Lex Credendi: A Church's Teachings

Dr. Spezzano

Theology 380

Practicum #1

What we pray is what we believe, as the priest reads the Eucharistic Prayer he is expressing his and all of our belief in the Pastoral Mystery. The Church’s teachings are segmented and demonstrated by the celebration of the Liturgy with the use of sacraments in a communal setting. The idea of a communal setting is present throughout the entire Mass and strengthened by Liturgical aspects like communal prayer, song and live music. The act of eating the body and blood of Christ is an example of Lex Orendi, Lex Credendi. We eat the Eucharist together because, Jesus, who we believe died for our sins said, “This do in remembrance of me” (11:24) By acting on Jesus’ words as a community we give truth to

The young woman who sang at the Mass had an exceptionally beautiful voice. Unlike the Dove commercial we watched in class, her voice was truly beautiful. True beauty is something that is natural, unlike anything else, and is expressed through truth, love and happiness. When she sang, I closed my eyes and truly felt that I was in a place of awe and mystery. Her voice, expressed an aspect of Lex Orendi, Lex Credendi because her words were more than just a prayer, they were the truth that we all believed in. Through her words our faith as a community was manifested throughout the entire Church. Songs and homilies are so important to the Liturgy because they pronounce the beauty within it. Live music lifts the spirits and creates a homely through the church, a kind of blank space that when our eyes are closed we are able to focus our love and our newly lifted spirits towards Jesus Christ. Songs and homilies, and the Liturgy as a whole connects each Christian in a communal aspect. By taking part in a communal action we continue to strengthen the idea that the law of prayer is the law of

Although we cannot see God, we build a personal relationship with him through the sacraments. By building this personal relationship, Gods forms our Lex, or law. God teaches us how to pray from our hearts because of his compassion for us. In Psalm 44:21 it is said that God “knows the secrets of the heart.” In 1 Corinthians 11:24 God speaks of the Eucharist, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." These words from God are his Lex that we must follow. When we eat the Eucharist at each Sunday Mass we are acting on the idea of Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi. Doctor Fagerberg from Notre Dame explains that the Liturgy as a whole is legitimate because Christ is ever present in the Church. God “promises a pardon, and offers redemption” (5), because Jesus died on the cross for our salvation. Our belief is evident in our prayers but without the resurrection of Christ we would not have been pardoned or offered redemption. Without God’s constant work within the Church our law of prayer would have no backbone. Without the backbone of faith provided to us by Jesus’ resurrection, our prayers would have no truth or beauty to