It has been a little bit since I posted some thoughts or a new album. Right now I have been sitting in two upcoming spaces. One is a new instrumental album that takes listeners through the event of Augustine’s baptism. The other album is the other half of Ambrosian Catechesis, namely, Volume 2. This work will draw from a few works of Ambrose to provide a sense of the instruction that Augustine may have received after his baptism regarding the various rituals that took place. The album will point towards a reminder of our new life in Christ.
It is interesting of course to think of the term ritual as regards one’s religion. Some folks in their faith would perhaps be opposed to the term ritual as they would say my faith in Jesus is not a religion and rituals are lifeless things. This perspective comes from a place of genuine concern regarding living our faith devoid of spiritual vigor or to say another way just going through the motions without a heartfelt relationship with the Lord. It is a bit of a reaction perhaps arising out of older debates between some Protestants and other Protestants and Roman Catholics. Perhaps from also experiences with church life that were less than what they should have been.
I think however that rituals can and are very powerful reminders of out living faith with a significant history in the church that help call us back continually to God. Even our Lord provided a ritual regarding His Communion or Eucharist. Also life in ancient Isreal for the average religious person was full of many rituals that were a part of the synagogue life.
A married person intuitively understands the power of ritual even if they don’t actively profess ritual as part of their religious expression. Think of the giving of flowers or the regular celebration of an anniversary with a meal or the regular recitation of I love you. These things symbolize the love of and for the spouse.
Now when we come to Ambrose and baptism in the ancient world we find many such rituals that instruct and teach believers new and old. One such ritual is the anointing after baptism. Listen to Ambrose’s words about the oil.
After this, you went up to the priest. Consider what followed. Was it not what David says: “Like ointment on the head, that runs down onto the beard, the beard of Aaron”? This is the ointment of which Solomon also says: “Your name is poured-out ointment; therefore the young women loved you and drew you.” How many renewed souls today have loved you, Lord Jesus, saying: “Draw us after you; we run in the fragrance of your garments,” so that they may drink in the fragrance of the resurrection.
Understand why this is done: because the eyes of the wise are in his head. That is why it flows down to the beard, that is, to the grace of youth; and to the beard of Aaron, so that you may become a chosen race, priestly and precious. For by spiritual grace we are all anointed into the kingdom of God and into priesthood.
So we see in the above that Ambrose points his audience towards the power of rituals and their meaning in remind us of our faith and of God and what he has done. The imagery is quite powerful. Oil as a reminder of the Old Testament promise, as a symbol of our love for God, as a reminder of our new life in God and of His calling.
One ritual I especially like personally is the recitation of the Lord’s prayer. To me it is like an anchor. I find it reminds me where I am and who I depend on. It reminds me of the Lord and of His mercy. When we pray it we enter into a heartfelt cry to our Heavenly Father. We enter into the prayer of Jesus. We are brothers in this prayer with Him and with one another.
We can also enter into spiritual reflection through recognizing daily rituals in our life that point to God. The very act of waking up for example can become a reminder of the resurrection. As we rise to meet a new day, we give thanks for God remembering how he guarded us in the night and brought us into this new day. This is a much better way for us than entering the day grumpy or worried about what we can’t change. Let commit to entering the day with more thankfulness I say.
These are just a few stray thoughts. Hope you all are well and entering the new year in thankfulness.
Below is a song from our Ambrosian Hymns album that I think captures this different way to wake up.
Grace and peace to you!