Faith beyond ritual

What is more significant – Christ’s birth or his death and resurrection? The births and jayantis of venerated figures are happy occasions, and so birth anniversaries naturally receive prominence, as does Christmas. In contrast, out of the four biographical accounts of Christ in the Bible, only two cover His birth, whereas all four give considerable space to Christ’s teaching about His eventual death at the hands of the priestly class. Multiple chapters recount the conversations and events in the week of His death, commemorated as Good Friday, and his resurrection two days later, celebrated as Easter.

Christ never spoke of his birth. Instead, he wished his death and resurrection to be remembered throughout the year. He instituted two practices. The community meal of ‘Communion’ or the ‘Eucharist’ celebrates – yes, celebrates – the death of Christ, reminding followers of his sacrificed body and blood, which are represented by the solid and the liquid elements of the meal. The sacrifice of his own life by Christ was as a punishment-taker, substituting for his followers who acknowledge that their sins deserve an eternal penalty. Good Friday becomes ‘good’ for such believers – although it commemorates a death – because religion offers uncertain results, but in Christ, his followers find a blemishless sacrifice for their sins, guaranteeing free forgiveness.

The other practice, of baptism, again centres on Christ’s death: a new believer is immersed in water, providing an immersive identification of the believer with the death that Christ suffered on his behalf. The person is then raised out of the water, believing that Christ’s raising-up from the dead promises eventual resurrection for him, too, in addition to an immediate new life guided daily by Christ’s Holy Spirit.

Christ established no other rituals. His teachings centred on truth and compassion in the ethics of daily life, rather than on symbols. The entire Bible cautions against religion as ceremony, and Jesus, too, warned against rule by priests and ritualism. “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s perfection” (Romans 3:23). If we attempt to overcome that fact through pilgrimages, penance or other efforts, there is still no certainty, as “our thoughts sometimes accuse us and sometimes defend us” (Romans 2:15). In contrast, Christ assures, “Come to me, all who are worn by labour or guilt, and I will give you rest.”