When I was received into the Episcopal Church by the then Bishop of Indianapolis Kate Waynick she preached about the origins of the word Liturgy. It comes from the Greek λειτουργία (lit-oor-gE-ah) and means in her words, “a public work done at private cost.”

This was not uncommon in the Roman world. Rich and prominent citizens would voluntarily pay for a major public project like an aqueduct, theater, or road to be built. Typically this would be in their own town or city and it would be offered to the people of that community as a gift. A modern equivalent would be if Jeff Bezos paid to replace aging water infrastructure in each of the cities where he owns a house. The culture of Jesus day also had the expectation that any act of λειτουργία would not overly benefit that citizen. To be considered λειτουργία the gift had to benefit others more than themselves.

It’s from that sense then that we inherit and forge the worship we create together. We follow an order to our worship that we call liturgy and which has deep ancient meanings. The modern sense of the word liturgy describes the ways we worship, that is true. I think it might also be important to keep in mind that the word liturgy is a description of Jesus' acts in the world; teaching, healing, praying, loving, suffering, dying, and ultimately rising to life again. All of these are public works done at private cost by our God. They did not benefit him overly much and we, his community, have received these gifts in full.

It can be hard to keep that sense of receiving a gift from God every time we meet for worship. Finding the Holy in the midst of what seems ordinary to us; the same pews, the same altar, even the beautiful music of our organ can all too quickly seem pedestrian.

Our worship is an embodied part of our faith in the work Jesus did to save and redeem the world. In it, we encounter God through prayer and in the Eucharist. God is present with us and gives us many blessings in liturgy asking nothing in return. Even so we offer our worship freely to God who loves us and makes us one, with Him and with each other. My prayer for us this week is that we will each find a new place to encounter God in worship and to participate fully in receiving the gifts of liturgy.

In Peace,

Fr. Chip