Thoughtful worship: Difference between revisions
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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 | |||
|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 | |||
== Thoughtful 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<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. | The "Desert Fathers" and "Desert Mothers" were early monks who fled the world around them under the Roman Empire to live the "ascetetic<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. | ||