The Hearts up! Practice - ‘Quick Start’ Guide
Start here for the basics. Links the rest of the Practice are found at the end of this guide.
The Sursum Corda
‘Lift up your hearts’
’We lift them to the Lord’
It’s the ancient command to orient our entire selves - mind, body, spirit - toward God’s saving presence. It’s been said for 2,000 years at the Eucharist and available to you every moment of every day.
The Latin Sursum Corda means ‘Lift up your hearts’. Actually, because it is in command form, it literally means: Hearts up!
The exclamation point is emphasizing the nature of the phrase as a command.
Christians must lift our hearts to God.
It’s the first movement of worship.
It’s our basic Trexo Practice at the gym. We say it every day, in every circumstance. Turning our hearts back to God.
It’s our orientation to God. Heart lifts. We do as many as we can throughout the day.
Why ‘Hearts up!’ matters
It’s the foundation of all Christian worship
The Sursum Corda is the oldest, most universal element in Christian worship. It dates back to at least the 3rd century and appears in virtually every Christian tradition: Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, for over 2,000 years.
Billions of Christians over thousands of years have stood and said these words.
It isn’t just a catchy and uplifting slogan - though it is that! - it is grounding us in the ancient Christian faith.
Why this Practice?
‘Hearts up!’ didn’t start at Trexo.
It’s one of the earliest forms of Christian worship.
This is what the Church has prayed at every Eucharist for 1,800+ years.
We begin by reorienting their entire beings toward God:
‘Lift up your hearts’
’We lift them to the Lord’
Try It Right Now
Say out loud: ‘Hearts up!’
Raise your arms in the ‘orans’ position if you want to add Bodily Prayer.
Say ‘Heart’s up!’ when you’re overwhelmed with gratitude…
… or when you’re having a bad day.
… or anytime you need to turn towards God.
Notice what happens in your body and soul.
In two seconds, you’ve joined 2,000 years of Christian practice.
The Complete ‘Hearts up!’ Practice
Ready for the next Practice?
Find all the Practices HERE.
Coffee with Coaches archive HERE.
The Trexo story HERE.
At Free Range Priest, we’re bringing church to people.
Bite-sized ways that YOU can re-imagine ministry and get ‘unstuck’.
Subscribe to re-discover ministry JOY.
Sign up for the Newletters - and manage your preferences HERE.
