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	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 Mass
  • know its 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" 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.” (Lk 18:22)

Indeed, and that monk did just that.

Insults in praise of God

As their fame grew, a Greek philosopher came to the desert to learn from the Desert Fathers. He encountered a monk who insulted him, then demanded payment for it. After three years of this treatment (!), the philosopher, fed up with it, returned to Athens. Upon arrival, he encountered a street bum who was insulting people. The philosopher approached the man and was insulted thoroughly. To the man's surprise, rather than reacting in anger, the philosopher laughed at him. "What are you laughing at," the man demanded. "For three years I paid for insults," replied the philosopher, "and you just gave away one for free!"

The bum stood, bowed, and declared to the philosopher, "Behold, the keys to the city are yours!"

Other stories of conversion, clever and thoughtful worship

When brigands assaulted the Polish Saint John Cantius (Jan Kanty) and took his possessions, 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 sewn 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 pilgrimages 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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