I grew up in a Baptist church that did not practice liturgy as part of our usual Sunday worship service. We were taught that the service and specifically prayer should be spontaneous, extemporaneous and “from the heart.” Truth be told, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a church calendar yet alone “seasons” of the church. It was not until college that I was introduced to the lectionary and began discovering common prayer and liturgy.
Liturgy is one of several things that drew me into the Episcopal Church. It is a connection to our past and saints who, for thousands of years, said the same words that we use today. Take for example the collect for purity which appears at the beginning of our liturgy at St. Paul’s.
"Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen
."
This prayer dates back to at least the 11th century and likely even earlier than that. Think about all the trouble our world has been through over the last 1,000 years. Wars, depressions, pandemics. The same prayers and liturgies that help sustain us today, also helped sustain Christians back then.
Liturgy also helps me when there are moments that I am unable to pray. I don’t know about you, but there’s been quite a lot of that recently. There are times when my brain is so overloaded with information and emotions that I find it hard to process and, as a result, I struggle to think of something to pray. Liturgy provides me with a way to communicate with God during complicated and uncertain times.
I have several books with hundreds of liturgies: traditional liturgies that are specific to every calendar day of the year, liturgies for Christian Holy Days, daybreak liturgies, midday liturgies, and nightfall liturgies. I also use liturgies that are more contemporary, like a liturgy for gardening, a liturgy for beginning a new book, a liturgy for failure, and one I have used frequently lately, a liturgy for waiting in line. There are everyday moments that are holy that we can communicate with God, even when we are too busy.
I will leave you with a liturgy I often read in the morning while I am enjoying a cup of tea on the porch.
Liturgy for the Morning
Meet me, O Christ, in the stillness of morning.
Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart.
Mend me, O Father, from yesterday’s harms.
From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace.
From the discouragements of yesterday, resurrect my hope.
From the weariness of yesterday, resurrect my strength.
From the doubts of yesterday, resurrect my faith.
From the wounds of yesterday, resurrect my love.
Let me enter this new day, aware of my need, and awake, to your grace, O Lord.
Amen
.
