Day 155: Who Celebrates the Liturgy

In the celebration of the sacraments it is thus the whole assembly that is leitourgos, each according to his function, but in the "unity of the Spirit" who acts in all. "In liturgical celebrations, each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should carry out all and only those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the norms of the liturgy." CCC 1144

In today's reading, the Catechism speaks of who celebrates the liturgy. It is not just the priest who celebrates the liturgy, as important as his role is, but all of us, including the Blessed Theotokos and all the holy saints in heaven. The entire mystical Body of Christ unites with Christ in making this sacred offering to the Father. Rather heady when you think of it in this way. The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of this:

In the liturgy, it is the whole Christ (Christus Totus) who acts, Head and Body. As our High Priest, he celebrates with his body, which is the Church in heaven and on earth. The heavenly liturgy is celebrated by the angels, by the saints of the Old and New Testament, particularly the Mother of God, by the Apostles, by the martyrs, and by the “great multitude which no one could number from every nation, race, people, and tongue.” (Revelation 7:9). When we celebrate the mystery of our salvation in the sacraments we participate in this eternal liturgy. (#233-234)

What a glorious sight this must be, if only we could clearly see it in all its splendor right now.  

It may seem like the priest is doing a "one-man show" at the Mass and we in the laity are just supposed to "pray, pay, and obey", as I've heard the joke go, but that would be false. The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good insight into our role in the Mass:

When the priest is praying in the name of all the people, we are to unite our hearts and minds to his. If we do this, our participation in the Mass will be transformed, God will be more glorified, the world will be more sanctified, and everything will change... The pews are not bleachers. We are not there simply to watch the priest pray. We are there to worship with him. Our job at every Mass is to worship, united with the ministerial priest, and ultimately united with the one great High Priest, Jesus Christ our Lord. (p. 74)