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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The worship of God is the highest of all our human activities. There is nothing more important, nothing more natural for us, for we are created by God and for God, as an expression of His love.  

We can be brought to this moment of worship by different things – and we see this in this Sunday’s readings. For Ezekiel his worship comes through visions. These are a gift to him that are so clear that it brings him to action: “Here I am, Lord, send me.”

For Peter, it comes through a different experience – the miracle of the great haul of fish, following a bad night’s fishing. He does not think of the profit he will make in the fish market, or the fact that his nets are damaged. Rather he falls to his knees before Jesus, recognising his own weakness and sinfulness in the presence of the Lord. As with Ezekiel, so with Peter – his life is transformed and he is ready for action, leaving everything and following Him.

So with us, our experience of God’s love in our worship is transformative. Our morning and evening prayers, these moments of quiet worship and intercession that mark our day, bring us closer to the Lord, enabling us to be His people, His instruments for our world. We meet the Lord Himself, most especially in the Eucharist. Our response to follow Him, to be his disciples – all grows out of this moment of the greatest closeness to Him.  

Let us, then, not stay away from the worship of God. The Lord has loved us beyond measure – must we not show our love for Him in the greatest, the highest, of all our activity? Our prayer and worship is, indeed, the fount of all our action as Jesus' followers, called to proclaim the Good News to a world in need of His peace; in need of the respect for life at every moment, for life is God’s gift; in need of the call away from the isolation that so many experience, into the hope that is life in Christ.  

With every blessing,

+Richard

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