Relationship between Christ and the Church mirrors the relationship between husband and wife.
The family as an extension of this relationship, involving the head (husband) and the body (wife and children).
The Role of the Woman:
The woman provides body: Gives body to the child during gestation, provides food from her body, and extends this nurturing role into the home.
Woman provides home: Both the physical home and the environment of nurture.
The Role of the Man:
The man provides name and identity.
He provides authority, which is not tyranny, but a coupling of love and mutual responsibility.
2. Hierarchy and Love
Christian Hierarchy:
Hierarchy is not a tyranny; the head (man) gives itself for the body (wife and children).
Mutual relationship of love: The top gives itself to the bottom, and the body gathers into the head.
3. The Danger of Losing Sight of Logos
Losing Sight of Logos:
Corruption sets in when a group or individual loses sight of the reason for their existence.
Corruption does not always manifest as moral failure; it can happen simply through disorder.
Example of a Knitting Group:
Allowing non-knitters into the group eventually transforms it into something else.
Flexibility is necessary, but losing sight of the purpose leads to fragmentation.
4. The Need for Exceptions and Monsters
Monsters on the Edge:
Every system requires a certain amount of chaos or exception at the margins to survive.
Systems that are too lean or efficient can collapse under pressure.
Gargoyles and Inversion Festivals:
Medieval churches had gargoyles, symbolizing the necessary chaos at the edges of order.
Societies had inversion festivals (e.g., Mardi Gras, Halloween) to let in controlled chaos.
5. Rituals and Sacred Time
Sacred and Secular Time:
Days, weeks, and years are patterned in cycles.
Religious festivals (e.g., Christmas, Easter, Purim) mirror these cycles and allow for moments of inversion and celebration.
Modern World Issues:
Our modern world swings between too much order (totalitarian systems) and too much chaos (fragmentation of identity).
Example: Gender identity explosion vs. totalitarian control mechanisms.
6. Participation in Reality
Objective Patterns:
These patterns are not just intellectual ideas; they must be lived and participated in.
Worship as the Highest Form of Participation:
Worship is the ultimate way to bind oneself to the highest good.
Engaging in family, small groups, and other communal activities helps reinforce these patterns.
7. The Importance of Family Meals
Eating as a Ritual:
Eating gathers elements into a hierarchy (recipe) and brings them into your body.
Family meals are a microcosm of participation and communion with others.
Potlucks and Honor:
Bringing food to a potluck is an act of honor and celebration of the group.
The sharing of food mirrors ancient sacrifices and toasts, which are ritualized ways of binding people together.
8. Ritual Sacrifice and Communion
Sacrificial Patterns:
Sacrifices (e.g., burning meat) are symbolic acts of offering potential to the purpose or God.
This pattern of offering and receiving blessing permeates all aspects of life.
Christian Communion:
In Christian tradition, bread and wine are offered, blessed, and returned as a binding agent for the community (the church).
9. Memory and Participation
Memory as Connection:
Remembering your purpose or identity keeps you connected, even when you’re far from it.
Example: Jonah remembering God at the bottom of the ocean, leading to his redemption.
Family Rituals:
Family meals and rituals are essential for maintaining the unity of the family.
Without them, families and communities begin to disintegrate.
10. Weddings and Public Promises
Marriage as a Public Ritual:
Weddings involve the public making of vows and pledges, witnessed by others.
These public rituals create anchors for the couple, reinforcing their commitment.
Rituals as Anchors:
Without rituals, things fall apart. Family meals, weddings, and other communal events serve as markers in time and space, helping individuals stay connected to their identity and purpose.
11. The Necessity of Punctuation in Life
Punctuated Cycles:
Life needs punctuation points (birthdays, holidays, rituals) to prevent it from becoming a continuous blur.
The Danger of Fragmentation:
Without these points of attention, people risk waking up in midlife wondering where time has gone, feeling disconnected from meaning.
12. Conclusion
Living with Meaning:
Participating in rituals, from family meals to religious worship, helps anchor individuals in meaning.
It is possible to re-engage with this pattern, but it requires breaking away from certain modern ideologies and embracing the natural structure of reality.
