Idle Worship
“Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory…”
Collect for Trinity Sunday, The Book of Common Prayer, p.228
Can you remember the beginning of summer when you were a child? The goodbyes to teachers and fellow students at the end of the school year ushered in a time of such freedom and spaciousness, a time where idleness was permissible, sanctioned by mothers and fathers who implored us to “go outside and play,” or at least gave us permission to do whatever we wished within expanded parameters. I remember worshipping those long summer days and evenings until we returned to a new school year in the fall.
Others have accused Episcopalians of having highly choreographed worship. “Episc-aerobics” was a derisive description of our liturgy outsiders made of our practices in the recent past! Much of our liturgy comes from ancient prayers. Because of that, there is a danger our worship can itself become an idol…ergo the controversies that historically rise up during times of revisions to The Book of Common Prayer. Yet, liturgy has always changed to reflect the times. What was meaningful in 1st century Rome may not be easily understood or as relevant today.
Worship is an offering of ourselves, our time, to God, reflecting to a small extent Jesus’ own self-offering. Worship is ordered, and all participants have their respective parts to play as readers, leaders, choristers, worshippers or preachers.
During this year of COVID-19, it is possible our secular neighbors drove by near-empty churches and viewed them as idle, as we sacrificed our in-person worship for safe, virtual worship out of love for one another. Still, we were fed by our fellow parishioners and extended the reach of the church beyond its walls. There was nothing “idle” about our worship this last year. However, with more and more people protected by vaccines, it is becoming safer to gather in-person.
So have fun this summer, but please do not be idle about your worship. Worship with your faith community one way or another!
