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For some families, a yearly tradition is to festoon their tree with ornaments at Christmas. There is something quite delightful about a tree adorned with ornaments. Over my life, I have seen a lot of Christmas trees beautifully decorated. Some have twinkling lights and unique ornaments, and others, well, they could use a little work. What’s essential, of course, is the tree. A good tree is full (no big holes!), not too big or small, good color, etc. The ornaments are the extras — not necessarily essential, but they help make the tree come alive.
This weekend our Gospel gives us a window into a squabble over the tradition of washing one’s hands before eating. The squabble raises the question: What is and what is not essential in following Christ?
Given that most moderns do not necessarily identify with the ritual washing of hands and cups, we could put our question into something we may know a bit better, like the liturgy. Some things are essential, while others are extra — like ornaments on a Christmas tree.
The liturgies of the Word and the Eucharist are essential. Without either part, you would not have a Mass. In addition to these two main parts, parishes may dress up their liturgies as much as they desire.
For example, some parishes regularly use incense at Mass as an expression of our prayers rising up to God. Other parishes use a chalice veil — or, the cloth that drapes over the chalice and paten — as a little reminder that what we celebrate in the Eucharist is a mystery. Right before the bread and wine are brought to the altar, the veil is removed, symbolizing that the sacred mystery of the Eucharist is about to be revealed. When the Eucharist is consecrated, some parishes ring bells to catch the faithful’s attention that the Holy Spirit is transforming the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Incense, chalice veils and bells are like ornaments on a Christmas tree. While not necessarily essential, they heighten our awareness of God’s mysterious presence in the liturgy, and help the faithful enter more deeply into the beauty and transcendence of the Mass.
Unfortunately, things become a bit problematic when we remain too fixed on them and forgot their purpose, i.e., to help us fall more deeply in love with Christ and inspire us to serve him in one another.
Today’s Gospel presents us with a key question when dealing with those who do things differently than ourselves. Ask yourself: What’s really essential, and what’s extra?
As Catholics, we strive to be united in what we believe (creed), our worship of God in the Mass (celebrating the sacraments), our moral life (keeping the Ten Commandments) and prayer. These are the essentials. However, we also have non-essentials (customs), the ornaments of our faith. Some people kneel when they pray. Others like to sit. Some like devotionals such as the rosary. Others like to read Scripture. Still others wear sacramentals like the scapular or medals as reminders of the heavenly intercession and protection of our Blessed Mother and the saints.
The ornaments of our faith deepen our love for Christ. Ultimately, they are meant to unite our hearts with our Lord and others. There is a classic phrase in our tradition that summarizes this weekend’s Gospel nicely: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
We hold fast to what is essential, but give our brothers and sisters some freedom in Christ in what is not. And in all things, we imitate Christ in charity. In doing so, we will not only help build up the Church’s unity, but may even move a little closer to becoming a saint.
Father Andrie is pastor of St. Therese in Deephaven. He can be reached at [email protected].
Sunday, Aug. 29
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
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