I would go so far as to say that any worship service that does not begin with a sincere and plaintive kyrie eleison had best be very careful. The plea for mercy at the beginning of many Christian worship services is a statement and a warning that we are moving onto holy ground. We most likely do not know what we are talking about when we speak of God, so we’d best start with humility. We all and forever need mercy. One wonders what our theologies and worship would look like if we always began with an honest statement of our not knowing the real nature of holy mystery.
— Richard Rohr, The Tears of Things, p. xix
Photo: Blackwater Falls, West Virginia, July 6, 2025.