“…Children “want things repeated and unchanged,” writes G.K. Chesterton.
“They always say, “Do it again”… [It is] grown-up people [who] are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon…. The repetition in nature may not be mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore.”
When we reject repeated actions as monotonous and Spirit-quenching, are we simply exposing our weaknesses?
If we chose to “exult in monotony,” to embrace habitual ceremony, would we be inviting the same God who instituted the observances of feasts, temple ceremonies, the service of communion, to be our strength too?
Perhaps the repetitiveness of ceremony does not stifle the Spirit, but ceremony invites us to regular meeting places, places to commune with the Spirit.
So we meet our days with routines, ceremonies around the simple:
Perhaps we tie up breakfast with quiet music, prayer for the day, and a lighting of a candle.
Or wrap up school times with a habitual place, a consistent time, and an anticipated order of service: an opening hymn, a Word of Scripture, a time of happy sharing.
Possibly we establish a ceremony of evening circle, with a gathering for the read aloud of a classic while tired feet are massaged and hot drinks sipped, before tucking children into bed with blessings.
The rituals and liturgies are uniquely ours; each family has the privilege to create their own distinctive (fun? unusual? memorable?) ceremonies around regular occurring events.
The institution of a ceremonious life requires daily petitions for God-strength; in the flesh we are too weak. But the mundane in our lives begs for the Christ-vigor to be made lovely with ceremony. The repetition of our days need not be monotonous, exasperating, recurrences.
Couldn’t our days be a theatrical encore of a beautiful life? ”
From Ann Voskamp’s: Live a Celebrated Life: Beauty of Ceremony
6 comments
Interestingly his was pretty much just what the chaplain preached about here at Ft. Drum this morning.
LOL having three kids two and under…I love routine.
“Perhaps the repetitiveness of ceremony does not stifle the Spirit, but ceremony invites us to regular meeting places, places to commune with the Spirit.”
So agreed!
This is something I always reflect on when I hear people say, “Oh, we don’t say grace because if we said it before every meal, it wouldn’t mean anything” or “We only have communion at church once a quarter, because if we did it more often, it wouldn’t mean as much.”
This makes me so sad. It is those things I do most often that mean the MOST: going to church, eating meals with my family, making love with my husband. If repetition zapped things of their meaning, how empty our lives would be! Or, how rarely we would get to do those things that mean the most to us!
I think, regarding what Bethany said, there’s a place for both frequently-observed traditions and infrequently observed ones (such as the annual ones surrounding holidays, birthdays, etc).
This is interesting to think on. I guess I am for and against habitual actions. In so many areas, it is a great help. But in other, such as religion, it CAN BE a hinderence. If a body or family is so ingrained in ritual that Holy Spirit is not allowed to show up or lead another way it becomes a problem. I really do love schedules…maybe too much. And this is what God has been working on in me. Do I love HIS schedule for me more than I love MY routines/plans. And I have known people with such strict schedules their kids have meltdowns if bedtime is pushed back at all. Their schedule, made to help them, ends up ruling them. I guess what I am trying to say (inarticuatly)is leaning on the Lord to give balance is the key to this and everything.
I love this post! This is something I am always working towards. More routine; but something special to make that routine meaningful!