ritual significance

There was once a monastery in the mountains that had become known as a place for quiet reflection and deeply spiritual prayer. The Abbot was known far and wide for his ability to lead others in evening prayers in such a way it was said the veil of heaven was pulled back for a short time. Pilgrims from far away traveled to learn from the monks.

One day as the monks began their evening prayers, the dog who lived in the monastery made such noise that it distracted them. So the Abbot ordered that the dog be tied up during the evening prayers. Day after day the dog became riled up and made a fuss as time for evening prayers approached, and so day after day the Abbot ordered the Dog tied up.

Years later, when the Abbot died, the dog continued to be tied up during the evening prayers.When the dog eventually died, another dog was brought to the monastery and tied up each evening before prayers. Pilgrims continued to come to the monastery from all over the known world.

Over the centuries learned descendants of the Abbot and his disciples wrote scholarly treatises about the ritual significance of tying up a dog for evening prayers. They perfected the manor in which the dog was to be bound, and even prescribed how the dog was to be selected and how it was to be treated before and after the evening prayers. As time passed the practice of tying up a dog before evening prayers spread to every corner of the church.

***

This parable was written under the influence of Mark 7:7-8

"They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" -Jesus

This parable almost seems ridiculous on the surface. Who among us would believe that tying up a dog would be required for our prayer life.

However Are there not a great many things we assume need to be done in order to be closer to God?

How many of those things are spelled out as necessary in the bible?

How many are rituals handed down to us by man?

The humble convert and the self righteous elders

One day Pastor was performing the traditional Sunday morning prayer during his church meeting. A new convert was among the church listening to the prayer. The man was seized with such joy he interrupted the pastors prayer to shout. But being a new convert the man was not familiar with the language that the tradition of the people required him to use. So the Man uttered a word that is used by the people of his culture to express joy and excitement.

"F@#%ing   A!"

The Pastor paused for an uncomfortable minute and then finished his prayer. The elders of the church immediately began to chide the man for speaking "You interrupted the sacred prayer on the holy morning, and whats worse you used foul and improper language."

From his pulpit the pastor joined in, "Young man that is not acceptable language to address the Lord of all creation. We have sacred ways handed down to us by our forefathers from their forefathers that tell us exactly what and how a man may address the divine."

The man sat trembling with fear and embarrassment. Then when he could take it no longer God sent an angel among them.

"Fear F@#%ing not" began the angel "The Lord your God wishes that his people stop chastising this simple man, his sincere curse moved us more than the many pious wordy prayers you have memorized and continue to utter over and over all the years you have been meeting together."


*** I wrote this parable under the influence of the story found in Luke 18. Here Jesus points out that God prefers a humble sinner to a self righteous Pharisee.

And Mark 7 where Jesus quotes Isaiah and says "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.' For you ignore God's specific laws and substitute your own traditions."

And "Fear not" is something angels tend to say when they first come on the scene.