This is an important word for us as Christians, as members of the community. At our recent communion we remembered the last supper; we repeated the prayer words “that we might always remember Him, that we might always have His spirit to be with [us].” We recall the story where Jesus said “Do this in remembrance of me.”
We recently spent a discussion hour thinking about “Remember the Sabbath day” and instruction to “keep it holy.”
I’m using lots more quotation marks than usual today. Because there are plenty of phrases we use exactly the same, every time, word for word to ensure we “remember” their significance. The communion prayer, the baptism statement, the essential sentence in the marriage ceremony. Some are unique to our denomination, some we share with other Christians.
Other Christians use other remembering tools: crucifixes, rosaries, head covering, forms and numbers of sacraments. But essentially their function is the same. They help us remember who we are, whose we are. They are all for us to internalize our identity as followers of Jesus. And the variations have developed over the centuries to nail that identity firm and fast.
Why then are Christians so quick to criticize the very same, very human tendency to create words, and rituals and symbols of other faith groups to do the same thing? So many practices that we ought to easily recognize are often the very things we object to.
We make rules, even laws, against wearing veils, turbans, religious symbols. We regard things like mezuzahs, prayer beads, karas, and kipahs with suspicion. We judge people who observe Fridays or Saturdays as special.
I once had a conversation with a dear friend, a priesthood member, who was very critical of people who use a rosary as a prayer aid. He could not believe the repetition of memorized words could ever be considered “real prayer.” He actually called it a “pretense of prayer.” And yet more that half the world’s religions remember who they are when they run their prayer beads through their hands, and familiar words through their minds. Who am I to deny that?
That turban-wearing bus driver doesn’t expect anything of you at all. That elderly woman on the park bench quietly saying her rosary to herself isn’t expecting any change in your behavior. That girl in a head cover playing soccer doesn’t’ deserve the jeers from the Christian dad on the sidelines. They are all just remembering who they are. Just like we are when promise to “always remember him and keep his commandments.,,,” Commandments like “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
We recently spent a discussion hour thinking about “Remember the Sabbath day” and instruction to “keep it holy.”
I’m using lots more quotation marks than usual today. Because there are plenty of phrases we use exactly the same, every time, word for word to ensure we “remember” their significance. The communion prayer, the baptism statement, the essential sentence in the marriage ceremony. Some are unique to our denomination, some we share with other Christians.
Other Christians use other remembering tools: crucifixes, rosaries, head covering, forms and numbers of sacraments. But essentially their function is the same. They help us remember who we are, whose we are. They are all for us to internalize our identity as followers of Jesus. And the variations have developed over the centuries to nail that identity firm and fast.
Why then are Christians so quick to criticize the very same, very human tendency to create words, and rituals and symbols of other faith groups to do the same thing? So many practices that we ought to easily recognize are often the very things we object to.
We make rules, even laws, against wearing veils, turbans, religious symbols. We regard things like mezuzahs, prayer beads, karas, and kipahs with suspicion. We judge people who observe Fridays or Saturdays as special.
I once had a conversation with a dear friend, a priesthood member, who was very critical of people who use a rosary as a prayer aid. He could not believe the repetition of memorized words could ever be considered “real prayer.” He actually called it a “pretense of prayer.” And yet more that half the world’s religions remember who they are when they run their prayer beads through their hands, and familiar words through their minds. Who am I to deny that?
That turban-wearing bus driver doesn’t expect anything of you at all. That elderly woman on the park bench quietly saying her rosary to herself isn’t expecting any change in your behavior. That girl in a head cover playing soccer doesn’t’ deserve the jeers from the Christian dad on the sidelines. They are all just remembering who they are. Just like we are when promise to “always remember him and keep his commandments.,,,” Commandments like “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
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