Symbols
When I was an acolyte, I remember one older acolyte who would often genuflect. That is a rather formal act of dropping to one knee and bowing the head toward the altar, often done when entering or leaving a pew, or crossing in front of the altar.
I remember thinking that he must be a really serious Christian because he did this much more dramatic act than the simple bow of the head that the rest of us were taught. I have since learned that having a little dramatic flair in our expression of faith does not actually translate to greater faith commitment.
We human beings have a funny relationship with symbols. Sometimes the symbol becomes even more important than what if represents. Remember the hubub around Tim Tebow taking a knee after a touch down? No one was bothered that he was a Christian, but let him show it with a rather unobtrusive outward symbol and people lose their minds.
There is a powerful scene in the novel “Silence” by Shusaku Endo. It is about a Roman Catholic missionary who goes to Japan during the period of the Shogunate rulers, when Christian faith was outlawed and punishable by death. The missionary is eventually brought before a government inquisitor who asks that he deny his faith. Not getting an answer that satisfied him, he put a crucifix on the ground and told the missionary to step on it. On one level, it was just a piece of wood. But it represented so much more to the missionary and the inquisitor knew that if he could get him to step on the symbol, he would have won the battle, even without a clear renunciation of faith.
Symbols carry great meaning and power for us, and while symbols can be a great help to our faith, we need to be careful not to let them become more important than the faith they represent.
On Sunday, we will read from the letter to the Hebrews (click here to read it) about the powerful imagery of Jewish faith, blood sacrifice on the altar and more, and we are reminded never to lose sight of the God that is behind the images and symbols. Ultimately, it is our connection to God that matters, not our adherence to the symbols.
Are their symbols of faith in your life that may take on a little too much importance? How can you use them to point you past the symbol, to the God behind them?
This column appeared in the August 21, 2022 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.
If you are reading this at a different time you may click here for the current eNews.
