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Come Let Us Worship: A Practical Guide to the Divine Liturgy for Orthodox Laity
Come, Let Us Worship walks the reader through the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, explaining the meaning of each element and how the congregant may best participate in this fundamental act of Orthodox worship. Those new to Orthodoxy and those who wonder about the meaning of the Liturgy will find this small guide a helpful and informative companion.
136 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 2, 2020
I am a mother of three small children ages 5.5 , 2.5, and 9 months. In the Orthodox faith, children are active participants in the Church, including the liturgy. However, I have been blessed with spirited children. That’s the kind way people like to describe the loud, wiggly, excitable, fussy, clingy children that I have. I don’t remember the last time I had a peaceful liturgy for more than fifteen minutes. I don’t think I’ll have one for a long time.
So, reading Come, Let Us Worship has been like a cool spring in a parched desert. How lovely to go through the Liturgy, step by step, in a clear and concise and meaningful way.
This book isn’t for someone who is seeking great depth in the understanding of each of the gestures, traditions, and historical/ cultural references of the Orthodox Church. This is for someone who wants an overview. Beautiful, simple, insightful. No need for a dictionary or really any reference materials, other than a copy of the Divine Liturgy (in the case that you are unfamiliar with the service, then I’d most certainly recommend having one near by).
There are so many beautiful and encouraging insights that I simply could not write them all…but here are a few that have given me pause. Have given me hope in this challenging season of life:
“The Divine Liturgy is God’s offering to man, and man’s offering to God” –Hieromonk Grigorios (pp 9)
“If God comes first, then we can meet every problem with confidence, knowing that His merciful grace will guide us toward what is pleasing to Him and good for our salvation” (pp 11)
“If you do these things in humility and love, you will find peace that passes understanding (see Phil.4:7) in all that you do. Your active participation in the Liturgy will energize your faith (pp 13).
When making the sign of the cross [remember the psalms] “The light of Thy countenance hath been signed upon us” (Psalm 4:7)
“By praying and, over time, memorizing the Divine Liturgy, one learns to pray and even memorize a great deal of the Bible. It has been said that while many Christians study the Bible, we Orthodox pray the Bible” (pp. 31).
“…keep in mind that all the senses are employed in liturgical action in order to raise the whole person to God: we see icons and processions, we smell burning incense and beeswax candles, we touch the icons and make the sign of the cross, we taste Holy Communion. God speaks to us through all of our sense, and beyond—to the heart” (pp. 40)
When the choir exhorts us to cast aside our earthly cares before receiving Holy Communion we must remember the words: “The soul that has not learned to despise the petty concerns of everyday life will not be able to marvel at the things of heaven” –St. John Chrysostom (pp. 69)
“To summarize, the sacred exchange takes place: the worshipping community, represented by the presiding bishop or priest, offers its all, embodied in the bread and wine, ‘Thine own of Thine own.’ In response, God receives this offering and ‘places His own Life in the Gifts, “the Holy for the holy” “ (Elder Zacharias of Essex). (pp 85)
This mystical supper is a place where we are adopted in the heavenly family. We become united with Christ and set apart. God is jealous for us, all of us, and he yearns for a more complete unity in body and soul. In the Orthodox Church, this belief is made real. I’m thankful for this book. I’m praying I will continue to go back to it. Especially over the next few years when I don’t get to experience it in the same peaceful way I would like to.
Please keep in mind that in exchange for the book, I've been asked to write and honest review.
So, reading Come, Let Us Worship has been like a cool spring in a parched desert. How lovely to go through the Liturgy, step by step, in a clear and concise and meaningful way.
This book isn’t for someone who is seeking great depth in the understanding of each of the gestures, traditions, and historical/ cultural references of the Orthodox Church. This is for someone who wants an overview. Beautiful, simple, insightful. No need for a dictionary or really any reference materials, other than a copy of the Divine Liturgy (in the case that you are unfamiliar with the service, then I’d most certainly recommend having one near by).
There are so many beautiful and encouraging insights that I simply could not write them all…but here are a few that have given me pause. Have given me hope in this challenging season of life:
“The Divine Liturgy is God’s offering to man, and man’s offering to God” –Hieromonk Grigorios (pp 9)
“If God comes first, then we can meet every problem with confidence, knowing that His merciful grace will guide us toward what is pleasing to Him and good for our salvation” (pp 11)
“If you do these things in humility and love, you will find peace that passes understanding (see Phil.4:7) in all that you do. Your active participation in the Liturgy will energize your faith (pp 13).
When making the sign of the cross [remember the psalms] “The light of Thy countenance hath been signed upon us” (Psalm 4:7)
“By praying and, over time, memorizing the Divine Liturgy, one learns to pray and even memorize a great deal of the Bible. It has been said that while many Christians study the Bible, we Orthodox pray the Bible” (pp. 31).
“…keep in mind that all the senses are employed in liturgical action in order to raise the whole person to God: we see icons and processions, we smell burning incense and beeswax candles, we touch the icons and make the sign of the cross, we taste Holy Communion. God speaks to us through all of our sense, and beyond—to the heart” (pp. 40)
When the choir exhorts us to cast aside our earthly cares before receiving Holy Communion we must remember the words: “The soul that has not learned to despise the petty concerns of everyday life will not be able to marvel at the things of heaven” –St. John Chrysostom (pp. 69)
“To summarize, the sacred exchange takes place: the worshipping community, represented by the presiding bishop or priest, offers its all, embodied in the bread and wine, ‘Thine own of Thine own.’ In response, God receives this offering and ‘places His own Life in the Gifts, “the Holy for the holy” “ (Elder Zacharias of Essex). (pp 85)
This mystical supper is a place where we are adopted in the heavenly family. We become united with Christ and set apart. God is jealous for us, all of us, and he yearns for a more complete unity in body and soul. In the Orthodox Church, this belief is made real. I’m thankful for this book. I’m praying I will continue to go back to it. Especially over the next few years when I don’t get to experience it in the same peaceful way I would like to.
Please keep in mind that in exchange for the book, I've been asked to write and honest review.
November 14, 2017
A great primer explaining the parts of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy and how we can prepare and participate in this service. This small book can easily be read in one sitting.
December 18, 2025
Loved reading more about the symbolism tucked into every corner of the Divine Liturgy. Sometimes it’s really helpful to understand the “why” behind the “what”.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews