Lesson 6

Worship in the Bible

Conceptual True worship consists not in words on the lips but in deeds from the heart. It
Understanding entails doing good, rendering justice to the poor, and allowing oneself to be of
service to God and neighbor. The highest form of worship that we give to God is
the Eucharist. (Remembering our Faith, CL book, p. 65)

Goals ● Describe events in the Bible that show worship

● Strive to make use of the Bible in developing authentic worship of God
● Resolve to fully follow Jesus’ example of worship to the Father

Targeted Skills Communication Skills, Reflection Skills, Worship Skills

Assessment Reflection Journal, Quiz, Periodical Test

References

Lesson Proper
Opening Prayer My Heart’s Thanksgiving
Watch on YouTube here
Listen on Spotify here

MY HEART'S THANKSGIVING
(based on PSALM 8)

Refrain:
As I sing my heart’s thanksgiving
and my eyes look heavenward,
How the stars you flung like jewels bid your welcome,
shine your light.
As I marvel at your moonrise,
I’m in awe yet I ask.
“What am I that you should love me,
and hold me as your dearest love of all”.

You crown me with honor and glory,

and you set all things under my feet.
You have made me little less than angels
even if I fly often away. (Repeat Refrain)

In my anxious and browbeaten moments

you comfort me, fill me with peace.
When my foes threaten, dare, and surround me,
you’re my strength you’re my light and my shield. (Repeat Refrain)

How exalted Your name is,

 O Yahweh and how lofty the work of your hands.
Yet how closely, how dearly you draw me to your love,
your divine majesty. (Repeat Refrain)
Words & Music by ARNEL AQUINO, SJ
Performed by HIMIG HESWITA
from the album, O, BAYAN NG DIYOS
Jesuit Music Ministry

Tuning In This is Our Life

WATCH:
An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness [SoulPancake]

READ:
An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness [Gratitude Seeds]
A Grateful Heart by Pilar Romero (No book? Read it here.)

Think it Over:
An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness
1. What was the experiment about?

2. What things that the participants were asked to do?

3. What do you think is the connection between gratitude and happiness, based
on the experiment?

4. According to your own life experience, is there actually a connection between

gratitude and happiness?

A Grateful Heart
1. How did God respond to the person’s requests as you read in “A Grateful
Heart”?

2. What do you think God meant by His response to the person’s final request?

3. Do you think it is important for people to have a grateful heart? Explain your
answer.

Finding Out This is What Our Faith Teaches

WATCH:
The Gospel Project for Kids: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman [The Gospel Project]
The Word Exposed - Gospel (March 19, 2017) [JesCom TV]
GOSPEL POWER | June 25 2020 [FB: Paulines Radio PH]
St. Clare HD [Catholic Online]

READ (Online):
John 4:21-24 [USCCB]
Matthew 7:21 [USCCB]
Worship / CFC 1496-1497 [Cher Mercado, pp. 316-317]
Quenching Your Thirst with Living Water [Catholic Daily Reflections]
 St. Clare of Assisi [Catholic News Agency]
St. Clare of Assisi [Franciscan Media]

READ (Offline):
John 4:21-24, Matthew 7:21 [Catholic Bible], [CL Book, p. 61]
CFC 1496-1497 [Catechism for Filipino Catholics], [CL Book, p. 62]
Understanding our Faith [CL Book, pages 63-64] (No book? Read it here.)
St. Clare of Assisi [CL Book, page 65]

Sorting Out 1. When it comes to worshipping God, are the externals (words used, actions
done, venue, volume of sound, number of words) more important than the
internal disposition? Explain your answer

2. What kind of internal disposition must we have in order to truly worship God?

3. What does this statement mean: “Our worship of God must not be separate from
our daily moral living.”?

4. Why do you think is it necessary for us to worship God? Is it because God needs
to feel good about Himself? Or is it something WE need to do?

5. How we worship God here on earth is a “rehearsal” of our future life with Him in
eternity. What do you think this statement means?

Going Further Let Us Reflect

1. Complete the following table:
Obstacles in Effects of These on My How I will Overcome the
Worshipping God Relationship with God Obstacles

2. How will you help the following persons give authentic worship to God?

Gladys goes to Mass only when her

group of friends will also do.

Benny visits the school chapel every

day but the moment he is in the
classroom, he shouts at, hits his
classmates and calls them names.
 Camille recites the rosary every day
but when she does not like the food
served at the dinner table, she
refuses to eat.

Aaron volunteers as altar server in the

parish. After he serves at Mass, he
goes to the computer shop to play
games all day, failing to study for his
classes the next day.

Clara makes the sign of the cross

each time she passes by the school
chapel but she is easily provoked and
when things don't go her way, she
curses.

Source: CL Book, page 66-67

Reflection In your journal, write the following under the title “Worship in the Bible”. Complete the
following sentence in connection with the lesson we have just finished:

● I LEARNED THAT…
● FROM NOW ON I WILL…
● I WOULD TEACH OTHERS TO...

Take a picture of your answers and paste it below:

Closing Prayer Prayerfully listen and reflect on the song:

The Heart of Worship
Watch on YouTube here
Listen on Spotify here

When the music fades

All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

I'll bring You more than a song

For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

CHORUS
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth

No one could express
How much you deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath!
(Repeat CHORUS)
This is Our Life
A Grateful Heart
I asked God why I only have one pair of shoes.
He told me, “There are many with no slippers to use.”
I asked God why I do not have any gadgets.
He told me, “There are homeless children without a blanket.”
I asked God why our house does not have a room.
He told me, “There are families that live in carts without a roof.”
I asked God why I can’t buy all the things that I desire.
He told me, “There are people who can’t buy the necessities in life.”
I asked God to give me all I want.
He told me, “I will give you instead a grateful heart.”

- Pilar I. Romero

Sources: CL Book, page 59 | “A Grateful Heart” by Pilar I. Romero

Understanding Our Faith (Abridged)
Our worship of God
● comes from our inborn gratitude for the gift of life (CFC 1496)
● must be done with a grateful heart
● when done with a grateful heart will make us look at what we have, not what we do not have
● when done with a grateful heart will count our blessings and be thankful for them
● is a time when we pay deep, sincere, awesome respect, love and fear to God who created us
● should cause us to reflect on the majesty and graciousness of God and Christ, contrasted to our own
unworthiness
● helps us develop a God-like and Christ-like character
● helps us develop such traits as forgiveness, tenderness, justice, righteousness, purity, kindness and
love
● helps us prepare for eternal life in heaven with God and Christ

Authentic Worship
● starts from within and is expressed externally
● happens when a grateful heart expresses itself in words, actions, songs and dances
● also occurs in the expressions of gratitude enacted by public ritual in the Liturgy
● “necessarily includes both
○ an inner attitude of reverence and homage before the Divine Majesty and
○ an outward expression in signs and words, actions, songs, and dances, usually enacted in
public ritual” (CFC 1496-1497)
● when enacted in public ritual MUST FOCUS ON GOD and be purified
○ in such a way that they truly become expressions of our “inner attitude of reverence and
homage”
○ from the shallowness of mere pageantry and grandiose decorations and activities (PCP II)
● is characterized by the purity of our love for God and our desire to be with him and to help those in
need

How else do we express our worship of God? (Old Testament)

● Following the First Commandment (Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 9) - WORSHIP IS DUE TO GOD ALONE.
● We must learn that true worship entails doing good and rendering justice to the poor, the widow, the
orphan (cf. Isaiah 1:11-17; 58:1-10; Amos 5:21-24)

How else do we express our worship of God? (New Testament)

● When Jesus said, “God is a Spirit and they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth,”
he is
○ condemning empty spiritualism
○ teaching us that true worship is done by obedience to the Father’s Will

Source: CL Book, pages 63-64