Lesson 1
Content
Lesson 8: The Challenge of Authentic Worship
(Summary)
*The Power of Praise In Marriage
A married couple came to a counselor for advice.
No sooner were they seated, and then they began speaking at the same time
in a duel of criticisms.
The wife pushed her paper over to the watching counselor.
When they finally stopped for lack of breath, the counselor suggested that
now they tell each other all the good they see in one another. That proved
that she treasured the sudden revelation of good things her husband had
expressed about her.
Finally the writing stopped.
*Sacrifice of Body and Mind.
I beg you,Therefore my brothers,by the mercy of God,to give yourselves
as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God; that is our spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to the world where you live,but rather be
transformed through the renewal of your mind.
You must discern the will of God: what is good,what pleases,what is
perfect.
The grace that God has given me allows me to tell all of you not to think
too highly of yourselves, but wisely, that you may become wise.
And let each one appreciate the measure of faith and talents given to you
by God.
*Worship: Our Response to God
St.Paul reminds us that as Christians,we should give ourselves in
fulfilling God's plan .Worship duties do not consist principally in what
we do on Sundays alone but in our daily conduct. As Christians,we are
also asked to always challenge the world without being aggressive or
pessimistic.
Thus worship is a choice that stems from knowing-it's a conscious as a
decision to love.
Worship is our response-both personal and communal-to God for who he is
and what he has done,expressed in and by the things we say and the way we
live.The purpose of our worship is to glorify,honor,praise,exalt,and please
God.
"Our worship to God is a very humble and reverent action.
Our worship must show our adoration and loyalty to God for his grace in
providing us with the way to escape the bondage of sin,so we can have the
salvation He so much wants to give us.The nature of the worship God
demands is the surrender of our souls before Him in humble and contrite
submission. When we worship God, we tend to value what God values and
gradually take on the characteristics and qualities of God,but never to His level.
Worship should cause us to reflect on the majesty and graciousness of God and
Christ, contrasted to our own unworthiness.God does not need our worship,but
we must worship Him for it is our primary duty.Our singing,praying,studying His
Word,giving and communion are designed by God to bring us closer to him and to
cause us to think more like He thinks,thus becoming more like Him.Jas.4:8 tells
us to, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
All of this is preparing us for eternal life in heaven with God and Christ as we are
told in Col.3:2: "Set your mind on the things above,and not on things on the earth
When we worship God,we develop traits such as
forgiveness,tenderness,justice,righteousness,purity,kindness,and love.
*All Life Is Worship
Our life is and our daily living is worship.God has shown us a way to join and
worship him.As people in love want to show their affection in the best
possible way,so are we to show adoration to God through all our
lives.According to PCP II,our prayer and worship are often separated from
our daily living.This means they are often reduced to mere external
observance of religious conventions,lacking any real "heart" commitment
(CFC 1556).
*Renewed Worship
Renewing the worship life according to PCP II requires the renewing of
prayer life.
Morever,for us catholics, we see the observance of Sunday as a serious
obligation to celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy to thank,praise,and worship
God for the gifts He bestows on us.
But whether done individually or in a group,prayer must retain its character
as a personal conversation with God.
*The Church Says. . .
Our life of worship and our life of prayer find their source and summit in the
sacred liturgy,which is the Christian community's official public
worship,centered on the Eucharist and the other sacraments.
Adoration is the first act of the virtue of religion.To adore God is to
acknowledge Him as God,as the Creator and Savior,The Lord and Master of
everything that exists, as infinite and merciful Love.
Renewing the worship of our people requires renewing their prayer life
and popular religious practices....The basis for renewing our prayer life
and religious practices is surely the Church's Trinitarian Prayer....For
this prayer calls us away from inauthentic "faith" seeking private
security,to outgoing self-giving in sharing Christ's and the Church's
saving mission of loving service (CFC 194-195).
(Summary)
*The Power of Praise In Marriage
A married couple came to a counselor for advice.
No sooner were they seated, and then they began speaking at the same time
in a duel of criticisms.
The wife pushed her paper over to the watching counselor.
When they finally stopped for lack of breath, the counselor suggested that
now they tell each other all the good they see in one another. That proved
that she treasured the sudden revelation of good things her husband had
expressed about her.
Finally the writing stopped.
*Sacrifice of Body and Mind.
I beg you,Therefore my brothers,by the mercy of God,to give yourselves
as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God; that is our spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to the world where you live,but rather be
transformed through the renewal of your mind.
You must discern the will of God: what is good,what pleases,what is
perfect.
The grace that God has given me allows me to tell all of you not to think
too highly of yourselves, but wisely, that you may become wise.
And let each one appreciate the measure of faith and talents given to you
by God.
*Worship: Our Response to God
St.Paul reminds us that as Christians,we should give ourselves in
fulfilling God's plan .Worship duties do not consist principally in what
we do on Sundays alone but in our daily conduct. As Christians,we are
also asked to always challenge the world without being aggressive or
pessimistic.
Thus worship is a choice that stems from knowing-it's a conscious as a
decision to love.
Worship is our response-both personal and communal-to God for who he is
and what he has done,expressed in and by the things we say and the way we
live.The purpose of our worship is to glorify,honor,praise,exalt,and please
God.
"Our worship to God is a very humble and reverent action.
Our worship must show our adoration and loyalty to God for his grace in
providing us with the way to escape the bondage of sin,so we can have the
salvation He so much wants to give us.The nature of the worship God
demands is the surrender of our souls before Him in humble and contrite
submission. When we worship God, we tend to value what God values and
gradually take on the characteristics and qualities of God,but never to His level.
Worship should cause us to reflect on the majesty and graciousness of God and
Christ, contrasted to our own unworthiness.God does not need our worship,but
we must worship Him for it is our primary duty.Our singing,praying,studying His
Word,giving and communion are designed by God to bring us closer to him and to
cause us to think more like He thinks,thus becoming more like Him.Jas.4:8 tells
us to, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
All of this is preparing us for eternal life in heaven with God and Christ as we are
told in Col.3:2: "Set your mind on the things above,and not on things on the earth
When we worship God,we develop traits such as
forgiveness,tenderness,justice,righteousness,purity,kindness,and love.
*All Life Is Worship
Our life is and our daily living is worship.God has shown us a way to join and
worship him.As people in love want to show their affection in the best
possible way,so are we to show adoration to God through all our
lives.According to PCP II,our prayer and worship are often separated from
our daily living.This means they are often reduced to mere external
observance of religious conventions,lacking any real "heart" commitment
(CFC 1556).
*Renewed Worship
Renewing the worship life according to PCP II requires the renewing of
prayer life.
Morever,for us catholics, we see the observance of Sunday as a serious
obligation to celebrate the Eucharistic liturgy to thank,praise,and worship
God for the gifts He bestows on us.
But whether done individually or in a group,prayer must retain its character
as a personal conversation with God.
*The Church Says. . .
Our life of worship and our life of prayer find their source and summit in the
sacred liturgy,which is the Christian community's official public
worship,centered on the Eucharist and the other sacraments.
Adoration is the first act of the virtue of religion.To adore God is to
acknowledge Him as God,as the Creator and Savior,The Lord and Master of
everything that exists, as infinite and merciful Love.
Renewing the worship of our people requires renewing their prayer life
and popular religious practices....The basis for renewing our prayer life
and religious practices is surely the Church's Trinitarian Prayer....For
this prayer calls us away from inauthentic "faith" seeking private
security,to outgoing self-giving in sharing Christ's and the Church's
saving mission of loving service (CFC 194-195).
