Liturgy Lesson for the Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity: Life Abundant

November 13, 2011

Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.’” Jesus’ words amplify how important it is Christians take Holy Communion as often as possible— and why this is central to Christian worship. It conveys life. Yet, it’s not the ceremony that imparts God’s Grace and mystery—it’s the Spirit empowering it, and the attitude of our hearts. Ultimately, this is the case for all worship—liturgical and ancient, or contemporary and unstructured. Our attitude determines our altitude. In short, how do we approach the Lord? Are we doing the “church thing” or are we, as we pray in the Kyrie, Confession and Prayer of Humble Access approaching the Lord with an understanding of our brokenness–dependent on His Grace? This goes to the heart of something we have been studying in our review of the Gifts of the Spirit—the governance of our souls—that is, our minds and emotions. As disciplined adults, we can usually control our outward expression of inner dysfunctions, but, God looks on the heart—and, without the intervening influence of God the Holy Ghost and His Gifts, we won’t be able to effect that change of heart required to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth. In short, the liturgy will remain only well-founded Scriptural words said in a proscribed, traditional manner, without Divine help to the contrary. On the other hand, if we call the Holy Ghost into our lives, receiving Him in the manner the Church Fathers intended in the sacraments, we will have life in us—abundantly! Inhabit us, then, Holy Ghost– govern our hearts and bring power to our worship!