“Let me know you, for you are the God who knows me…This is my hope…”
Husband leads and we follow, in unison from our printed liturgies the night before the Sabbath, around the table.
Little ones look us in the face curiously. “What is this rhythmic ritual?”
Our voices rise in song…
“For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child…Lord of all to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.”
The swell and break of our voices, this family, together has a unifying effect…our eyes dart at one another.
“Tomorrow when we read our confession, listen to the words and make them yours.”
“I am righteous before God only by true faith in Jesus Christ; that is, although my conscience accuses me, that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God….yet God, without any merit of mine, of mere grace, imputes to me perfect righteousness…”
Our souls are instructed, young and old, baby learns to sit quietly and though she doesn’t understand, she will.
“Our Father, Who art in Heaven…”
The liturgical exercise I once spurned has now become precious to me.
Its very constancy reflects the constancy of our faithful God.
The reading of truths out loud serves me twice as I see it and then hear it, and it strengthens the eyes of my faith more and more.
The affirmation of our faith at home as a family and then corporately with the rest of our family, week after week, begins to weave itself in and out of our lives like a tapestry that comes to life as God breathes over it.
“In joy of heart, in brotherly union, in Christian love we come to partake of Your table, giving thanks for the great love which You have shown to us through Christ our Lord.”
Little ones take their cues, hold their bread and wait….then together we remember His love and death and resurrection for us.
Hands lifted up…they don’t know why now, but they will.
“Praise God from Whom all blessings flow…”
One body, one Lord, one heart going out “to love and serve the Lord”.
Fortified for the week, strengthened for the task, we look forward to when we’ll meet again.
14 comments
I love the orderliness of liturgy – it’s beautiful, and reassuring, especially when I’ve worked myself into a state and have a hard time even starting a prayer.
There’s so much controversy surrounding Christian meditation, as if it’s a dark work, or exclusive to other faiths, but really, I think the repetition of the liturgy serves the meditative purpose. I loved Foster’s explanation of Christian intent for meditation, that rather than deliberately emptying the mind and centering on that emptiness, as is the goal of other forms, ours is to deliberately fill our minds with and center on Christ. Liturgy facilitates this so beautifully.
So what’s for lunch today, Mom? Taco Bell or Whataburger?
Beautifully stated, cc.
Re: “what’s for lunch?”
“And she shall be saved in…living a gazillion miles from civilization.” Oh, what I’d give for a piece of fried chicken from Popeyes. I settle for a ham sandwich. Hmph.
I just posted on my blog about how we were created to love God! It really goes along with what you posted about! “Going out to love and serve the Lord!” Thank you AGAIN! We have sooooo much in common! Oh how I wish we could meet someday!
So, how did you come up with the liturgy that you use? Our church uses liturgy but I hadn’t thought about using it at home. I think it is an excellent idea!
Our church emails us the liturgy during the week precisely so we can use it at home, of course, instructing our husbands that it’s a good idea. I love our church.
Yes! It IS beautiful…and peace-filling, refreshing, strengthening…
“…weave itself in and out of our lives like a tapestry that comes to life as God breathes over it.” – beautiful! I believe this will linger long in my mind; there’s a rich depth of insight to glean from this image.
Our Christian walk began in a Baptist church where the pastor would ‘make fun’ of liturgies and prepared prayers. He believed that everything must be spirit led at the moment.
When coming to Christ Church that was one thing I had to ‘get over’. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with using a liturgy!!! I feel like my prayer life has improved because of the liturgy.
I’m glad I get to worship along side you!!!
Kelly,
I can relate when you write, “The liturgical exercise I once spurned has now become precious to me. Its very constancy reflects the constancy of our faithful God.”
The liturgy used in my denomination has been around (although revised several times) for almost 350 years. Through it, we make make connection to God and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, but also our brothers and sisters in the parish (from 90 y.o.), the other parishes in our diocese, our denomination, as well as the saints rejoicing in heaven over the years who used the various forms of that liturgy over the years.
It relates the truth of our entire journey with God, particularly in the Eucharistic (Communion) part of the service, so you hear that “old, old story” every week.
This is also something that is awesome, IMHO: Parishes around the world that Sunday are using something close to that same liturgy — Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, Europe, US and Canada — and someday we’ll worship the King together in heaven. But don’t worry, we’ll let the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, independent churches, etc., chime in, too .
Thanks for your very inspiring post.
Oops, I deleted something from the above post. In the 2nd paragraph I said, “… we make connection God and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, but also our brothers and sisters in the parish (from 90 y.o.)…”
I meant to say (from 90 y.o>).
I’m trying to figure out what liturgy is….it sounds as though you are having communion at home which is something I have never thought of but sounds wonderful! I am searching the scripture about the idea…
but something you said bothers me though. “Little ones take their cues, hold their bread and wait….then together we remember His love and death and resurrection for us. Hands lifted up…they don’t know why now, but they will.” Communion is for the believer and it is not biblical for those who have not accepted what Christ has done for them to take part in communion. Could you please explain what you meant. Thank you!
Liturgy is a printed “guide” to aid in the corporate worship of the body of Christ. It’s the order of worship and includes readings, Scripture, statements of belief, etc. We were just reading through the liturgy at home; we had communion the next day at church.
We practice paedocommunion, but that’s a theological discussion all its own 😉 You can find a number of resources on line if you want to read more about it though.
After reading about paedocommunion, I have to reply that I don’t feel there is scripture to back up this theology.
All the important mental functions and activities associated with communion such as self-examination, remembrance, communion and discerning the Lord’s body are of such a nature that they require faith, mature thought and understanding.
“In remembrance of me…” Remembrance involves faith in the person and work of Christ.
“..let a man examine himself…” Examination involves “discerning the Lord’s body” which in context refers to a proper consideration of the meaning and implication of the salvation purchased by Christ.
The Lord’s supper involves proclamation. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes”… Each person confesses that he owes his salvation to this bloody death (which requires faith in Jesus Christ – a professing believer)
Communion is clearly an act that is for the professing believer.
I love much of what you say on your blog but I do have to disagree with you on this point 🙂
The Church has practiced paedocommunion since her inception. It was only in the middle ages that the Roman church stopped practicing paedocommunion for several reasons such as believing the presence of a Bishop was required to confirm a child.
Orthodox Christians have practiced paedocommunion for 2,000 years.
Jesus said “let the little children come unto Me.” Of course children are invited to His table, as they are part of the Church.
We recently joined a Wisconsin Lutheran church – my husband came from a very liberal Lutheran background, mine was Seventh-day Adventist. We have both come to love the liturgy, and the power it CAN convey, if used properly. We specifically looked for a church that utilized the liturgy – I think the repetition is incredibly helpful with children, and for ourselves 😉
I am still praying that my husband would be “inspired” to take a greater stand for spiritual leading in our home, but for now, the liturgy helps me to fill in the spaces. 🙂