The first thing a visitor to St. Peter’s website encounters is this statement. Or is it more of a warning?

The Liturgy exists for the purpose of worship, not for the comfort or edification of the faithful; we do not therefore take part in it for any personal gain, but to make the most perfect offering to God of which man is capable. And if we take our Communion and receive Him who is our perfect joy, still it is not for our own benefit, but that we may be more wholly given to God in union with Him. — Frederic Harton

It describes the exact opposite of what most people consider the purpose of “going to church”?

In the first prayer in the Holy Communion liturgy why do we ask God to “cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit”? In order that “we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy Holy Name.”

In that prayer we say, “Lord, we are here to worship you. Prepare us to do that worthily. We have come here with all kinds of impediments to pure worship. Please put us right by the deep working of your Holy Spirit in the thoughts of our hearts, the very center of our consciousness.”

If we have come to church primarily to be fed, or blessed, or encouraged, or instructed we would need a different prayer. Perhaps, “Lord, help me to receive all that you know I need.”

There is nothing wrong with that. We do need all these things, but our greatest need by far is to worship and give thanks and praise to Him.

Start worship and see how many other needs are met and calamities averted in the process. Start with the needs and see how frustrating it all becomes when God doesn’t seem to deliver.

The source of all the horrors of Romans 1:22-32 to which we give so much attention is Romans 1:21: For although they knew God, they did not honor (worship) him as God or give thanks to him…”

Worship originates in a unique and neglected part of our “being”. In worship we experience a blessed, healing respite from our chronic obsession with ourselves.

Every Sunday we will receive and be blessed and fed by the ministry of the Word, the prayers, the music, the grateful reception of Blessed Sacrament, and the fellowship. But in all our receiving we are worshipping.

“Lord, I listen to your Word as an act of worship. ”

“I confess my sins and receive your forgiveness as an act of worship. ”

“I lift up my heart, I draw near, I bow down, I open my hands, I take, eat, drink as an act of worship to you.”

“I greet my neighbors, and receive their greeting, as an act of worship. I smile, listen and share as an act of worship. We bear each other’s joys and burdens and enter fellowship with each other as an act of worship. ”

It is all for Christ’s sake and for the glory and delight of our God.

Lord, deepen and purify and intensify my worship of you!