Liturgy of the Ordinary

1. Daily rituals shape our identity and faith

We are marked from our first waking moment by an identity that is given to us by grace: an identity that is deeper and more real than any other identity we will don that day.

Liturgy of daily life. Our everyday routines and habits are not meaningless, but rather form us spiritually and shape our identity. Just as the church's liturgy forms us in worship, our daily rituals—from making our bed to brushing our teeth—can be opportunities to remember our identity in Christ and practice being present to God's grace.

Intentional practices. By approaching our daily tasks mindfully, we can transform them into acts of worship and reminders of God's love. For example:

• Remembering our baptism as we wake up
• Praying as we make our bed
• Giving thanks for our body as we brush our teeth

These small acts can reorient us towards God and help us live out our faith in the ordinary moments of life.

2. Our bodies are sacred instruments of worship

If the church does not teach us what our bodies are for, our culture certainly will.

Embodied faith. Christianity affirms the goodness of our physical bodies, seeing them as integral to our worship and spiritual formation. This stands in contrast to both a disembodied spirituality and an obsession with physical appearance or performance.

Holistic worship. Our bodies are not separate from our souls, but are meant to be offered to God in worship. This impacts how we:

• Care for our physical health
• Approach sexuality
• Use our bodies in corporate worship (kneeling, raising hands, etc.)
• View mundane bodily tasks as sacred

By honoring our bodies as "temples of the Holy Spirit," we resist cultural messages that degrade or idolize the body, instead seeing it as a gift to be stewarded for God's glory.

3. Confession and repentance are rhythms of daily life

Repentance is not usually a moment wrought in high drama. It is the steady drumbeat of a life in Christ and, therefore, a day in Christ.

Ongoing transformation. Rather than seeing confession as an occasional, dramatic event, we are called to make it a regular rhythm of our days. This involves honestly acknowledging our faults and receiving God's forgiveness, even in small moments of impatience or selfishness.

Grace in weakness. Practicing daily confession helps us:

• Remain humble and dependent on God's grace
• Grow in self-awareness
• Experience ongoing renewal and transformation
• Extend grace and forgiveness to others

As we learn to quickly turn to God in our moments of failure, we grow in our ability to live in the freedom and joy of his forgiveness.

4. Word and sacrament nourish us in overlooked ways

God made this day. He wrote it and named it and has a purpose in it. Today, he is the maker and giver of all good things.

Spiritual sustenance. Just as we need physical food, we require regular spiritual nourishment through Scripture (the Word) and the sacraments (especially communion). These provide the essential nutrients for our spiritual growth and vitality.

Overlooked nourishment. We often fail to recognize the ways God feeds us through:

• "Boring" or difficult passages of Scripture
• The rituals and rhythms of church liturgy
• The physical elements of bread and wine
• Ordinary meals shared with others

By approaching these with expectancy and gratitude, we can experience God's presence and provision in new ways, even through seemingly mundane or repetitive practices.

5. Peacemaking begins in our immediate surroundings

We can sometimes separate the big idea of shalom-seeking from the ordinary warp and woof of life.

Proximate peace. While we may dream of grand gestures of reconciliation or global peacemaking, the work of peace often begins in our most immediate relationships—with family, neighbors, and coworkers.

Everyday opportunities. We can practice peacemaking through:

• Seeking reconciliation in conflicts with loved ones
• Extending forgiveness for small offenses
• Actively listening to those with different views
• Creating hospitable spaces in our homes and communities

As we cultivate peace in our immediate sphere, we contribute to the broader work of God's shalom in the world. Our small acts of reconciliation and kindness ripple outward, impacting our communities and beyond.

6. Our work is integral to God's mission

The kingdom of God comes both through our gathered worship each week and our "scattered" worship in our work each day.

Vocation as mission. Our daily work, whether paid or unpaid, is not separate from our spiritual lives but is a key way we participate in God's redemptive work in the world. This applies to all types of work, from parenting to business to creative pursuits.

Integrating faith and work. We can view our work as worship by:

• Seeing our skills and tasks as ways to serve others
• Pursuing excellence as an offering to God
• Looking for opportunities to promote justice and human flourishing
• Recognizing how our work contributes to the common good

By embracing our work as part of our calling, we can find greater meaning and purpose in our daily tasks, even those that seem mundane or frustrating.

7. Waiting and rest are countercultural spiritual practices

We are impatient people. We want happiness now. Fulfillment and gratification now. Time is just another commodity that we seek to maximize.

Embracing limits. In a culture of constant productivity and instant gratification, choosing to wait and rest is a powerful act of faith. It acknowledges our human limitations and dependence on God.

Spiritual formation through waiting. Times of waiting can:

• Cultivate patience and perseverance
• Deepen our trust in God's timing
• Reveal our true hopes and desires
• Create space for reflection and growth

By resisting the urge to fill every moment with activity or distraction, we open ourselves to God's work in us during seasons of waiting and rest.

8. Beauty and pleasure point us to God's goodness

Mysteriously and wondrously, God revels even more than we do in the slight bitterness of tea, the feel of sunshine on skin, a ripe avocado, a perfect guitar lick, or a good plot twist.

Delight as worship. Experiencing beauty and pleasure is not frivolous, but can be a profound way of connecting with God and recognizing his goodness. This includes enjoying art, nature, food, music, and other sensory experiences.

Cultivating appreciation. We can grow in our capacity for wonder by:

• Practicing mindfulness in everyday moments
• Creating space for beauty in our environments
• Sharing experiences of delight with others
• Expressing gratitude for simple pleasures

As we learn to savor God's gifts, we grow in our ability to worship him and share his joy with those around us.

9. Sleep teaches us to trust in God's care

Embracing sleep each day we submit to the humiliation of our creatureliness and fragility. And in that place of weakness we learn to rest in the reality that our life and death—our days and everything in them—are hidden in Christ.

Surrender and trust. The act of sleeping is a daily reminder of our human limitations and need for God's care. It challenges our illusions of control and self-sufficiency.

Spiritual lessons from sleep:

• Acknowledging our need for rest and renewal
• Trusting God to work even when we are unconscious
• Embracing our finitude and mortality
• Practicing letting go of anxiety and control

By cultivating healthy sleep habits and viewing sleep as a spiritual practice, we can grow in our ability to rest in God's loving care for us, both day and night.

Last updated: December 1, 2024