Laity, Liturgy and Worship, Spectators or Participants? A vision for traditional and contemporary facilitators
Devotional/Discussion THought of the day:
23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man* to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name.” John 12:23-27
We cannot, then, simply be present at a liturgical rite as spectators.… we must become, to an extent, the actors in it. We must therefore see ourselves sitting at table at the Last Supper, standing along the Via Crucis lightning-struck at the mystery of the risen Jesus’ appearances … In any believer who participates in the liturgy there is no sense of remoteness or of being on the outside. Consequently in celebrating the paschal mystery the believer is taken into and overcome by the dramatic power of the ‘hour’ of Christ, ‘my hour’ as he called it (see Jn 2:4, 12:23, 17:1 etc.) (DL 1982: 173).[i]
- Laity – those who aren’t ordained, commission as pastors, priests, deacons, ministers, etc.. In other words, normal people like you….
- Liturgy – the order to a church service. Sometimes called a worship service or a mass
- Worship – our response to God’s love, most often thought of as when the church gathers.
Those words in blue struck me, they resonate with me, because that is how I think we need to engage in liturgy and worship – but even more, how we need to facilitate our people’s engaging in liturgy and worship.
Whether it is a song, or the readings or the sermon, it has to be something that engages them, body ad soul and mind. That heightens their awareness that we – the congregation, is in the presence of God. That the leaders aren’t doing worship for the rest of the folk to observe, (which can happen with choirs and praise teams both) that we are praying with the pastor/prayer leaders, that we are bring invited to dine with God…. That this 60-75 minutes is bringing us into the passion and presence of Christ, as much as if we were in the upper room, as much as if we stood at the foot of the cross, as much as if we were on the mountain as He commissions us all to disciple others, baptizing them and teaching them to treasure and guard the revealtion of God that gives them life.
We are part of the drama, the dialogue, and being part of it transforms us.
But this isnt’ easy to do, it takes thought and preparation and consciously avoiding just going through the motions, and most of all…prayer and dependance on God. Wlaking with Him, being in awe of Him, knowing His presence and longing to see those who’ve come connected to Him. It can be done by Catholics and Baptists, Non-Denoms and high church Anglicans, Pentacostals and even Lutherans. In can be done in majestic basillicas, and humble chapels. In crowds of 10,000, and 5 people at the beach, or in a park. Rich, poor, whatever class or level of education, whatever ethnic or langauge or music style…. can do this.
It’s about seeing Jesus, lifted up on the cross – drawing us all to Him – for that is what this is all about…
Not just about the forgiveness of sins…
Not just about healing our brokenness..
not just about eternal life in paradise…
It’s about walking with Him.
Not just the pastor, or the music minister, or the praise team…
All of us… with Him.
AMEN
DL Documents on the Liturgy 1963–1979 (1982) Collegeville: The Liturgical Press.
[i] Torevell, D. (2004). Losing the Sacred: Ritual, Modernity, and Liturgical Reform (pp. 170–171). London; New York: T&T Clark.
Related articles
- Worship, Preaching and Teaching… a quest to be heard. (justifiedandsinner.com)
Posted on September 10, 2013, in Devotions and tagged Church, Concordia Lutheran Church Cerritos Ca, contemporary worship, God, Jesus, laity, Last Supper, leading worship, liturgical worship, liturgy, partiicpation, Worship. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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