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Kimberly P Chastain, Pastor
Friends,
I have been thinking about ritual and ceremony for some time, as anyone who has been listening to or reading my sermons knows. For two years now, things have been in a constant state of upheaval, and the regular, predictable rituals that order our lives have been upset along with everything else. So I keep pondering and exploring the rituals that can help us to stay grounded, in touch with our faith, and open to God’s goodness in the world.
And today I read a blog post by Lila June Johnston, a member of the Santa Clara Pueblo Indigenous Nation, that connected with my thoughts and suggested a possible Lenten practice. I will quote her description of the morning prayer ceremony of her people, and then suggest some things we might use during Lent to explore such a practice for ourselves. I particularly like this ritual because it is not based in the written word, but in encountering the created order and God’s presence in it.
“This is what my people do to remind us to remember who we are and what our prayers are each day. Choose a plant, food, stone, or something else that is precious to you and resonant with nature. It could be mugwort or holly or olive, it could be something specific to your land or your ancestors.
“Before you get your day going, look to the east where the sun rises. Put your precious thing down in front of you and offer it to the Earth. Say what your intentions or prayers are for that day. Invite your ancestors to be with you. Invite the good spirits to walk with you, the spirits that want to help.
“Honor who you are and honor the Earth and honor the spirits and the great Creator—or life forces or unknowable mysteries or gods or whatever it is that you believe makes the world more than meets the eye.
“I think of this practice, and ceremony in general, as a kind of string that holds the beads of our life together. If you can do it every day, great, but even once a week or once a month will help you remember. I pray it helps you remember to give your best but also to receive — the sunlight, the birds, the fruit of joy, the fruit of life, the answers to your prayers, whatever they may be.”
If you want to try this practice with “precious objects” that coordinate with our Lenten theme, here is a list of suggestions to get you started on thinking about what you might offer in this ceremony each week.
Week 1: Sand or soil. Hold it in your hand, feel the grains and the textures. Remember that the grains are connected to each other, and hold the water, sunlight, and nutrients to bring about new life. Even in the desert, there is nourishment for life.
Week 2: A feather. When do you feel that God is like a mother hen, gathering you up and holding you close? Think about feathers — individually so fragile, they offer shelter and strength to the birds and the chicks, so that when a hen gathers her flock, they share warmth and safety.
Week 3: A seed or a bulb. Hold it in your hand and notice how it seems lifeless, and yet it brings the possibility of growth and new life. When it is offered to the soil, with the warmth and the water, it can become a thing of beauty or a source of food, or even a mighty tree.
Week 4: A piece of wood. Think about the uses of wood in building a home, a shelter, a safe place to experience God’s grace. Taken from trees, used for fences or flooring, for furniture and fire-building, it is a symbol of home and of the circle of giving and taking in the natural world.
Week 5: Olive oil or essential oil. Notice the healing, soothing texture of the oil and its beautiful fragrance. It can bind together ingredients when it is used in food, clean and protect skin wounds, sooth sores and promote healing. In this week’s gospel lesson, the anointing of Jesus becomes an expression of love and care. How might you pour the “oil of consolation” out for others?
Week 6: A stone. Hold it, feel its weight and its texture, formed as ancient mineral interacted with the elements. Remember that the stones, too, are telling of God’s glory and of God’s desire for humans to learn justice and care for each other and the world.
Blessings of the season,
Pastor Kimberly
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