There was a classic Doctor Who episode from the 1970s where the science-fiction heroes encounter a group of colonists on another world who have long since forgotten their roots and reverted to a primitive life. The people of that civilization had an odd gesture as a way of greeting each other: They would touch their throat, their shoulder, and their hip. The titular Doctor notices this and comments: “That gesture you did . . . It’s presumably to ward off evil. It’s interesting because it’s also the sequence for checking the seals on a Starfall Seven spacesuit. And what makes that particularly interesting is that you don’t know what a Starfall Seven spacesuit is, do you?”
He was, indeed, correct; the colonists’ ancestors had traveled to this planet via a spaceship where you had to check the seals, and that gesture was passed down long after the underlying technology passed away. The colonists had been devoid of tech for so long, they continued to make these gestures without understanding why they did them or why they were important.
Today’s readings talk about the old laws and Jesus’ relationship with them. It’s a fairly challenging topic, and it’s one I tackled in my column on these readings last Lent. Honestly, as I reflected on these readings, I dreaded a bit having to come up with something new to say.
But as I considered this bit of Scripture again, that Doctor Who episode sprang to mind. Being a Catholic means doing a lot of things that are strange to outsiders. These range from odd gestures (like the Sign of the Cross or genuflecting) to unusual actions (such as fasting or abstaining from meat) to beliefs not held by the rest of the world (like teachings on capital punishment or birth control).
Thinking about Christ’s teachings today, these two ideas started to come together. Jesus is talking about his role in Judaic law, and how he is instrumental in unifying the expectations of old and bringing humanity together in union with God, Tradition, and each other.
And as I look back on our Traditions, our teachings, our gestures, our actions, I find myself wondering. They’re obviously important, but do we know why they’re important?
You probably know the reasons behind more common actions, like the Sign of the Cross. But do you know the reason behind blessing yourself with holy water as you come into Mass? (If so, do you actually think about the underlying reason when you do so?) Do you know what days of the year that entryway holy water is not supposed to be available?
Do you know why we fast during this season of Lent, or abstain from meat on Fridays?
When we say “and with your spirit” during Mass, do you know why we do so and what it means?
Do you know why and when it’s appropriate to bow, genuflect, or kneel when you enter Mass or a chapel?
You probably have heard the phrase “Lamb of God” a lot. Do you know what that means or what it’s referring to?
What about those Latin phrases and verses we recite, especially during Lent?
If you’ve uttered or heard the phrase “Catholics don’t believe in divorce,” do you understand what that’s saying, what it says about our understanding of the institution of marriage, and how it might be a bit misleading?
It’s not essential you understand every aspect of the faith. I certainly don’t. (My wife still surprises me occasionally with tidbits of insight into what the priest is doing or saying at certain points of the Mass.) And it’s certainly possible to go through life as a fully realized, deeply faithful Catholic without understanding every nuance. Many saints and martyrs devoted their lives to God with little interest in the more “academic” side of the Church, relying on their deep faiths as they followed Christ.
But it can be very rewarding to realize that pretty much everything we do has some kind of meaning. Failing to understand that meaning – or, at least, being keenly aware of the fact that there is a larger meaning – can carry its own risks.
First, it keeps you from a deeper connection to God and our Faith. If the blessing with holy water is supposed to remind us of our baptism, how can that gesture be doing its job if it never makes you think of what baptism is or does, and what our baptismal promises offer and expect?
Second, failing to think about this stuff leaves you open to having your faith shaken. Imagine if some outsider says, “Why do you have to go to Mass every week . . . even when you’re on vacation?!” If you don’t have a good justification in your own mind, it’ll be really easy for the Devil to wheedle into that chink in your spiritual armor, prompting you to miss Mass when it’s not convenient – perhaps ultimately skipping it even when it is.
Finally, if you don’t understand what we’re doing and why, you can’t explain it to others. That puts a damper on efforts to defend and spread the Church. (You know why that’s important according to our faith, right?)
During this Lenten season – perhaps today, or the next time you attend Mass – really think about the Faith and the Church. Is there some aspect of what you’re believing or doing that you don’t understand? Or perhaps something you’re not doing in Mass that you know you do at other times of the year? (Have you noticed a lack of music in recent weeks, or the absence of phrases we use the rest of the year?)
If you find something you don’t fully understand, research it! The Internet is a great resource, but be careful about sites that may not be speaking from a position of belief or understanding of the Catholic faith. (I tend to find Catholic.org a reliable resource, but — as ever — I recommend taking everything you read online with a grain of salt (including this column!).
For questions about teachings or beliefs, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is invaluable.
If you’re feeling pretty confident about your knowledge in most things, think of something a bit esoteric that you comprehend. Can you explain it so that someone else can understand it? They say you don’t really know something until you can explain it in terms a child would grasp.
When I came into the Church, one of the first books I read was Catholicism for Dummies. As a result, I got to learn a lot of the basics about the Faith with the eyes of a 30-something-year-old; I never had to bridge the gap of what I was doing with what I knew. I don’t necessarily recommend that, but — if you haven’t already — I do recommend trying to shore up your actions with real knowledge. Ours is a rich and rewarding faith. With a little effort, you can grow closer to it and to God. Otherwise, you risk going through motions you don’t understand, like a space colonist gesturing to a long-absent spacesuit.
Today’s readings: Dt 4:1,5-9; Ps 147:12-13,15-16,19-20; Mt 5:17-19
