Day 147: Christ's Work in the Liturgy

"In the earthly liturgy, we share in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until he, our life, shall appear and we too will appear with him in glory." CCC 1090

In today's reading, the Catechism speaks of Christ's work in the liturgy of His Church. As is quoted above, the Church's liturgy today gives us all "a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem" and seen by the Apostle John in Revelation. Also, as in the heavenly liturgy, Christ is truly present in the Eucharistic sacrifice here on earth. The Catechism Compendium summarizes the Church's teaching in this section:

In the liturgy of the Church, it is his own paschal mystery that Christ signifies and makes present. By giving the Holy Spirit to his apostles he entrusted to them and their successors the power to make present the work of salvation through the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments, in which he himself acts to communicate his grace to the faithful of all times and places throughout the world. (#222)

Finally, the Catechism Companion, Vol II makes a good note on the sacraments and the effects of the liturgy at the Mass:

"Sacraments are perceptible signs (word and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify" (CCC 1084)... In the liturgy, the Father is given glory and the People of God are made holy. Through the liturgy, we join Jesus Christ and the saints in glorifying the Lord and looking forward to his Second Coming. (p. 58)