This week in Celtic Lent we are looking at the Stowe Missal, which is about 60 leaves of illuminated writing explaining the order of the Eucharist service of the monastic centre, along with some prayers and hymns.

Over many years I have had good discussions with friends about liturgy. Many of my friends have the opinion that is is boring and stifling to the spirit when we use the same set of words week by week. I have always argued that reciting similar words actually has the opposite effect and allows the spirit to truly meet with us in a meaningful way.

The Celtic Christians did not see liturgy as just a collection of words. They believed liturgy had a mystical depth to it. It was seen as something greater than them , and something to be entered and absorbed within. Each liturgy was an opportunity to be absorbed more completely into the Christ experience.

The Stowe Missal was written to to help the people engage more deeply and be absorbed more completely int the divine presence. So, Eucharist, for the Celtic Christians isn’t just a service that they had to do, its was instead a sacred mystical act that drew them closer to God.

So …. at the start of this new day, this thought is causing me to ask, how do I view liturgy? Is it just a set of (familiar) words or is it more of that opportunity to be drawn into, and absorbed by, God? And if that is so, what am I going to do about this? How am I going to view and treat liturgy moving forward? I’m not sure …. but I definitely want to lear how to embrace and be part of the mystical experience.

How do you view liturgy? Words or opportunity?