Great Vespers tonight moved me, more so than usual...so much so that I was distracted from "choir-y" stuff...got caught trying to turn pages in the choir book before we were ready (and neglecting to turn them when we were!).
Thought of worship in Isaiah, Revelation, where all mankind falls down and stands in the presence of the Holy God in the Heavenly Tabernacle, singing the eternal songs of praise. Thought of Orthodox worship, whose purpose is to take us, really, into that Tabernacle. Was well aware that all of us were clothed only in our baptismal garments, unworthy though we be, brought in to stand and ask mercy, give glory, render worship to God, and to honor the Queen Mother and the Princes of the Church--most notably St. Gregory Palamas this evening. Knew that every word I chanted was an honor, a privilege given me, a sobering opportunity to offer service to my Creator.
Thought of the Protestant emphasis.on familiarity, how formality is such a dirty word and can't we all just crawl up into our Daddy's lap and ask Him in a child-like way for what we need... then how those who walked with the God-man saw Him high and lifted up in His glory... and how such glory and kingship makes the condescension that will happen in ten hours all the more humbling, that our Lord would come down through the will of our Father and the presence of the Holy Spirit to fuse His incarnate divinity with our flesh.
...I love it when wonder sneaks up on you...
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