Does worship leave a mark?
On our attitudes?
Our thoughts?
Our behaviors?
Do our hearts burn with an awareness of the Holy One?
Or at least get warm?
Or maybe smolder a bit?
Or has the fire of faith gone cold?
Is the Eucharist the Real Presence of the Risen Lord?
Or nourishment for our souls?
Or energy for service in Christ's name?
Or a piety snack?
When does the memory of worship fade?
With the first handshake in the narthex?
Or the first sip of coffee in the parish hall?
Or the first thing Monday morning?
Some say that worship is the primary act of the people of God.
Others say that worship helps us remember our identity as children of God.
Still others say that worship is a political moment that reminds the world of God's presence.
I like to think that worship is all of those things and more...
Yet we are habituated to the language of liturgy;
Comfortable with predictability.
We breezily confess unspecified "sins";
Our responses automatic.
We invoke God's Name with a frightening familiarity.
We stride out of church,
Marching purposefully toward our next task; our next destination.
Maybe we "enjoyed" worship.
Maybe we "endured" it.
The question remains,
Did worship leave a mark?
On our attitudes?
Our thoughts?
Our behaviors?
Do our hearts burn with an awareness of the Holy One?
Or at least get warm?
Or maybe smolder a bit?
Or has the fire of faith gone cold?
Is the Eucharist the Real Presence of the Risen Lord?
Or nourishment for our souls?
Or energy for service in Christ's name?
Or a piety snack?
When does the memory of worship fade?
With the first handshake in the narthex?
Or the first sip of coffee in the parish hall?
Or the first thing Monday morning?
Some say that worship is the primary act of the people of God.
Others say that worship helps us remember our identity as children of God.
Still others say that worship is a political moment that reminds the world of God's presence.
I like to think that worship is all of those things and more...
Yet we are habituated to the language of liturgy;
Comfortable with predictability.
We breezily confess unspecified "sins";
Our responses automatic.
We invoke God's Name with a frightening familiarity.
We stride out of church,
Marching purposefully toward our next task; our next destination.
Maybe we "enjoyed" worship.
Maybe we "endured" it.
The question remains,
Did worship leave a mark?
posted by FrGaryB | 7:51 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Buddy,
Just spent a while viewing your blog and enjoyed what I saw. Good job!
Here is something to add...
If God is outside time, which I truly believe He is because He created time for us, then there is truly no past or future. Isn't this part of the definition of "I Am?" If He is outside of time then there is only the present with Him, which in itself needs time to be defined. If that is true and we are with Him in Heaven then does that mean that we are there and here at the same time if we are believers? If so, then can we be actually cheering ourselves on while we are yet here doing?
Be blessed my friend,
David
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