"God doesn't need candles, we do"

That was a line from the Christmas Eve homily of Msgr. Herbein, the priest of St. Patrick's here in Franklin, as he explained that the incense, the candles, Christmas trees, etc. are not a part of worship for the sake of God, they are a part of worship for the sake of the people of God.  That's the best explanation for liturgy that I've heard, the kind of thing I knew I would blog about when I had the chance.  Every church has a liturgy (yes, even Baptists do, try to change the order of worship and see what happens), and every church has things which have symbolic value to them.  Why do we do these things?  Why these and not others?  The answer to that is always interesting, it usually involves history and the choices of men, for both good and ill, that have led us to this point.
The biblical example that inspired Msgr. Herbein's comment was the conversation between David and God about building a temple in II Samuel 7 in which God tells David that he has no need of a house of cedar (the Ark of God had been in the tabernacle, a tent, since the days of Moses), nor had he ever asked anyone to build him a fancy temple.  However, the sentiment, the desire to do something out of love and appreciation for God that was behind David's desire was rewarded by God.  David sought to do something to help God out, God responded by establishing a covenant (a promise) between himself and David, "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." (II Samuel 7:16)  That promise was ultimately kept through the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who has once again established the throne of David.
So, why do we build magnificent churches, elaborately decorate them, and create elaborate ceremonies to worship in them?  It isn't for God's sake, but our own.  By putting so much of ourselves into our worship it allows us to demonstrate the extent of our gratitude for what God has done for us. 
It really doesn't matter if you worship in a humble chapel with bare walls, or a magnificent cathedral full of pomp and ceremony, if your place of worship brings you closer in love and obedience to God then it is fulfilling its purpose.  Do yourself a favor, attend a worship service at a church that is very different from your own, open your mind to other ways in which God can be praised, you might be surprised by what you see.