Take Comfort in Rituals
Last night at our first God on Tap we talked about our daily rituals—that morning cup of coffee, our morning and evening routines, our little individual rituals that help us move through the day, and shared rituals of families and even church.
Given the season, we also talked about our Lenten routines—whether people were giving something up or taking something on for Lent—the origins and relative wisdom of these practices. We observed how most of the time we don't think about our daily rituals, but last night, as we reflected, we noticed how they function in our lives as ways of connecting us to ourselves (that quiet morning cup of coffee or commute to work), our families (nighttime stories with kids), with communities (at work, in the neighborhood, at church), and, really, with God. Lots of great stories, lots of laughter, great beer, and lots of good shared insight. The topic was inspired by this picture from the front door of a Starbucks, "Take Comfort in Rituals." We wondered how when we talk about rituals in church it seems so old, archaic, and less than relevant, but when Starbucks says it, its suddenly cool. In the course of the conversation we made a connection with different Christian traditions and churches and how in some cases rituals (and sometimes the very same rituals) can be good, fun, relevant, and edifying, but in another settings can be sources of frustration and exclusion.
If you're interested in exploring the connection between our daily rituals and Christian rituals like the liturgy, check out Quotidian Mysteries by Kathleen Norris. She writes about how the the rituals in our daily lives function much they way that the liturgy does. They create a rhythm, they bear us along. Oftentimes, even the annoying rituals and routines of our lives give it shape, meaning, and focus. In short, our lives are a liturgy, and the liturgy of the church is one part of it. We always finish these posts with a question or two. So, what are your daily rituals that give your life shape and meaning? What do you think of this idea that your life is a liturgy?