One of the common difficulties of Catholicism to the ‘outsider’ is the ritual intertwined with our faith. In this month we are focusing on the sacraments which in their execution have the characteristics of ritual. I imply here that ritual is a turnoff to the outsider, which is chiefly due to the perversion of ritual in secular and cult environments. In these environments, rituals are developed without reason at all, or with malicious intent. These rituals are often spread through the manipulation and control of their leader and are accompanied by the coercion and pressure of individuals. To many ears, hearing ritual evokes phrases like “drinking the kool-aid.” For the oldest rituals, like the sacraments, the meaning behind them is either forgotten or not taught, leaving many to deem them meaningless like the rituals seen elsewhere. Holy Orders is not usually the first that comes to mind when thinking of the sacraments, and for myself and many others it’s likely the least known. I’d like to explore the meaning within the rite of ordination specifically through the lens of the Old Testament.
One of the clearest connections between the rite of ordination and Old Testament traditions is the ‘laying of hands.’ In every ordination, the bishop will lay his hands on the candidate and pray over him. This act has Old Testament precedence in the Book of Numbers when Moses commissions Joshua to become the succeeding leader of the Israelites. “Moses did as the Lord had commanded him. Taking Joshua and having him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole community, he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord had directed through Moses.” (Num 27:12-23) In the New Testament, in the very first ordinations, including those of Saints Stephen and Phillip, hands were laid on the candidates, “They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.” (Ac 6:6)
After hands are laid on the candidates for ordination, a Bishop prays the Prayer of Ordination over them. During such times a common image is the candidate lying prostrate (on the ground face-down). Prostration is not unique to the Judeo-Christian tradition, but it has a prominent role in the Old Testament. In Genesis, “the Lord appeared to Abram and said: I am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless. Between you and me I will establish my covenant, and I will multiply you exceedingly. Abram fell face down and God said to him ‘For my part, here is my covenant with you: you are to become the father of a multitude of nations.” (Gn 17:1) Or in the Psalms, “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord; All the families of nations will bow low before him,” (Ps 22:28) and “Give to the Lord the glory due his name. Bow down before the Lord holy splendor!” (Ps 29:2) When a candidate for ordination prostrates themself, they are placing themselves before God as a subject and as a servant.
As I noted, prostration is not unique to our tradition, but its meaning is beautiful even without this context. To see young men publicly place themselves in what could be considered the most vulnerable position is shocking to one's pride. Their act signifies a gift of their entire selves to the church, even unto death. They lay low to take on the yoke of their ministry. They are defying a culture that urges us to think of ourselves first by making a public rejection of self. They are willing to be an example until “all the ends of the earth turn to the Lord.”
Following the Prayer of Ordination, the newly ordained priests are vested with a stole and chasuble. Their vesting symbolizes the external manifestation of their ministry. In the Old Testament there are several detailed accounts of the vesting of new commissions. In Exodus 28, for example, strict instructions are given for the vesting of Aaron and his sons:
Have your brother Aaron, and with him his sons, brought to you…that they may be my priests…For the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron you shall have sacred vestments made…These are the vestments they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a brocade tunic, a turban, and a sash…they shall use gold, violet, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen.
The chapter concludes, “Aaron and his sons shall wear them whenever they go into the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary.” The ornate details of the vesting can seem excessive, especially in the fashion of our day. However, I think there are several reasons why priests wear beautiful and ornate vestments. The vestments reflect the beauty of the act being performed, specifically in the miracle of the Eucharist, and it is fitting and indicative of the magnitude of the sacrament. In the parable of the King’s wedding in Matthew, the king throws a man out into the darkness for not being properly attired. Whether this is to be taken literally or figuratively, it nonetheless dictates that the priest should be properly prepared for the sacrament. Many professions, like doctors and soldiers, wear uniforms that serve a purpose and indicate their role. The priest is likewise uniformed by his garments to perform the sacrament and is distinctively marked as the one performing the act. Lastly, a priest’s vestments, including their cassocks, are an outward manifestation of their ministry and their servitude to the Church.
Much more could be said about ordination and the meaning found within the Old Testament, but I will leave you with these points for now. The complexity of the ceremony of ordination is not so in order to serve as an “initiation ceremony” which you might find in any college fraternity. The ritual of the Church, within our sacraments, has meaning and beauty that echoes throughout our tradition. The perversion of ritual within cults and secular tradition is just that, perversion. Our edification on the meaning behind our rituals will not only benefit our perception and reception of the sacraments but allow us to share this beauty and meaning with others.