Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Beginnings: Waking
Read Chapter 1 of Liturgy of the Ordinary. Key passages: Psalm 63:1; Lamentations 3:22–23.
Previewing Week 2 of Liturgy of the Ordinary
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 11-week guide when you’re ready.
The first moments of the day set a tone we often don't choose consciously — this chapter invites you to ask what the very act of waking up might be saying about who you are and whose you are.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Warren connects waking up to the Christian practice of morning prayer. What is the liturgical logic she is drawing on — why would the church have structured morning prayer around the simple fact of waking?
2.She writes about the first moments of consciousness each day as a kind of 'small resurrection' — waking as a daily participation in the pattern of death and new life. Does this image strike you as poetic or theologically substantial? Explain your answer.
3.Warren is honest that her first waking moments are often groggy, anxious, or immediately pulled toward her phone. What does your own first waking moment typically look like? What is the first thing your mind reaches for?