Today’s
Scripture Reading (June 30, 2012): Leviticus 2
A good friend of mine has started a new ritual just before he begins to
study the weeks text for his sermon. The ritual is found in a specifically
worded prayer written by someone else – and one that asks the Holy Spirit to
give insight into the text. It is not that prayer had been absent previously,
but our traditions often frown on the ritualized use of prayers. Prewritten
prayers are often seen as lacking intent; the fear is that sooner or later they
simply become words without real meaning – they become words that are just
spoken like a magic talisman so that we can attain our goal.
But I think that we are a little hard on ritualized prayer. Prewritten
prayers are important; not to replace the ones that we speak ‘from the heart,’
but as an additional element to our spiritual lives. Often the ritualized
prayers remind us of the important things that we need in our lives – the very
things that we are sometimes tempted to overlook. And ritualized prayer is
maybe an unexpected component of the sacrificial system.
The instructions for the giving of the sacrifice were specific. In the
case of the grain offering it is to be only an offering of fine flour – the best
flour available because only the best can be used as a sacrifice. And yet even
that is not enough. Even the best needs something more. So the instruction for
the grain sacrifice is that it needs to include oil and incense – representing the
Holy Spirit and prayer. They served as ritualized reminders of what was really
important.
Ritual still does the same for us – even ritualized words help to serve
as a reminder of what is really important. And for my friend, the prayer he has
begun to pray is more than just about going through the motions – it is the
reminder of the essence of the task on which he is about to embark.
Tomorrow’s
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 3
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