The Power of Ritual
Like many stroke patients, Mom struggled to regain what she had lost. The days following a cerebral hemorrhage left her aphasic. She had difficulty expressing herself and comprehending others. She could only utter a few words that were clear. Yet, the influence of her Catholic faith was not lost. She called every doctor and male nurse “Father” and every female nurse “Sister.” But, there was another element of her faith that would prove significant. We took her to the hospital chapel for Mass. I remember her courageous attempt to sing the opening song. Next came the words and the motions of the sign of the cross. Then, a robust “and also with you” response to the priest’s greeting. Throughout the liturgy, she scarcely missed a beat. This woman who could remember only a few words was able to pray her way through an entire Mass. It was as if the lights in my Mother’s brain, dimmed by the stroke, were powered back on by the power of ritual.
Another reminder of the power of ritual came on September 11th, 2001. Like other churches, ours was filled to capacity that night. Droves of people came to pray, to lament, and to mourn with one another in a time of national crisis. But, they were also drawn to church because of the power of ritual. Because ritual is orderly, stable and familiar, it offers a sense of comfort when we need it the most. When our worldly order has been turned upside-down and we are made vulnerable by personal crisis or national catastrophe, it is religious ritual that helps transform our chaos. This is because our liturgy is an expression of God’s very being, whose first act was to transform a chaotic wasteland into an ordered world. Let us pray that our liturgies help order our lives toward the will of God.
O Lord, help us to trust in times of chaos. AMEN.
