but that by understanding it well through the rites and prayers they would participate consciously, piously and actively in the sacred action: letting themselves be instructed by the Word of God, strengthening themselves at the table of the Lord, giving thanks and learning to offer themselves by offering the immaculate Host. In this article we would like to develop and deepen this conciliar intuition, following the magisterium of recent Roman Pontiffs. The words of this number 48 of the conciliar constitution take up the famous expression: ”per ritus et preces” which, read in its context, shows the great importance of both rites and prayers. As a framework and at the same time a gateway to this study, we propose some words from the instruction Redemptionis sacramentum, closely related to the expression ”per ritus et preces” just quoted. It is number 5 of this instruction: ”the liturgical words and rites, which are a faithful expression, matured over the centuries, of the sentiments of Christ and teach us to have the same sentiments as he had (cf. Phil 2:5); conforming our minds to his words, we raise our hearts to the Lord”. Acquiring the sentiments of Christ is a whole program of life that the liturgy makes possible since. We will try to develop this idea throughout this work.