Liturgy and Prayer in Orthodoxy

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Divine worship is the expression of our love for our Creator. It is our answer to the love of God. Christians express their love for God either through praising His holy name, by rendering thanks for His gifts, or by seeking divine mercy.

For Orthodox Christians, the Divine Liturgy is the center of the life of the Church. Church worship is rational, what is performed in the holy services has meaning and content which is sacred and theological. It is rational worship in which we participate with our spirit, our reason, and our heart and also with all the senses of the body. The revelation of the meaning of what is performed in the liturgical life of the Church requires private study and prayerful preparation.  Finally, participation in Divine Worship is an ascetic act and spiritual exercise for all the faithful. This unit contributes to just such an understanding so that all the faithful are able to delve deeper into what is performed in divine worship.

People were made as rational creatures in order to be able to communicate with God through prayer and to receive all good gifts from Him. Prayer is the agent for all of God’s blessings. Prayer can prove to be an instrument for self-knowledge since, according to Saint Sophrony, the Light of Christ will illumine us and will show us our wretched condition, depending on the measure of our repentance. It is also a means of knowing God since we engage with Him ‘face to Face’ and can become acquainted with Him. As He is. Finally, it is also a means of knowing other people, since it will reveal to us our true relationship with our neighbor.