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", faith and reason.

Use of these gifts creates thoughtful worship, which we define here as worship through the "two wings of faith":

The Wings of

Faith	Reason
Belief	Reason
Hope	Scripture
Charity	Catholic Theology

We join these in "thoughtful worship"

>> to do: add The Gifts of the Holy Spirit as inspiration, guide and fount of thoughtful worship

Thoughtful worship in posture

Our physical position in prayer marks our belief

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: marks the "our" in the Our Father
  • hands upliftted: marks the recognition of the Father "in Heaven" and with total dominion
  • hands clasped in prayer: marks submission to the will of the Father and begging for mercy

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

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 "ascetetic" life of solitary prayer and total devotion to God. No matter what situation they may have found themselves in, they focused on God.

For example, one of these monks was given a maniscript 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.” (Lk 18:22)

Indeed, and that monk did just that.

When brigands assaulted the Polish Saint John Cantius (Jan Kanty) and took his possessiions, they asked him if he had anything more. He replied he did not, and they let him go on his way. Shortly after, he realized that he did have more, coins swen into his cloak. He ran after the brigands and told them he had not spoken in error and offered the coins to them. Astonished, they refused the coins and gave back what they had taken from him before.

This occurred on one of St. Cantius' four pilgimmages to Rome by foot -- from Poland, carrying his own bags. He also went to Jerusalem after having contemplated the Passion for nights without sleep.

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