GCSE RE - Worship

The idea behind worship is 'honour'. We can only worship something that is greater than us and has value ie. we accept we give time to it that we cannot get back.

Some people worship things with little value like football clubs. These have little sense of lasting worth. Chrisitans beleieve that only God should be worshipped and anything else is idolatry.

There are two types of worship: Private and Public.

Many Christians give their own time to God in private.

Prayer is raising the heart and mind to God and almost is communicating with him on a regular basus. Mnay people prefer to pray in silence where there are no distractions so they can focus for as long as they desire and it can be done spontaneously.

To help people focus their hearts and minds before prayer they use aids to worship.

The Bible

- Some people use extracts as prompts to help them to relate to the person and the presence of God in their life. The passages show how God cares and has helped people. The Bible also includes the teachings and examples of Jesus who shows us the best way to God.

- Others pray the psalms that reflect how humans have found hope and joy in God. Jesus would have known these and used them.

Medtation

- Meditation is focusing on a object to stimulate prayer pattern and help people stay anchored on a approach when distractions occur. Meditation produces quiet in a busy life to see a deeper aspect of life and to find God.

- People use the rosary as a form of meditation. The rosary are a series of beads, each one representing a prayer, there is 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and 1 Glory Be. It is very repetitive. The rosary is split into four groups; the Joyful mysteries (the Annunciation), the mysteries of the Light (the Baptism), the Sorrowful mysteries (Carrying of the cross) and the Glorious mysteries (the Ressurrection).

- Some people use the Jesus prayer, especially in Orthodox Churches, for meditation. It is a short sentence repeated to act as 'background music' to aid reflection.

Statues, candles and icons

- A statue is a 3D figure that represents someone. Catholics don't pray to statues, they use them as a reminder of the person and love of God in them. They ask the saint to pray with them and for them. They are in heaven near to God which can strengthen.

- By lighting a candle in front of a statue, you are offering prayers up to God throught the intercession of the saint. Candles represent Jesus as the light of the world and they call Jesus. They give something of value back to God in thanksgiving.

- An icon is a 2D picture which represents a person. For Orthodox, it is filled with the spirit of the person and some beleive you come into direct contact with the person. In Orthodox Churches, there is an Iconistatis which separates Altar from congregation. This is the otherness of heaven and saints are on the heavenly side.