Liturgy vs. Mass — What's the Difference?

Liturgy encompasses a broad range of public worship practices and rituals within various religious traditions, serving as a structured framework for communal worship. It includes prayers, readings, and rituals intended to facilitate a communal response to and participation in the sacred through acts of public worship. Whereas, Mass is a term specifically used within the Christian tradition, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church, to describe the celebration of the Eucharist—the ceremonial commemoration of Jesus Christ's Last Supper with his disciples.

The concept of liturgy extends beyond the Christian context to include the structured forms of worship found in other religions, such as Judaism and Islam, which have their own liturgical traditions. In contrast, the Mass is inherently Christian, with its rituals, prayers, and structure deeply rooted in Christian theology and the narrative of salvation.

The Mass, as a form of liturgy, is distinguished by its focus on the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life, according to Catholic doctrine. It is a celebration that reenacts the Last Supper, involves the consecration of the bread and wine, and includes the participation of the faithful through receiving Holy Communion. On the other hand, liturgical services that are not Mass might focus on different aspects of faith, such as the Liturgy of the Hours, which revolves around the recitation of psalms and scripture readings.

In essence, while all Masses are liturgies, not all liturgies are Masses. This distinction highlights the specific role of the Eucharist within the broader context of worship practices and emphasizes the variety of liturgical expressions across and within religious traditions.