Purification Rites and the Pandemic

People have been observing and writing about how some things have really changed for the better in the middle of the CoVid–19 crisis. Strange how it takes a difficult set of circumstances to bring about those changes. And if we look closely we will see that it is not just being in the circumstance, it is going through it with awareness that counts.

The word 'purification' came to mind as I was reflecting on all this, and right after that, a sentence in Luke’s gospel: "When the days were completed for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord." The Rite of Purification Mary submitted to was an ancient one, prescribed in the Book of Leviticus. It is a ritual cleansing that took place following childbirth. There was also a sin connotation in the ritual involving cleansing of inherited effects of sin.

The Jewish people had purification or cleansing rituals for a whole lot of things – preparation of food, offering sacrifice, etc., etc. The really interesting thing is that they took simple ordinary tasks and added a religious significance to them by the prescribed patterns and intentionality they added. Everything they did was elevated to inclusion in their relationship with God. Again, it is doing it that is important. We humans do well with significance and meaning when we enact it.

We have a ritual cleansing in the Catholic celebration of the Mass. Just before the preparation of the bread and wine for Eucharist, the priest washes his fingers. Again, a perfectly sensible thing to do before handling food, but in this case with symbolic meaning in the 'cleansing from our sin' as we prepare for Eucharist.

We humans appreciate that it is not enough to say it or wish it or intend it. Doing it, even ritually and symbolically, brings it home, makes it real.

I think why this is all playing in my head is that we are going through major upheavals in our world right now. With the pandemic of CoVid-19. Those upheavals have led to major changes in our behaviour. Everywhere. Changes involving cleanliness and sanitation. Respecting space while at the same time being supportive and caring. Being needy while at the same time being appreciative of front-line workers whose job it is to take care of our needs. Wanting to be active while at the same time restricting travel and thereby cutting back on use of fossil fuels. We can refer to all this as cleansing activities because the people of Wuhan have seen sky for the first time in years. The people of Venice have seen clear water in the canals for the first time in years. Politicians have stopped yelling at each other maybe for the first time ever!

A former colleague of mine re-posted a commentary on all of this (thanks Kathy C). Here is some of what it said: I don't know if you agree, but something invisible came and put everything in its place. Suddenly the gasoline went down, pollution went down, people started to have more time – so much time that they do not know what to do with it – parents are spending time with their kids as a family, work is no longer a priority, or travelling or social life either. Suddenly we silently see within ourselves and understand the value of the words "solidarity", "love", "strength", "empathy" and "faith". In an instant we realized that we are all in the same boat, rich and poor. That the supermarket shelves are empty and the hospitals are full. New cars and old cars also stand in the garages, simply because nobody can get out. Empty streets, less pollution, clean-air, the land also breathes.

This is truly amazing! But these are all things we would have said – indeed often did say – we wish we could have more of.

Now we do.

Okay let's link that thought to what we know about the value of ritual, the value of enacting. Biblical history and every day common sense have taught us that we must take everyday ordinary things that we are hit and miss about, and turn them into deliberate, intentional patterns. Rituals. Purification rituals. We will get our clean air, our clean water if we simplify, stop more often, and let go the fear of missing out – the fear that drives hyper-consumerism. We will get our relationships in right order, right priority, joyfully experienced, when we make time to be together. When that time is protected at all costs from intrusions by work, by electronics, by anything that isolates us.

The week beginning Sunday April 5 is the beginning of Holy Week. It will take us through a lot of ritual. The Palm Sunday procession, the Holy Thursday Passover Supper and washing of feet, the Good Friday death of Jesus the Lamb. The Resurrection of Jesus, Easter. Taken all together we understand this to be a massive purification ritual by the Son of God. The amazing thing is that he enacted the ritual and we benefited from it. During Holy Week and Easter we re-enact the components of this amazing salvation ritual in order to help us truly experience what Jesus did for us. In order to truly help us recommit to the changes that are needed in our lives in order to say yes to the great gift we have received in the form of our redemption.

It all seems to come together in a most remarkable way. Wouldn't it be terrible if we went through the purification rituals of Holy Week, and then walked away from it all when it was done. And wouldn't it be terrible if we went through the purification rituals that are going on at the hands of the coronavirus, only to later walk away from the experience as if it meant nothing.

So I extend best wishes, warm thoughts, and prayers to you who are reading this. To your family. And to all who are involved in caring for us through this challenging time. Think about it and maybe you and I can commit to new patterns that heal the earth, that heal relationships, that heal our souls.