Retain our idols or change our view

This Sunday marks the traditional Mothering Sunday which is perhaps fortunate as it follows International Women's Day (IWD).  This traditional celebration of the Church is always celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent.  It was originally the day servants were allowed to go back to their family homes and parishes.  It is another day to celebrate those things that are remarkable about women in our society but also to remind ourselves of the idols that we create rather than celebrating God's goodness and presence in all our lives.  In order to save the Israelites from the bite of the serpent a bronze snake was crafted, a symbol of healing and forgiveness for those that had been bitten (Num. 21.6-9).  This was not to be seen as an idol to be worshipped but rather as a symbol of healing.  In Christ crucified this process is repeated and becomes a symbol of our healing and not an idol for worship (John 3.14-15).

In making symbols in the world today we are often making idols for us to worship and often we do this with our use of tradition.  We establish a tradition to initiate and celebrate change in the world, IWD, but when we continue with the symbolism it becomes idolatrous when no change is forthcoming.  It becomes a celebration for the celebrations sake with little meaning in the lives of people. In the Numbers passage the symbol achieved almost instant change and was not needed to be retained.  If we are to celebrate change and initiate that with a symbol then we need to ensure that the symbol is effective else it reverts to a passing idolisation of an ideal.  In looking at our own faith tradition we have passed through a variety of traditions around our use of the cross and the crucifix.  In contemplating the cross and Christ's lifting up are we seeing it as an idol or are we seeing it as a symbol of our redemption?

Beautiful idolatry choking us or worshipful symbol releasing us?

In looking around at the use of the cross in our modern lives it is seen more as an item of jewellery rather than as an item of religious symbolism.  In asking someone the reason for wearing a cross or a crucifix I wonder what the response will be, even from priests, bishops and religious?  Will it be because it is tradition or maybe its beauty or perhaps a symbol (but of what and for whom?).  We so often follow the "ways of this present world" (Eph. 2.2) rather than seeing the pointer towards God.  In sporting a cross / crucifix are we seeing it as an idolisation of Christ rather than acknowledging God's presence?  Too often we resort to the words of idolisation rather than the words of worship and acknowledgement of God when we celebrate our Christianity.  In doing so we often depart from what Christ and God asks of us and so become one of many who pay lip service to God rather than living the fullness of Christian life; a life based in the worship of God and the presence of Christ.

Our change should come when we understand the idols that we have made in our lives and begin to see symbols of Christ's outreach in to the world that changes the perspective of our lives.  Living in today's world is a vast change from 1909 when IWD was first discussed or thought about but the fact that it has become entrenched in an almost idolatrous manner suggests that we are not changing our lives into the life of Christ.  Even within our own religiosity there are many who cling to an idolatrous vision of man rather than a celebration of God in the whole of creation.  We are still ruled by our "physical desires" (Eph. 2.3) rather than channeling our desires to God.  We fear to change and so create the world that we desire rather than the world that God desires, resisting and living in the past in preference to the new life that God offers.