February 07 Kandili Article
“I will Enter into Your House and Worship in Fear (Awe) of You.”
On the 40th Day following birth, a newborn is brought to Church for his or her “Churching.” In remembrance of Jesus’ Presentation into the Temple on the 40th Day recorded in the scriptures (LK.: 2:22-40), infants also enter the temple and are presented to the Lord. The blessing for the mother, entering the Church for the first time following the birth of her child, also occurs. Then the child, followed by his or her parents, is brought by the priest to the front of the altar with the words: “I will enter into Your House and worship in fear (or awe) of You.”
This entrance sets the pattern for EVERY time we enter God’s temple or Church—we enter with awe to worship our Lord. February 2 is the celebration of this Feast of our Lord—His Presentation into the Temple—and provides a perfect backdrop for our Religious Education theme for February: ORTHO-DOXY (True Worship).
The context of how we worship and act within the Church, the temple, is a balance between God who is completely above us, inapproachable yet at the same time God who is with us, “Emmanuel.” We then enter His “House” like we might enter the house of a King or Queen, or the President of the United States. We would enter their house with awe, dressed in our best, with our best manners. The splendor of such a visit would be something that we would talk about for years. Now imagine if the King, Queen or President came and sat down with us and treated us like we were the most special of people, with a unique familiarity, kindness, and love. Wouldn’t we feel so special?
At that moment, this awesome experience would become deeply personal. And so it is with our entrance into our Lord’s House. I might add that this same awe, balanced with familiar love, is the essence of our personal approach to God in private and corporate prayer.
This February, beginning on Sunday, the 4th, we will focus on this balance, how we relate with God in our worship and how we enter into His House. We will cover the basics, such as: when to cross ourselves, what to wear, how to receive Holy Communion, when to enter and how to leave. We will also look at the overall perspective of approaching God in awe and humility and being receptive to His Gift of awesome and unconditional love.
May our Lord’s blessings be with you.
In Christ,
Fr. Lou