Editing Thoughtful worship

Thoughtful worship is best expressed by Saint Pope John Paul II's adaptation of Saint Thomas Aquinas' "gifts of faith" as the "[[Two Wings of Truth: gifts of faith and reason|two wings of truth]]", faith and reason.  

Use of these gifts creates thoughtful worship, which we define here as worship through the "two wings of faith":
{| class="wikitable"
|+The Wings of
!Faith
!Reason
|-
|Belief
|Reason
|-
|Hope
|Scripture
|-
|Charity
|Magisterium of the Church
|}
We join these in "thoughtful worship". 

Note how, in a state of Grace, the [[Gifts of the Holy Spirit]] empower worship

== ''lex orandi, lex credendi'' ==
Above all, what we believe must guide what we pray, and vice-versa (and also the other way around)

'''''lex orandi, lex credendi =''''' 
* '''''what is prayed is what is believed'''''  or

* '''''what is prayed governs (lex) what is believed'''''

thereby, 

* our prayer both reflects and yields what we believe
* our beliefs must guide our prayer
== Thoughtful worship in posture ==
Our physical position in prayer (''orandi'') marks our belief (''credendi'')

=== Clasping of hands ===

* the "prayer" position of hands together pointing upwards may indicate
** submission to God
*** position of surrender 
** union with God 
*** two hands coming together 
** pointing to God
*** signaling the Father above

=== Our Father ===

* some of the faithful pray the Our Father 
** holiding hands with one another
** others with hands uplifted
** and others with hands clasped in prayer position
* whatever the form, the position of the hands marks an idea of or attitude towards the prayer
** holding hands: emphasizes the "our" in the Our Father
** hands upliftted: emphasizes the recognition of the Father "who art in Heaven" and who is king of "earth and heaven"
** hands clasped in prayer: marks submission to the will of the Father and begging for mercy

== Thoughtful worship at Mass ==

* know the [[Catholic Mass|Mass]]
** know its [[Catholic Mass (overview)|parts]]
** know it's purpses
** know its meanings
* use a Missal to follow the Mass
** read along with the priest's prayers to know what is going on
** perfect your recitation of "responses" (what the faithful speak in reply to priestly prayer)
* focus on the purpose of the Mass
** Thanksgiving
** Sacrifice
** Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord
** Forgiveness and mercy
** prayer to the Father

== Maximizing the Word: "Desert" Fathers and Mothers ==
The "Desert Fathers" and "Desert Mothers" were early monks who fled the world around them under the Roman Empire to live the "ascetic<ref>ascetic means a practice of severe self-discipline to avoid all temptations and sin through constant prayer, self-isolation, and/or worship.</ref>" life of solitary prayer and total devotion to God. No matter what situation they may have found themselves in, they focused on God. 

=== Sell what you have ===
For example, one of these monks was given a manuscript of the Gospels. He read it, and when he got to the words, "Sell what you have and give to the poor," he stopped reading, sold the book. and gave the money to the poor (!).  Another ascetic, a Desert Mother was never able to complete the Our Father prayer, as whenever she would start she would become so absorbed in the beauty and meaning of God as "our father" that she would weep and fixated her thoughts on that amazing concept. 

Sounds crazy, but to take the Gospel literally -- by the very text, the very words -- is fundamental to any understanding much less act of faith. Did not Jesus mean what he said, when he told the rich man  
 “There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/18:22 Lk 18:22])
Indeed, and that monk did just that.   

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[[Category:Catechism of the Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Mass and Liturgy]]
<references />
[[Category:Saints]]