Rituals Leading to Miracles

Texts: Luke 11:37 - 47 & On the Edge of a Miracle by Alexandra Billings.

What a week we've had. Lots of excitement - some people with hope and some with despair. Since Obama has become our President Elect there have been increased reports of racism. Since Proposition 8 passed in California there have been increased reports of homophobia. I believe these declarations and acts of violence are from a few extremists who know how to make life miserable for the many. I also believe that their dander is up now and if we who are peace-loving take peaceful strides to shut them down, we will prevail. This election process was vibrant and scary; it pitted loved ones against each other, enemies even more against each other to a degree I haven't seen in a long time.

On November 4, 2008 most of us participated in a cyclical ritual of our country. The ritual begins with a process and ends in an event. I voted early this year, but I still participated in the event of the tabulation and calling of the election. I participated in that part of the event as a spectator. I have many friends who participated by going to Grant Park.

The last few elections have been rituals that felt somewhat empty and meaningless. Not just because of who won or lost, but because of the way the people were or were not invested in the outcome. This year many more people participated, and people of different stripes, too. This year, it seems to me, that the transformation that occurred during this election ritual was at least as much about "we the people" as it was about those who were running for office. I have not always participated in the presidential election. I remember telling my friend's mother, that if Jesus wasn't running I wanted nothing to do with it. I was an 18 year old white lesbian talking to a 40-something year old African American woman. She just shook her head at me and said, "Oh, Child." I was wrong then and she knew it with all her heart.

It took me to my 30's to start voting. But this year, for the first time, this ritual held significant meaning to me. As the level of hate-talk rose, so did my level of transformation.

What does it take for a dry and empty ritual to become meaningful again? I think it has to connect to something that we care about. I believe that a ritual becoming empty, dry, and meaningless isn't a benign thing. It is malignant. It infects a society ... a community. It brings about an apathy that deteriorates the community - its ambition and passion; its compassion and unity. An empty ritual is worse than no ritual at all. It tends to leave people feeling resentful of wasting their time and energy, and it also seems to make more obvious whatever else feels empty and hollow.

We, here in this community, work intentionally to keep our rituals alive and vibrant, rich with meaning. Take for example our communion ritual. I love what we do and how we do it. I also love our prayer covenant time. Pretty soon we are entering the season of Advent. Advent is a process ritual that has defining ritual events. We are going to labor to make this rich and vibrant and full of meaning. This church service is a ritual that can easily become dry and stale - devoid of meaning. We try to let that not happen.

In our Biblical reading today, in Luke, Jesus is accused of not participating in a the ritual of hand-washing before having dinner. This isn't the same ritual we grew up with when our parents or guardians asked us as children, "Did you wash your hands?" This isn't about physical cleanliness, it's about spiritual cleanliness. Jesus didn't do it and didn't care about it. He found the ritual to be hollow and without transformation or miracle. Jesus accused his accusers of being pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside; clean on the outside but dirty on the inside. Jesus says that these religious leaders, "... tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others." Jesus isn't saying that they shouldn't wash their hands ... that they shouldn't have their rituals. He is saying that he's not going to participate in the ritual just for the sake of the ritual. If it isn't accompanied by working for justice and loving God, he isn't interested. Not only is he not interested in participating in those rituals, but he severely condemns those who do participate without also participating in causes for justice and love for God.

I know that not every ritual is going to end up in a miracle or in some kind of incredible transformation. That would make a miracle more of a consequence to an action than a miracle. I do believe though, that our rituals should have transformative aspects to them, and they should be accompanied by a greater work in this world that we live in and the love for our Divine Beloved. I believe we should offer ourselves to the experience of transformation. That we need to be open to being transformed ... to experience a miracle.

Alexandra Billings could not have had her transformative moment - her miracle - had she not been open to the power of the moment. Her awareness of the blowing of the wind, the shouts of jubilation, and the intensity of the man with the cigar led her to her moment. A ritual had occurred while she was teaching a class and she knew it was going on. The power of that ritual spilled onto the streets and into her soul. She received it.

In contrast, the Pharisees participated in a ritual of cleansing that left them unaffected ... unchanged.

Who are we? How are we? What are we? Are we open to the power of the moment? Are we participating in our rituals, compelled by our love for our Divine Beloved? Does our transformation spill out into the streets? Does it affect those we touch? Do we give ourselves to the Holy Presence that connects us and participates with us? Do I? Do you? Do we?

I encourage every one of us to tap in to the Power of the Presence of the Holy. To see our coming together in community as a Sacred ritual and one pregnant with transformation. I encourage all of us to carry ourselves bigger, like the man with the cigar; to bend from the strength of the blowing of the Holy Spirit, like the trees; and to allow ourselves to be affected to the point that it is evident to others. This isn't about "winning souls for Christ" or "making converts." This is about being affected by the ritual, and then being open to live the power of that miracle.

Specifically, as we prepare for Advent, let's be mindful of the rituals we perform and the choices we make. Let us know what is meaningful for you during Advent. Is there something that you just love? Is there something you feel a longing for? Let us know.

The rituals of this community are sacred and holy. We are a sacred and holy people. Let's hear what Jesus says, that we should practice justice and the love of God, without neglecting our rituals.