In the Orthodox Church’s tradition, at the beginning of their Liturgy, the Deacon turns to the Priest or Bishop and says, “It is time for the Lord to act” it is a phrase in Psalm 119. It is a timely reminder that the Mass is not what we do, but what Christ our God does for us, as he comes to us in the service he gave to his Church.
Our Lord is not dependant on what we do for Him at the Mass, and in our Liturgy, when the Priest and the Ministers of the Altar begin their Prayers of Preparation during the singing of the first hymn, it concludes with this prayer,
Most gracious God, incline thy merciful ears unto our prayers,
and enlighten our hearts by the grace of the Holy Ghost:
that we may be found meet to serve thy Holy Mysteries;
and worthy to love thee with an eternal charity;
through Christ our Lord. Amen
This has the same intent as the simple phrase by the Orthodox Deacon
that we may be found meet to serve thy Holy Mysteries.
So we gather to serve our Lord as he comes to us, for which we ask,
the grace of the Holy Ghost.
Now, all of this is linked to our stance in how we worship – we all, Priest and People turn towards the Lord, and not each other. In the newer forms of worship, we face each other, and that can become a community gathering, with the danger that it becomes inward, and that we are the focus, it is us who do the Mass. Facing towards the East helps us maintain the sacred direction of our worship – toward our Lord and Saviour.