FAQ - Liturgy

This past week when several people asked again about some areas of confusion in our liturgy, I realized I needed to offer some clarifications. I hope these help.

Frequently Asked Questions about our Liturgy, I -- "Here Ends the Reading"
What is the proper response? (BCP, p 357)

Lectors may conclude the Scripture reading in two different ways, followed by two different congregational responses. So the most frequently asked question about the Scripture readings is, "What is the appropriate response at the end of the Scripture reading?"

If the Lector concludes with "The Word of the Lord," the congregational response is "Thanks be to God." But if the Lector concludes with "Here ends the reading," the congregational response is reflective silence. (BCP, p 357). There is good reason for the differention of response:

It makes perfect sense to respond "thanks be to God" when we hear "the Word of the Lord." But notice the implication of saying "thanks be to God" after the Lector says "here ends the reading." In this latter case, rather than expressing gratitude for God speaking to us, we unwittingly have said "thanks be to be God that THAT'S ended!" We imply that the reading was something painful to be endured, and we're glad it's behind us. Clearly that is not our intent! So we would never want to say "thanks be to God" in response to "here ends the reading." Reflective silence is the only appropriate response.

The rubrics in the Prayerbook are not mere accidents. We don't follow the rubrics out of some slavish insistence on rules. Rather, when we pay mindful attention to what is being said, rather than reacting unthinkingly, as Paslov's proverbial dogs, we discover that the tend to make good sense, theologically, liturigically, aesthetically, and spiritually. To ignore the rubrics, and to react unthinkingly, more often than not, makes our liturgy silly, if not theologically erroneous. Our God, our faith, and our own spiritual lives is worth our mindful attention!


Frequently Asked Questions about our Liturgy, II -- Using the Psalms
CONCERNING the PSALTER, BCP pp 582 - 584

The most frequently asked question about the Psalms is, "What do we do about the asterisk in the Psalms?"

The Prayerbook instructs that the Psalms are liturgical poetry, designed for singing and recitation. When chanting (singing) the Psalm, the asterisk is essential for determining when and where we change the note. When reciting (saying), it instructs us that "a distinct pause should be made at the asterisk." (BCP, p 583). My experience is that in monasteries, it is common for that pause to be as long as 2 or 3 seconds, while in parish churches the pause is seldom held for more than 1 second, if observed at all. Failing to observe the pause robs our recitation of its dignity and elegance, diminishing the Psalm from its poetry, as though it were only prose. Those who deliberately observe the pause often discover the experience to become more contemplative. The pause definitely adds to the spiritual power of recitiation.

Remember that the Prayerbook always instructs us to recite "verse-by-verse." That is, it is always intended that we respond by whole-verse, pausing at the asterisk. It is never intended that we respond by half-verse. (BCP, p 582-583)

We may choose any from a variety of forms:
1) "Direct recitation," in which we chant or recite the Psalm in unison.
2) "Antiphonal recitation" which alternates verse-by-verse between groups, such as between choir and congregation, or males and females, or left side and right side of the nave.
3) "Responsorial recitation," in which a cantor or solist chants or recites a section, followed by a refrain from the choir and congregation.
4) "Responsive recitation," in which a lector recites one verse, followed by the congregation's recitation of the next verse.
5) Those who participate in our weekday Morning Prayer have discovered they enjoy "Rotational recitation," in which one participant recites one verse, followed by the next participant, in rotation. Although this form is not suggested by the Prayerbook, it is in keeping with the other forms when practiced by a small group, or a group with inadequate number of available copies of the Psalm, but not for a more typical worship gathering.


Frequently Asked Questions about our Liturgy, III -- At the Dismissal
"Alleluia, alleluia", BCP p 366

The most frequently asked question about the dismissal is, "So are we supposed to say 'Alleluia, alleluia' at the dismissal, or not?"

Central to Episcopal worship is the cycle of the Church Year, divided into different seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and the Season after Pentecost. Each season has specific liturgical elements that distinguish it other seasons, such as specialized prayers and colors.

The Easter season shares the color white with the Christmas season, but it has three distinguishing characteristics that set it off from all other liturgical seasons:
1) The use of the call "Alleluia. Christ is risen" with the response "The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia."
2) The presence of the Paschal candle.
3) The addition of "Alleluia, alleluia" at the dismissal.

The rubric governing the dismissals says: "From the Easter Vigil through the Day of Pentecost 'Alleluia, alleluia' may be added to any of the dismissals.'" (BCP, p 366.) This means that during Easter, we are free either to add it or not add it, as we wish. Clearly, if we are free to "add it," then normally, it is not there. In other words, "Alleluia, alleluia" is not part of the dismissal during the rest of the year.

Sometimes people say, "but I really LIKE the "alleluias" or "but they really mean something to me." Yet such a statement carries no more weight than were I were to say, "but I really LIKE the color purple, so let's change the Christmas vestments from white to purple." It just isn't a meaningful argument.

Having said that, we do not encourage the presence of "liturigical cops" at St Marks. Nobody is going to give you ten demerits for using a Rite I response during a Rite II service, nor for saying "Alleluia, alleluia" when it is not Easter. Remember that we're not really all that concerned about whether people "do it right" or not. What we're really concerned about is our attitude in the worship service.

Those who are annoyed when people say "Alleluia, alleluia" during seasons other than Easter, really need to let that go. Such annoyance is neither charitable nor spiritually healthy. On the other hand, just as unhealthy is nurturing an "in your face" attitude. I once saw a group of people at a Diocesan event look disdainfully at the deacon, spitting out "Alleluia, alleluia" with their hands on their hips and a sneer on their faces. This only demonstrated that the words on their lips were incongruent with the attitude in their hearts. It is quite impossible to praise God while sneering at another person.

Some people are tempted to get into a sort of liturgical tug of war with their clergy. When clergy follow the rubrics of the Prayerbook, they are only fulfilling their ordination vows, and there is nothing good to be gained by trying to argue them into changing the rubrics to suit our whims. They simply have no authority to make changes.

My advice is not get bent out of shape over things, one way or the other. Anyone who is going to shout "Alleluia, alleluia," should just do so joyfully. But anyone nurturing any kind of "in your face" or "tug of war" attitude about it should really desist, for their own spiritual health. Just let it go.

The Lord be with you,

Shrines and Churches

Sometimes, when we need to experience God more profoundly, we need a shrine: “a sacred place of worship associated with a holy person or event.” Shrines are where we connect, through memory, imagination, contemplation, and prayer, with inspiring people and events in the past.

An experience of pilgrimage is often a journey to a shrine. We stand in places where others once gave their hearts, souls, and often their lives for the love of God – and then we too are inspired to give our hearts, souls, and even our lives as well.

But much more often, when we need to experience God more profoundly, what we need is not a shrine, but a church. Whereas a shrine is a sacred place of worship in which we connect with people or events from the past, a church is a sacred people living in the present. Shrines inspire us to follow the example of those who went before, and to remember what God has done. Churches are intentional communities of living people who support, encourage, and spur one another more deeply into our common faith.

Not all intentional communities are religious in nature, but all intentional communities are people striving together with a common vision, and are designed to promote a much higher degree of social interaction than other communities. Members of intentional communities are often drawn together by a common social, political or spiritual vision, and by the hope of making a better world by working together. But what happens to us when we become community transforms more than the world around us: it even more profoundly transforms us.

Sometimes, when a group of people become an intentional community of Jesus followers, their experience is so transforming that someday, long after they’re gone, those not yet born might come to the place where that community lived, served, transformed, and died. Those not yet born might turn the place into a shrine, and many would come to be inspired. If so, those not yet born may restore the place, protect it, and care for it, which is a good, holy, and respectful thing to do. But the shrine comes long after that community has lived and died.

In the meantime, we remember that our weekly experience of worship is not our coming to a shrine to remember people and events of the past. Our weekly experience is all about our becoming a transformed and transforming community of Jesus followers. We sometimes journey to shrines. But more profoundly, we are presently becoming a community in Christ.

To know Christ, together, and together, to make him known