Embracing Ceremony and Celebration

Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil-this is God’s gift to God’s children. (Ecclesiastes 3:13)

I recently saw a cartoon of a multi-generational family around a dining table. The younger ones were on their cell phones. The ones through middle age were wearing jeans and sweatshirts, while the elderly members were all dressed up. The gist of the cartoon was that society was losing its appreciation for ceremony. The cartoon rang true for me.

When I was a boy, my grandparents often had friends over for dinner. Grandpa and Granny used every opportunity to create a celebration. Whenever friends came over, everyone dressed up. It wasn’t to show off their fancy duds but to make the evening special. The china and silver settings went out of the hutch. Paper napkins would have been unacceptable. The quality of the china, silverware, and linen napkins didn’t matter. What mattered was the desire to make a night with friends and family a ceremonial act of blessing and joy.

Putting on my little boy shirt and tie and sitting with the adults was a celebration I will never forget. Every course had just a little pomp and circumstance, from the stemware drinks to the salad, main course, and dessert. Everyone felt within themselves that something special was occurring, and each person felt respected and honored to be together.

I doubt many people feel the same sense of ceremony and celebration today. We do not even dress up for church. Even weddings and funerals are no longer occasions to dress one’s best. I’ve heard people celebrate the norm of no longer dressing up for church. There are regular claims that previous generations only dressed up to show off their wealth. I disagree. None of us have to dress up to be acceptable to God. But there is something to be said to prepare ourselves for the ceremony and celebration. Try putting a little ceremony and celebration into your life, and watch the symbols come alive within you and those you honor with extra care. Little celebrations bring joy to our home parties and in our worship.