Liturgy Lesson for the First Sunday after Christmas: Gestures of Reverence

December 30, 2007

In worship, you may note those in our congregation make “gestures of reverence”–signing themselves with the cross, bowing, genuflecting, or knocking on the breastbone in repentance at various times in the service. Since the 1549 Prayer Book (the first in English instead of Latin, produced during the Reformation) all gestures of reverence–except kneeling or standing when the rubrics of the Prayer Book require them–are a personal devotion. When worshipping, they are a matter of our hearts before our gracious God—strictly between the individual and Him, as led by God the Holy Ghost and reflect the courtesy and protocol of service in the court of our Sovereign—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, whom we serve in worship. Many new to our corner of Christianity ask me what they should properly do. My answer is always the same—make this a matter of prayer, asking God the Holy Ghost to show us what pleases our Heavenly Father most in our personal devotions. Whatever we do, our devotions should rightly reflect how we submit our bodies, souls and spirits to the Holy Ghost’s leadership—and make our “gestures of reverence” to serve God with all that we are—with an attitude of submission that pleases Him and edifies ourselves and those around us. May we, then, worship God, as we pray, in the beauty of holiness—being set completely aside for His service, in Spirit and truth!

Posted by Father Chip | Filed Under Liturgy Lessons