The celebration of life in Latin American communities

Abstract

The Paschal Mystery of Christ, theological and celebrative focus of the Christian liturgy, is a mystery of full life, of "life in abundance". Beginning with this affirmation, the present article proceeds to investigate how life is made present in the liturgy celebrated in the communities of the Latin American region.

In order to do so, the author begins by recalling for us the two fundamental relationships between liturgy and life: on the one hand, all liturgy is celebrated within life, in such a way that that life, both personal and social, is its context; on the other hand, liturgy is, by the power of the Holy Spirit, transmission of life for those who celebrate it, a vitalizing experience of both the individual and the community.

Then the author quickly runs through the sacramental and celebrative world from the perspective of the presence of life, confirming its centrality at the level of the meaningfulness of the celebrations.

Finally, he examines Latin American liturgy, limited to the grassroots communities of the people, which constitute the vast majority of the region. In a counterpoint to the liturgy of the culturally and economically elevated minorities, he shows how life emerges with greater force in the celebration of groups in which it is found diminished by poverty and marginalization, making the liturgy of those communities a celebration that is more "alive", joyful, hopeful and participative, and above all more open to the saving relationship to its social and cultural context.