The cultural norms and attitudes of American life are constantly changing. As our society attempts to continually define and redefine what it means to be an authentic human in the modern world, the Truth¹ of the historic Christian faith remains unchanged. We nonetheless are called to be faithful to Jesus Christ, Who, “is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” despite the shifting sands of modernity and postmodernity (Hebrews 13:8)

So how does one remain faithful to unchanging Truth in a changing world and society? I believe that part of the answer lies in the historic liturgies of the Church. The liturgies are given to us Orthodox Christians as an inheritance from the Body of Christ to strengthen our faith and be a constant reminder of God’s love and mercy towards us and the world.

The Greek root of the word liturgy is λειτουργία (litorgia), literally meaning “the work of the people.” Although the liturgies are long and difficult to understand at times, they are the work necessary to remind ourselves of God’s love for us and our calling to live as faithful Orthodox Christians.

There is no doubt that I enjoy participating in the services of the Orthodox Church. This fact was made especially evident to me as I was given the opportunity to attend the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom² three times this week. I was struck by how often the call to reorient one’s entire life to Christ was sprinkled all throughout the liturgy. One of the often-repeated prayers reflects this idea:

Commemorating our all-holy, pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos³ and ever-virgin Mary with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God. [Emphasis added]

This calling to commend our entire existence to Christ is central to the call of the Christian life. Jesus makes this abundantly clear in the gospels:

³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39)

The liturgy also constantly reminds us of God’s great love for mankind. Another prayer after one of the litanies of petitions expresses this:

For you are a merciful and loving God, and to you we offer glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. [Emphasis added]

One of the final prayers of the liturgy also alludes to God’s love:

May Christ our true God, who rose from the dead, through the intercessions of his all-pure and blameless holy Mother… have mercy on us and save us, as a good and loving God. [Emphasis added]

I desperately need these reminders in order to learn the truth about Who God is and how great His love is for me and the universe. I need to be told to commend myself and my whole life to Christ over and over again lest I forget the life I have been called to. And I would think that perhaps you need those reminders too.

Go to liturgy. Pray for yourself and for the world. God will receive you and have mercy on you.

1: Truth is a Person. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

2: The Divine Liturgy is the main worship service of the Orthodox Church. It includes set prayers, hymns, readings from the New Testament, and Holy Communion.

3: Theotokos is a Greek word that roughly means, “Mother of God.” The word Theotokos has been used historically to refer to the Virgin Mary.