Liturgy

 

The very word sends shivers down some spines and thrills up others!  Funny how a word that many associate with lack of emotion can create so much emotion.  But in order to understand worship at St. Francis', we have to understand the concept of liturgical worship.

 

The beginning point of our consideration of liturgy is the question, "Why is worship such an important concern?"  According to Romans 11:33-12:2, the only adequate response of a human being to the beauty and majesty of God is worship--mind, will, emotions--body, soul, and spirit.  It is the logical outcome of seeing God.  To put it simply, nothing is more important than seeing and knowing God in reality, responding from

the depths of our soul to Him and giving Him the glory due His Name.  It is pleasing to God and it is essential for us.

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Worshiping God is at the heart of loving God, and loving Him is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37).  Worship will be the climactic center of our eternal existence with God and it is the most noble and exhilarating work of the people of God on earth.  Worship is not measured by the feelings it produces but by the glory God receives from us.  Because we are called to "love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength," we can expect that the act of worship will call us to wholeheartedness before God.  Granted, at any moment we may worship out of nothing more than obedient faith.  Sometimes the faith we bring is itself barely discernible.  But the movement of the real worship is toward seeing more and more of the reality of God and responding appropriately with more and more of our being.

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[Taken and adapted from Walking the Liturgical Path by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Steven Breedlove and Rev. David Hyman]