More on Liturgy

I met with my friend Dan, yesterday, and, among other things, talked about the need for certain elements of corporate worship to be regular and routine. We talked about how routine is not only not a bad thing but essential in our lives. Routine helps us persist on a particular course. Of course, routine can be bad if it takes us on a wrong course. But routine - especially in worship - seems to be "routinely" criticized as if nothing good comes of it. Diversity and spontaneity seem to be the crucial elements.

But i "routinely" tell my wife i love her. I try to take every opportunity i have to tell her. Why? First of all, because I really do love her. There is no on else in this world i would rather be with - even when there is tension between us. There is no one else I want to do more for than her - even though i so often act quite selfishly. And, yes, there are times when i say, "I love you," rather unthinkingly... but does that mean i shouldn't say it? Because it does become routine for me to tell her, "I love you," should i stop telling her that? Of course not! what i need to do is not change what i'm saying but the reason, the attitude, the heart behind it. Obviously just saying it is completely insufficient. But not saying it at all is not the solution. Rather i need to bring my heart and mind and life back to the reasons i tell her, "I love you."

And I need to tell her, not only so she can hear it from me... I need to tell her so I can hear it from me.

There are certain disciplines that are vital to the Christian life. We talk about the importance of being "in the Word" daily, of prayer, of confession, of obedience, of "simplicity, purity and humility." We talk about the importance of knowing and reminding ourselves of just who God is, of our constant need of his mercy and grace, of his righteousness and justice, of his never-ending love for us, of his holiness... and numerous other things.

Yet these basic elements are being forgotten or deliberately ignored in much of what is passed off as Christian worship, today. Things like the Lord's Prayer, the Doxology, and the Gloria Patri are seldom used on a regular basis - if ever - in many churches. The Eucharist/Communion also falls into disuse... or, at best, minimal use. The public reading of scripture is deemed as not only unnecessary but even intimidating and offensive. Acknowledgment and confession of sin is often perceived as pedantic and "overly negative."

The issue is not that we shouldn't do these things routinely but that we should routinely teach and talk about what these things mean and why they are important. It seems to me we're in too much of a hurry to "get to the good stuff" (the stuff that makes us feel good) and so miss why and what it is that makes the good stuff so good!

Although it may very well be a gross over-simplification, half the Church is told "just do it" while the other half is told "just feel it." But seldom is there discussion about what "it" is or why or what or even how "doing" or "feeling" is connected to "it."

Liturgy, all by itself, certainly is not the answer. But being left to "whatever" isn't the answer, either. That's just being left to fall of one end or the other of the same plank. The awareness and development of a life rooted in spiritual reality doesn't just happen. It takes not only cultivation but also perseverance. It is a long journey that requires a commitment to the pilgrimage... and a map. Liturgy is the practice of referring to the map... even when you're sure you haven't gone off it.