Inside the Liturgy 2: Gathering to Gloria

Every Sunday morning we enter the church building through red doors (if you enter through CCA’s main entrance). This does not symbolize how hot Phoenix is in the summer, rather it symbolizes the blood of Jesus by which we enter into a holy place of sanctuary. What a beautiful way to begin the liturgy!

Once we pass through the red doors, we find ourselves in the narthex. This area allows for multiple practical purposes such as picking up a bulletin, lining up for the procession, a chance to briefly chat with others, etc. before entering the main part of the church building. Many local churches place a baptismal font in this area as well. The font is there for baptized parishioners as a way to remind themselves of their own baptism. To do this, parishioners will dip their index and middle fingers into the water and then make the sign of the cross on their foreheads. This can be a powerful reminder of the promises God has made to us through baptism.

The main area that we then enter is called the nave. For centuries the church has been imagined as a ship sailing to heaven. This is the reason for so many nautical terms. Here we find our seats and if we have arrived early enough we have time to quiet our hearts and pray individually before we begin worshiping communally.

Our communal worship begins with a prelude. We have been blessed with highly gifted musicians over the years at CCA. They have played beautiful masterpieces for us and for God’s glory, often without most people realizing the remarkableness of the song being played. The prelude also helps to quiet our hearts and begin to prepare us to worship together.

Once the prelude ends the processional hymn begins. We begin to lift up our hearts and voices to our God together at this moment. As the music begins the acolytes, choir, deacons, priests, and bishops process up from the narthex to the chancel. The cross, illuminated by the light of the torch-bearers, and the Gospel book remind us of the good news of Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of our sins. Some processions also include a thurifer (incense-bearer) in the front of the procession, which reminds of us the biblical passages about prayers and incense like Malachi 1:11: “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.”

After the procession ends the Collect for Purity is prayed in unison. It is a beautiful prayer that also helps prepare our hearts to worship the one to whom “all hearts are open, all desires known, and from [whom] no secrets are hid.” God is the one who can “cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of [his] Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love [him], and worthily magnify [his] holy name, through Christ our Lord.”

Next, a deacon (or priest) proclaims Jesus’ summary of the Law, which is found in Matthew 22:37-40. This summary reminds us of the beauty and simplicity of the Law – to love God and love our neighbor. Yet, it also soberly reminds us of how we all fall short of fulfilling this law daily. Therefore, immediately following the summary, the priest and people respond prayerfully with the Kyrie Eleison: “Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.” Kyrie Eleison is the Greek for “Lord, have mercy.” What a simple yet profound prayer for us to pray!

We know and trust what God proclaims to us about himself, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6).” Therefore, because of his great mercy, graciousness, steadfast love, and faithfulness, we sing together the beautiful words of the Gloria in Excelsis (Latin for “Glory in the highest.”). These words come directly from the song the angels sang about the newborn Jesus in the presence of shepherds in Luke 2:13-14: ““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Next week, Fr. Chase will continue walking us through the liturgy when he writes about the lectionary and collect.

Fr. John Laffoon
Minister to Youth & Families