Processions

On Monday several churches in Alpharetta came together to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. An ecumenical worship service at St. James United Methodist Church took place followed by a unity march from St. James to City Hall in downtown Alpharetta. The unity march echoes the marches held during the time of Dr. King which created awareness of and bolstered support for the civil rights movement. For Dr. King, the marches were a nonviolent way to tell the world what the civil rights movement was about. They demonstrated solidarity, unity, and hope.

Catholics understand the power of a parade! Like unity marches, our liturgical processions do more than help us to get from point A to point B. They tell us who we are and what we’re about. The opening or entrance procession is led by the cross, the symbol of the mystery of our faith. This procession also includes the Book of Gospels, typically held high in the air, a sign of the stories we hold dear. The offertory procession is a sign that we are willing to offer our very lives on the altar along with the sacrifice of Christ. The procession at communion is a sign that we are united--one body in Christ. The procession at the end of Mass tells us that our faith now proceeds from the church into our homes and communities. At times liturgical processions mark transitions. Weddings, for example, mark the transition between being single and being united with another in sacramental love. Funeral processions express the transition from death to new life. 

All processions, whether civil or liturgical, acknowledge that we are pilgrims on a journey who have not yet reached our final destination. Dr. King knew this yet he marched on anyway, taking one step at a time, stepping out in faith, marching forward with hope.