Liturgy of the Month: March 2023
The Waiter’s Apron
Written by Jackson Nickolay
A Recontextualization of St Patrick’s Breastplate
For the Worship for Workers project with Fuller Seminary and The Porters Gate
I hold close to my chest today
The resilient name of the Trinity
The Three in One and One in Three
In whom I am both finding
and am being found anew
As the day stretches before me
I go forward by the strength
and in the love of Christ
In the commute from my home to the work that awaits me
Christ before me
In the narrowly missed collision with an unseen customer
Christ behind me
In the grace offered after another spilled drink
Christ in me
In the tray nearly dropped but quickly caught
Christ beneath me
In the awning over the patio protecting myself and those I serve from sun and rain
Christ above me
In my coworkers helping me prepare a late order
Christ on my right and on my left
In the too brief break taken on milk crates in the back alley as I piece myself together again,
Christ when I sit down and when I get up
In the customer who doesn’t even look at me as they place their order
Christ in the heart of all to whom I speak
In the regular, confessing their frustration and fear
Christ in the mouth of each who speaks to me
In the last minute order before we close for the night
Christ in the ear of each who hear me
In the tired goodbyes at shift’s end
Christ in every eye that sees me
In the collapse, the rest, the reset before I do it all again
Christ with me
I hold close to my chest today
The resilient name of the Trinity
The Three in One and One in Three
In whom I am both finding
And am being found anew
You can find the song which this liturgy was written in partnership with – as well as other resources from the Worship for Workers project – at this link here.
