Why is Ritual Important?
If I asked you to help me plan a birthday party, would you know what to do? I think most people would. You would know that you need a date and a time, a place, a guest list, decorations, food, games/activities, and presents. During the party, you would want a cake with candles and to sing “Happy Birthday.” This ritual is part of our culture. You may have participated in it since your first birthday when you really had no idea what was going on.
Human beings mark special events with some kind of celebration. We remember birthdays and anniversaries, graduations and “firsts” – a first job, a first kiss, our first driver’s license. Celebrating these events becomes a custom that we repeat over time.
The Mass is a ritual that uses words, gestures and movement, and symbolic objects in order to give thanks and praise to God. The repetition allows us to be comfortable in knowing what is about to happen. We don’t have to be nervous that we are going to be called on to do something awkward. We know what to expect. The ritual becomes part of us, ingrained in our bones. It is not just a routine; it conveys a deeper meaning than the mundane habits of brushing teeth or doing the dishes.
The ritual of the Mass does not use uncommon practices in bizarre ways. It takes everyday actions, gathering together with other people, sharing our stories, eating a meal, and taking leave of one another and transforms them into a religious ceremony. We are open to hearing God’s message for us as we worship with this group of like-minded people, our community of faith.
The objects we use are symbolic; they have layers of meaning. Fire, light, water, bread, wine, and oil are everyday things. When used in our liturgies, they point to more than one, simple thing. The waters of baptism symbolize cleansing and refreshment. Water is life-giving and necessary for sustaining us. Water can be treacherous. Water can destroy the life that gets in its way. In Baptism, we die to our old life of sin and rise to new life in Christ through the use of water.
The way we celebrate the Mass takes ordinary actions and objects and makes them extraordinary and sacred as we worship as the Body of Christ.
