DECEMBER 2015

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GUEST column Praise and worship are both legitimate It seems of late there has been a debate about what is worship and what is praise — whether certain types of “loud” worship are truly acceptable or are they simply emotional tirades towards God? Some of the reasons that bring about this debate is Christian music that is being sold like secular music and yet being used in private prayers, healing services, prayer gatherings that are called praise and worship and, at times, even found in Mass. This new way of singing in a religious setting is very different from the “normal” or traditional means of worship. Usually, everything new polarizes opinions where some will hail it as God-sent and others will consider it aggressive and an attack on traditional worship, and therefore bad. I am reminded of a movie that came out in ‘70s called Brother Son, Sister Moon. It was Franco Zeffirelli’s movie on Francis of Assisi where he brings out the saint as a sort of a hippie of his generation — mind you the movie was done in 1972. In the middle of the movie, Zeffirelli purposely shows at the same time an active, young and lively Francis singing and praising God with his friends while the old bishop and nuns were in an old, austere and rigid form of worship in silence before the Eucharist. So we ask: Which is correct? Before answering the question, there is another angle to consider. There is a prevalent understanding that true means of worship, or even my way of worshipping, is silent, calm or at least not overly emotional. A way that is similar to meditation. So if loud and emotional is some people’s way of praying, it is not mine. But again, that presumes that it might be legitimate before even answering the question. Therefore the question must be asked: Is praise and worship meditative and calm or loud and lively? Which of the two is a legitimate way to pray? To be able to truly answer the question, let us first turn to the wisdom of the scriptures and seek truth, no matter how uncomfortable it could be, and also seek the tradition and wisdom of the Church. The BISHOP FRANCIS KALABAT SPECIAL TO THE CHALDEAN NEWS Holy Spirit has argued and revealed through both means, Scripture and Tradition, that it’s BOTH! It is a false understanding that it is an either/or form of worship. In the meditative form of worship, we look towards Mary and see how she “kept all these in heart” (Luke 2:19). A beautiful and wonderful way of allowing the Word of God to germinate and take root and then bear fruit in the silence of the heart or the calm of the service. Another great source in the scriptures that brings this out are the Psalms. Mary, being the perfect child of Judaism, prayed every day the Psalms as was the tradition. These Psalms were also prayed daily by Jesus (seen in the numerous times that He prays the Psalms especially on the Cross), the apostles, the disciples, the early Church, the Church throughout history and even today. What we see, from a meditative point, Psalms that bring out this beautiful calmness such as “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Therefore, there is a great need to imitate the Church and allow the Lord to speak to us in calmness and in silence. On the other side of the spectrum, there is also the Biblical evidence that reveals a loud and emotional form of worship and we begin also with the Psalms, the daily prayer of all the faithful in the Old Testament and the New Testament and today. Psalm 98 brings out this form of worship when King David calls the people to “shout with joy to the Lord all the earth; break into song; sing praise” (Psalm 98:4). Another example is Psalm 100: “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song” (Psalm 100:1- 2). There are many more, but notice ECRC’s Ignite the Spirit services may be loud, but they’re also perfectly acceptable. the words shout, praise, before the Lord. This is a loud and emotional praise and worship from the Old Testament prayed before God in His Holy Temple. Another great example of this loud and emotional praise and worship can be seen in the last Psalm 150. It is widely understood as the final fulfillment and destination of all God’s creation bringing the faithful to spend eternity in worship of God. The Psalmist calls out to praise God in the sanctuary (altar) with loud instruments in a loud and aggressive form of worship. The Psalmist calls for the worship of God with horns, lyres, dance, tambourines, strings, pipes, voice and finally crashing cymbals! Again, this Psalm is seen as a prelude of the perfect worship of God that will occur in heaven for all eternity. In heaven, it is loud and silent, as can be seen in the book of Revelation (compare Rev. 4 with 8). In the book of Isaiah, we notice more loud praise and worship of God in heaven, as can be seen in the following vision: Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they hovered. One cried out to the other: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. Notice the shouts, the shaking and the “cry” of the angels. Since our worship here on earth is an image of the worship of God by the angels, what occurs there must and does occur here. This is what Moses in Exodus was commanded to build and therefore to worship in like manner (see Ex. 25:9). 10 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2015
Other places in the Scriptures reveal this form of worship as well. In Exodus 15:20 Meriam, the sister of Moses, begins to worship God with all the Jewish women in thanksgiving for crossing the Red Sea. She does so with her tambourine and dancing. This verse is used every other Wednesday in the Chaldean Church as an antiphon in honoring Mary. This was loud and emotional! This form of “loud’ and emotional worship is actually not something new in the Church. In 1975, the Venerable Pope Paul VI, soon to be saint, addressed an audience of Catholic Charismatics in Rome the day after Pentecost. He first quoted the reading or meditation of the day in the Latin Rite taken from St. Ambrose from the fourth century. The Pope called the “motto for [this] movement” as sober intoxication of the Spirit. It is sober because we know the Jesus that we believe in (1 Peter 3:15) and it is intoxication because of its emotions and genuine love of God. This “sober intoxication” is a very unique statement. This is the relationship that we are called to have with the Lord and this is the means of worship that we are called to have. It must be sober in that it must be clear, precise, accurate, based on truth. It must also be intoxicating, based on an actual touch, feel, seeing, believing (1 Jn. 1). What the Pope is quoting, and what he is relating to specifically to the Charismatics, is that there MUST be an emotional and relational aspect to our relationship with God. This does not go against the truth of the “soberness” of the message, but it really brings out the notion “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might and with all your strength” (Luke 10:27). An issue arises when many people attest that this form of worship is being disrespectful in Church. Maybe this shouldn’t be done in Church especially before the Tabernacle of God? The response comes from the Bible in 2 Samuel 6 when King David worships God when he entered Jerusalem dancing and singing before the presence of God found in the Ark of the Covenant. This Ark of the Covenant is the Old Testament version of today’s Tabernacle. It was placed in the Holy of holies in the temple where only the High Priest (Old Testament’s version of Pope) once a year can give worship. So holy is this Tabernacle that God’s throne was above the two golden Cherubs that are placed above the tabernacle. It was through the tabernacle that God spoke to Moses and there David sings and dances before the Lord. Let us not be too quick to judge, because in the history and tradition of the Church, being loud and being active is legitimate. Other worthy mentions are the Ethiopian rite of the Church where in some celebrations of the Mass, they begin with a procession of drums. It is loud, emotional and legitimate. Another worthy mention is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. During this feast, in Catholic Churches in South America as well as in North America, the Mass begins with a group of Indians dancing their way to the altar while playing the drums in a loud manner. It is truly a sight to see. This was celebrated in the presence of Pope Saint John Paul II as well as other Popes. And Jesus was praised in an awesome way that day. Other issues that are brought up about this overly emotional (concertlike) mass, or praise and worship, is that it’s too much emotion and not enough teaching, or substance. I believe there might be times where it’s overly done and overly emotional, leaving out the substance and only concentrating on the emotional. When that happens then it is a mistake. Though I must agree that in theory praise and worship can get out of hand, I find it to be rare and inconsistent. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that loud and silent forms of worship are both legitimate and not either/or. I would like to end with the great words of St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always and I say again to you rejoice … the Lord is near” (Phil. 4:4-5). This is the Lord’s bidding, to rejoice in Him. In the necessary silence before the altar and before the Tabernacle, and in loud praise before His presence. In all cases, the Lord is near. ECRC’s next praise and worship event, called Ignite the Spirit, will be held in January. Check ecrc.us or ECRC’s Facebook page for an update. DECEMBER 2015 CHALDEAN NEWS 11
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