Ritual : Identity : Self-definition

In his book, Moving the Furniture, Dr. William Seth Adams writes, “Rituals provide memory, identity and community-vision for their participants.” I continue to be amazed that in a world where everyone is running around with Blackberry’s, laptops and ear-phones, some people in the church question a person’s need for ritual.

We seem to have become an over-organized society! Organization requires ritual. Yet isn’t it interesting that ritual becomes a habit of the heart. Ritual gives meaning, symbol and memory to action. Lighting the candles in church offers no purpose other than ritual which leads to a symbolic action of inviting the light of Christ into our midst. We know Christ is here whether we invite him or not, but the burning wick offers us a visual remembrance of his presence.

If ritual also brings identity and self-definition then our rituals help us to know who we are as disciples of Christ. Our Christian heritage gets wrapped up in our sense of ritual in worship, prayer and devotional life, even service.

We need ritual in order to know who we are. Even our ‘contemporary’ ways are full of ritual. We do things in a certain way because that is who we are. To know yourself is to recognize the importance and place of ritual in your life.

Be a part of the ritual at Abiding Love. See you in church.