liturgy.

I've been thinking more this week about the concept of liturgy. What is it, really?

To date, I have really only thought of liturgy as those rituals & ceremonies within a church service. Communion, confession, etc, etc.

The recited phrases, often part of those moments, often
mumbled quickly: thelordbewithyou.andalsowithyou.liftupyour
hearts.weliftthemtotheLord ...

Don't get me wrong, I see that there is great value and significance in coming together through these liturgies. But, is there more to it? Can liturgy be part of my everyday life?

Robbell indicated that "liturgy" can be translated as "worship" and also as "service." Does this mean that it's not just as part of a 'worship service' on Sunday morning? These two definitions suggest that our worship - the way that we praise God - is played out in the ways that we serve others - our church, our families, our colleagues, our neighbours, even strangers ... complete strangers. Every day.

Of course, Robbell is a wise teacher, but could there be more to this? On my quest for accuracy and insight, I consulted with the definitive source of accurate information: wikipedia.

According to wikipedia:
The word comes from the Classical Greek word λειτουργία (leitourgia) meaning "public work." As a religious phenomenon, liturgy is a communal response to the sacred through activity reflecting praise, thanksgiving, supplication, or repentance ... it forms the basis for establishing a relationship with a divine agency, as well as with other participants in the liturgy.

Wait. A response to the sacred? Activity reflecting praise? Establishing a relationship with a divine agency (um, God?). Establishing a relationship with other participants (our neighbours perhaps? community members?) This sounds a lot like service as worship. Or worship as service.

Our desire to serve others is a response to God, to our relationship with the divine - a tangible way to express our praise and thanksgiving, our gratitude. It is a response from the heart. And it is a response that changes not only ourselves, but the lives of those around us.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.