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518 • Conclusion and Appendices
then meditates on words or phrases
that resonate.
LECTIONARY:
The official liturgi-
cal book of the Church containing
Scripture passages for use in the
Liturgy of the Word.
LENT:
This is an annual period
of forty days beginning on Ash
Wednesday for Latin Catholics,
which is set aside for penance,
fasting, and almsgiving in prepara-
tion for the coming celebration of
Easter. It is modeled in part on the
forty days that Jesus spent in the
desert prior to beginning his public
ministry. The penance, fasting, and
almsgiving are meant to help lead
the believer to ongoing conversion
and a deeper faith in the Lord who
redeemed us.
LITANY:
Literally a list, such as in
the list, or litany, of saints. In such
a prayer, the name of the saints is
spoken or sung and the congrega-
tion responds with a repeated invo-
cation, “Pray for us.” For example,
in the Litany of Loreto, the list of
qualities of the Virgin Mary are
recited or sung, again with the
response, “Pray for us.”
LITURGICAL YEAR:
The calendar
that guides the liturgies and prayers
of the Church. It commences on
the First Sunday of Advent and
ends with the celebration of Christ
the King. It includes Advent, the
Christmas Season, Lent, the Easter
Season, and Ordinary Time, as
well as various Feasts of Mary, the
Apostles, and many other saints.
LITURGY:
From the Greek, mean-
ing “public work.” It refers espe-
cially to the public worship of the
Church, including the Mass and
the Liturgy of the Hours. By their
Baptism, all God’s people are called
to offer a sacrifice of praise to God
at liturgy. The ordained priest at
liturgy acts in the person of Christ,
the Head of the Church, to make
Christ’s saving grace present by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
LITURGY OF THE HOURS:
The
public daily prayer of the Church
which extends the praise given to
God in the Eucharistic celebration.
LORD’S DAY, (THE):
A name used
synonymously for Sunday, the day
of the Lord Jesus’ Resurrection.
LORD’S PRAYER, (THE):
Another
name used for the prayer more
commonly known as the Our
Father. This prayer is sometimes
called the Lord’s Prayer because it
is a prayer taught by Jesus to his
Apostles and disciples.
LOVE:
See “Charity.”