Copyright: © 1997 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. This document may be freely reproduced for non-commercial purposes with credit and mention of the Lift Up Your Hearts web site http://www.worship.ca/ as the source.
Acts of Worship appeared as a series of
articles in Canada Lutheran, the magazine
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Canada. Richard Stetson is Assistant to the Bishop with responsibility for
worship.
Prayer for others moves us beyond ourselves.
In a society which tends to engineer human isolation and a political climate which encourages individuals to look at their own needs first and foremost, intercessory prayer is an act that keeps worship centered on the needs of all and on God's care for all.
Interceding means intervening on behalf of another. Prayer for others moves us beyond ourselves. It builds a sense of responsibility for and belonging to the human family and all of creation. Consistent participation in intercession builds character in each worshiper and offers a sense of group support to those with particular needs both within and outside of the congregation.
We know nothing of Christian worship which does not include intercession. After the readings and the sermon, Justin Martyr's mid-second-century description of Sunday worship states simply, "We all stand up together and offer prayers." In the New Testament, the letters of Paul are punctuated with prayers for those to whom he writes. The letter of James encourages prayer for the healing of those suffering from sickness (5:14-16). Jesus even teaches us to pray for those who abuse us (Luke 6:28).
When we use the prayers known as the Kyrie near the beginning of the service, an important spirit of intercession permeates it right away. Because they are still known by their Greek name (from the phrase Kyrie eleison, meaning "Lord, have mercy"), we know that they were in use before Latin became the language of worship in western Europe. They have their roots in the worship of the ancient Christian centers of Antioch and Jerusalem. Eastern Orthodox liturgies normally still include at least two litanies of intercession using the Kyrie response.
Kyrie is not a prayer for forgiveness but for God's merciful lovingkindness. We join in over 1,500 years of prayer for the peace of the whole world, the well-being of the church and the unity of all, with Christians throughout the world sending forth the same cry to the Lord, making intercession in God's service.