Whether you agree with it or not, whether you understand it or not, you have to hand it to the Roman Catholic Church -- it knows how to to ritual. Witness today's televised funeral mass for Sen. Edward Kennedy. Tomorrow's sermon is based on a story in Mark 7 where Jesus is criticized because his disciples were eating without washing their hands. Of course, the Pharisees were not concerned with hygiene, but rather with tradition and ritual. Jesus wasn't against good hygiene, but he was against empty ritual and worshiping God with our lips while our hearts are far from God.
The skeptics might say that what they saw on TV today was nothing but empty ritual. Maybe it was, but maybe it wasn't. For many it was, but for just as many, if not more, it represented the innermost devotion of their hearts.
The highlight for me was when the honor guard made up of the different military services carried the flag-draped casket into the cathedral. Mid way down the nave, they stopped, the flag was removed and the soldiers departed. The priest sprinkled the casket with "holy" water to recall the Senator's baptism into Christ. As he was baptized into Christ, so he will also be raised with Christ. (See Romans 6) Then members of the family helped to place a while pall over the casket -- white symbolizing new life in Christ and a pall, which would be placed over the casket of anyone for whom a Christian funeral was held, symbolizing the fact that before God we all stand on common ground, regardless of our nationality, race or station in life.
Some may call it empty ritual, but I believe that for most who were present in that church, and for myself, it was one of the most meaningful and poignant aspects of the service. Right now I'm wondering how I can work that scene into my sermon without seeming to be needlessly political.
One other observation -- I appreciated so very much how clear the connection was made between the Senator's faith and the teaching of the church and his political life. The way some people see it, only Republicans are moved by religious convictions. Surprise, surprise, Democrats can be people of faith, deep faith! Maybe they like to DO their faith more than TALK about it. "Religion that is pure an undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27) That represents a different reading of the Biblical story than the one we hear about from the other end of the theological spectrum and which is regularly reported in the media.
