Praise and Worship (I): and how the church prays
I would like to dedicate this reflection for Jesus, to whom we give our worship, and who leads us to worship the Father in spirit and in truth. And I also want to dedicate this reflection for all people who leads God's people to encounter the true and living God, to the worship leaders. And not only to the worship leaders, but to everyone who are involved in this "Prayer", from the musician, to the logistics, and to the people who just come and Pray.
Let me start by saying that, I am not a worship leader (in fact, I am having difficulty to sing in the correct tune). So why would a non-worship leader write something about praise and worship? Well, maybe because to praise and to worship is what God calls each and every one of us to do. This is a personal reflection of what it means to praise and to worship God in my daily lives.
For those going to a catholic charismatic prayer meeting, praise and worship session is something that is common to them. This article is meant to share the things that we do in a charismatic prayer meeting, particularly the praise and worship session. Why do we do what we do? Do we have the same structures or flow all the time? Is quiet or silent moment necessary? What does it mean to praise? or to worship?
Let us start by reflecting on the structure and the elements of Praise and Worship. If you have ever been to several prayer meetings, anywhere, you will be astonished to see that in many variety, we can identify certain elements in a catholic charismatic prayer meeting. We usually start with thanksgiving or praise songs, then after sometime, we start to slow down the tempo and go into worship. And then, certain prayer meetings (a good one hehe) will spend some quiet or silent moment before the Lord. Then, usually the worship leader allows a time for prophecy or words of knowledge. Ah, at this point, usually the praise and worship closes with a song or a prayer which is then continued with a talk or preaching on the word of God. Anyway, of course there are some variety, but this is what I usually encounter.
The very fact that the same elements and structure can be found everywhere is quite astonishing, I would say. It is as if God's spirit is working and shows us what to do. Anyway, my question is "are we copying someone else worship style?" This is quite bothering me actually. Are we, as catholics, just trying to copy some other tradition outside our catholic tradition?
Yes and No, I would say.
Yes, in the sense that we use some of our protestant brothers and sisters' songs. Yes in the sense that we use the "contemporary music" and not a hymn for mass. But I would like to say No in the sense of the elements and the structure of the prayer meeting.
Last Easter, after Good Friday and before Easter vigil mass, I came to my parish for a morning prayer. Well, this is not just my morning prayer. It is the Church official morning prayer. Some people call it liturgy of the hours, some say divine office, etc. Anyway, it is the official prayer of the catholic church.
And as I reflect upon it, I found that there are the same elements just as what we have in a catholic charismatic prayer meeting. In the liturgy of the hours, we usually open with a psalm, called "invitation to praise". The most commonly read or sang is Psalm 95. I will share more about this psalm later on. Another psalm that is usually used for "invitation to praise" is Psalm 100. This "invitation to praise" is only read at the very beginning of the day, and so I believe, it explains what is happening in the liturgy of the hours as a whole.
Anyway, after that, we sing the Psalmody, usually three psalms, after each we usually spend some silent moments. And after we sing the psalmody with the silent prayer, we listen to a scripture passage. If the priest presided the prayer, he usually give a short homily. Then there usually a prayer of intercession and concluded with the Our Father. Then there is a closing prayer and a closing hymn.
Well, I know that's a lot of thing. But basically, the liturgy of the hours are composed of several things: the Psalms, the Word of God, prayers intercessory, and all these intersperse with silent moment. The psalms are usually a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God (sometimes petitions). We pray not just one but Three Psalms to praise God. Then we usually spend some silent moments after we finish each psalm. Then we listen to the Word of God from the scripture and the homily.
Well, if you haven't found any similarities, allow me to share what I reflect. But I would like to use the "invitation to praise" Psalm 95 at the beginning of the liturgy of the hours to show the elements of the prayer of the Church, which also came from the prayer of the Jews.
---to be continued
Let me start by saying that, I am not a worship leader (in fact, I am having difficulty to sing in the correct tune). So why would a non-worship leader write something about praise and worship? Well, maybe because to praise and to worship is what God calls each and every one of us to do. This is a personal reflection of what it means to praise and to worship God in my daily lives.
For those going to a catholic charismatic prayer meeting, praise and worship session is something that is common to them. This article is meant to share the things that we do in a charismatic prayer meeting, particularly the praise and worship session. Why do we do what we do? Do we have the same structures or flow all the time? Is quiet or silent moment necessary? What does it mean to praise? or to worship?
Let us start by reflecting on the structure and the elements of Praise and Worship. If you have ever been to several prayer meetings, anywhere, you will be astonished to see that in many variety, we can identify certain elements in a catholic charismatic prayer meeting. We usually start with thanksgiving or praise songs, then after sometime, we start to slow down the tempo and go into worship. And then, certain prayer meetings (a good one hehe) will spend some quiet or silent moment before the Lord. Then, usually the worship leader allows a time for prophecy or words of knowledge. Ah, at this point, usually the praise and worship closes with a song or a prayer which is then continued with a talk or preaching on the word of God. Anyway, of course there are some variety, but this is what I usually encounter.
The very fact that the same elements and structure can be found everywhere is quite astonishing, I would say. It is as if God's spirit is working and shows us what to do. Anyway, my question is "are we copying someone else worship style?" This is quite bothering me actually. Are we, as catholics, just trying to copy some other tradition outside our catholic tradition?
Yes and No, I would say.
Yes, in the sense that we use some of our protestant brothers and sisters' songs. Yes in the sense that we use the "contemporary music" and not a hymn for mass. But I would like to say No in the sense of the elements and the structure of the prayer meeting.
Last Easter, after Good Friday and before Easter vigil mass, I came to my parish for a morning prayer. Well, this is not just my morning prayer. It is the Church official morning prayer. Some people call it liturgy of the hours, some say divine office, etc. Anyway, it is the official prayer of the catholic church.
And as I reflect upon it, I found that there are the same elements just as what we have in a catholic charismatic prayer meeting. In the liturgy of the hours, we usually open with a psalm, called "invitation to praise". The most commonly read or sang is Psalm 95. I will share more about this psalm later on. Another psalm that is usually used for "invitation to praise" is Psalm 100. This "invitation to praise" is only read at the very beginning of the day, and so I believe, it explains what is happening in the liturgy of the hours as a whole.
Anyway, after that, we sing the Psalmody, usually three psalms, after each we usually spend some silent moments. And after we sing the psalmody with the silent prayer, we listen to a scripture passage. If the priest presided the prayer, he usually give a short homily. Then there usually a prayer of intercession and concluded with the Our Father. Then there is a closing prayer and a closing hymn.
Well, I know that's a lot of thing. But basically, the liturgy of the hours are composed of several things: the Psalms, the Word of God, prayers intercessory, and all these intersperse with silent moment. The psalms are usually a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God (sometimes petitions). We pray not just one but Three Psalms to praise God. Then we usually spend some silent moments after we finish each psalm. Then we listen to the Word of God from the scripture and the homily.
Well, if you haven't found any similarities, allow me to share what I reflect. But I would like to use the "invitation to praise" Psalm 95 at the beginning of the liturgy of the hours to show the elements of the prayer of the Church, which also came from the prayer of the Jews.
---to be continued
posted by Oka | 5:15 pm
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