Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands.
What does it mean to say that creation is an act of liturgy? At first, this may seem a bit odd given our tradition of seeing acts of liturgy as the Mass or some other kind of structured prayer. However, if we allow our understanding of liturgy to be broadened, we can find in Scripture examples of what the Church Fathers called the “Cosmic Liturgy.” A beautiful text reflecting on creation as an act of liturgy is the song of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace. The song gives voice to a core belief that all of creation is giving praise to God.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
You heavens, bless the Lord, praise…
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,…
All you powers, bless the Lord;…
Sun and moon, bless the Lord;…
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;…
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; …
All you winds, bless the Lord;…
Fire and heat, bless the Lord;…
Cold and chill, bless the Lord;…
Dew and rain, bless the Lord;…
Frost and chill, bless the Lord;…
Hoarfrost and snow, bless the Lord;…
Nights and days, bless the Lord;…
Light and darkness, bless the Lord;…
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;…
Let the earth bless the Lord,…
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;…
Everything growing on earth, bless the Lord;…
You springs, bless the Lord;…
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;…
You sea monsters and all water creatures, bless the Lord;…
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;…
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;…
All you mortals, bless the Lord;…
O Israel, bless the Lord;…
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;…
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;…
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;…
Holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever. (Daniel 3:50-90)
The litany affirms that every part of creation is glorifying God by simply being. In this light, we see creation as an act of liturgy and acts of Liturgy as being intimately connected with creation. This worship of God is not only for this world, but also includes the Angels and the heavenly hosts. Therefore, both material and non-material realms are in a perpetual act of worshiping God. As it says in the prophet Malachi, “From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the nations; Incense offerings are made to my name everywhere, and a pure offering; For my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 1:11)
From this standpoint, astronomy can become more than just classify a bluish looking star under the categories of O, B, or A. Astronomy can be an exercise of seeing a dynamic part of creation giving praise to God. Observing a planetary nebula becomes more than just viewing the inevitable end of our sun. Rather, it echoes that verse of the “Hymn of Creation” in which a seed must fall and die in order for new life to come about. In these metaphors, we are called to die to self to allow a “new creation” to emerge. Amid these observations of “Cosmic Liturgy,” we begin to see that we are invited to participate in this praise of God as well, adding a small, humble, but necessary voice to the vast chorus of creation.
Spiritual Exercise: Rest in a park, the woods, or someplace that you can quiet your heart. Read through Daniel and look around you. What are the various parts of creation that are present to you? Reflect on how they participate in the praise of God by simply being. In that space, add your voice of praise to God and give thanks for being a part of this act of liturgy.
