Orthodox Christians worship in a joyful way, giving Glory to God[1], and being surrounded by sights, sounds and smells which please all the senses and provide a sense of love and protection from the Lord, the experience of the divine presence of the Resurrected Christ.
The Old testament had foreseen the unity of faith and joy of believing people joined in Christ (Romans 15:9-12) and from the very beginning of Christianity there has been a proclamation of joy: When the Archangel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary he said, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you…”(Luke 1:28); when Elizabeth, who was with child (John the Baptist), greeted the Virgin Mary after the Annunciation, Elizabeth told her “…for indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy” (Luke 1:44); at the time of Jesus’ birth the angels proclaimed to the shepherds “Do not be afraid, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10); Jesus told his apostles, “Peace I leave with you…let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid….abide in my love as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love…..these things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 14:27-31; 15:1-11).
Jesus in his parables to the people expressed the joy on earth and in heaven when a lost sheep found, “I say to you there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents…” (Luke 15:7). St. Paul instructs the faithful “..for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17). The repeating message is Holy Scripture is clear, we are to worship the Lord in peace and in joy.
The faithful see, hear, smell, taste and touch the Lord throughout their entire experience in Church during the Divine Liturgy. They are covered by His ever present love and forgiveness creating peace and joy within their hearts so when then sing “Glory to God in the Highest, Peace and Goodwill toward men…” at the Doxology preceding the Divine Liturgy, their hearts are lifted up to heaven and all earthly matters that may have concerned them prior to coming to Church are laid to rest while they rest is the love of the Lord. They touch the Lord by making the sign of the cross, venerating the icons and lighting candles; they smell the incense; they hear the music of the Liturgy ; they see the Priest’s Vestments, and they taste the Lord through the Sacrament of Holy Communion. All the senses of the whole person become involved in giving Glory to God and are covered by the presence of His great love for us filling our hearts with joy.
There is a synergy and unity of Clergy and Laity, each helping the other to work out their paths to salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit within the assembly, the Church. When the Priest begins the Liturgy with “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..”, from the beginning of the Liturgy, the destination is announced. The journey is to the Kingdom. This is where we are going, not symbolically, but really. In the language of the Bible, which is the language of the Church, to bless the Kingdom is not simply to acclaim it. It is to declare it to be the goal, the end of all our desires and interests, of our whole life, the supreme and ultimate value of all that exists. The Church thus is the assembly, the gathering of those to whom the ultimate destination of all life has been revealed and who have accepted it. The people answer “Amen”. “Amen” is usually translated to mean, “so be it”, but it’s meaning is deeper than that. It not only signifies agreement, but also acceptance. “Yes”, this is so, and let it be so”. With this word, the assembly seals each prayer uttered by the Priest, thereby expressing conscious participation of the assembly in each and every sacred action of the Church.[2] St. Augustine writes, “to that which you are – say Amen and thus seal it with your answer. For you hear ‘the body of Christ’ and answer ‘Amen’. Be a member of the body of Christ, which is realized by your Amen…Fulfill that which you are.”[3]
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[1] Op.Cit., For the Life of the World, p. 24
[2] Ibid., p. 29
[3] Op.Cit., The Eucharist, pp.47-48
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