1. Liturgy and Worship
World Scripture
Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18.20
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the Lord in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth!
Psalm 96.7-9
Those who, knowing my true nature, worship me steadfastly are my true devotees. Worship me in the symbols and images which remind you of me, and also in the hearts of my devotees, where I am most manifest… Observe the forms and rituals set forth in the scriptures, without losing sight of their inner spirit.
Srimad Bhagavatam 11.5 (Hinduism)
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.
Habakkuk 2.20
Let us do it the way it is usually done so that we may have the usual result.
Yoruba chant (African Traditional Religions)
All the Islamic worship practices aim at morality: Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; giving alms takes from the wealthy to purify their souls from greed; the fast is a lesson in patience and will; and the pilgrimage is a training course in bearing difficulties and hardships, in equality among all creatures, and in cultivating the roots of peace within the human soul. Al-Ghazzali, Ihia’
Ulum el-Din 130.1 (Islam)
Wang-sun Chia asked about the saying, Better pay court to the stove Than pay court to the shrine. Confucius said, “It is not true. He who has put himself in the wrong with Heaven has no means of expiation left.”
Analects 3.13 (Confucianism)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The worship service is the time when we make an offering. It is the time when we report to Heaven what we have done and repent for our mistakes. Therefore, it is a most serious time, when we are not free to do as we like.
(11:163, June 24, 1961)
We earnestly pray that Thou wilt allow this place, where we bow to Thee with hearts rejoicing and which is guarded by angels and the heavenly hosts, to become an altar of wondrous blessing that can lead our whole lives to victory.
(7:12, July 5, 1959)
Please let this place become a holy sanctuary where we become one with Thy mind. Please allow it to become a holy place where only Thou canst take dominion, and where we can be close to Thy heart, be moved to tears by Thy situation, and be in harmony with Thy hope.
(21:132, November 17, 1968)