I have new appreciation for the liturgical words, “The Lord be with you” and the accompanying response, “and also with you.” These words were part of the oldest complete liturgy on record, dating back to the third century known as the Syrian Clementine Liturgy. This liturgy was contained in the Apostolic Constitutions, one of the most substantive writings of the early church. The last of its eight books included the Syrian Clementine Liturgy. While it was written in the third century, this liturgy was likely in worship circulation well before this time. It was called “Syrian” since it was used by churches in Antioch. “Clementine” was a reference to a prominent first century disciple named Clement of Rome. Whether Clement actually composed the liturgy, or it was an attempt to link it to the first apostles is difficult to determine.
Most of our prayers to date have originated from a single source. Today’s prayer, by contrast, emerged from an entire community of believers who recorded this time-honored liturgy for future generations. We stand on the shoulders of this great “cloud of witnesses.” The following prayer was contained in the Syrian Clementine Liturgy and one of the earliest prayers available to Christians outside the Bible. Note the assortment of metaphors utilized in this prayer. I mean, how can you improve upon “the unsearchable abyss of peace and the ineffable sea of love”? Dense prayers like this one, recited in worship over time, worked into the hearts of praying people. Consider reading the prayer a few times for familiarity and then pray it slowly it in tandem with faithful followers who have gone before us: