The Spirituality of Pomp and Circumstance

[Della]

I ran across a quote by C. S. Lewis about the spiritual aspect of pomp and circumstance that I think so appropriate to us moderns who have lost our understanding of the spiritual reasons for pomp and circumstance:

Above all, you must be rid of the hideous idea, fruit of a widespread inferiority complex, that pomp, on the proper occasions, has any connexion with vanity or self-conceit. A celebrant approaching the altar, a princess led out by a king to a dance a minuet, a general officer on a ceremonial parade, a major-domo preceding the boar’s head at a Christmas feast–all these wear unusual clothes and move with calculated dignity. This does not mean that they are vain, but that they are obedient…The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is not proof of humility, rather it proves the offender’s inability to forget himself in the rite…

I bolded the part I believe goes to the heart of the matter. And I apologize that I cannot give a link to this quote, but it is from “A Preface to ‘Paradise Lost’” (New York: Oxford University Press, 1961), pp. 17, 21.

 

[PatrickJT914]

Hi Della,

Well my quick take on it is from Vatican II,

       "Symbolism without meaning is void."

Pomp and Circumstance has to be explained to better understand why we do things with P&C. If truly explained people will want to do it and keep them. I hope I answered your thread.

 

[Della]

Well, that’s it in a nutshell. People don’t understand. Not only do they not understand the meaning behind P&C, they don’t understand the spiritual meaning. They don’t know that it is a virtue to submit themselves, their egos if you will, to something greater than their sense of self.

We’ve become a culture of me-ism to the point that people don’t even know what humility is nor why it is necessary. Not only so we might enter into rites, but also for true spiritual growth, joy, love, etc. Without humility we cannot receive any of the graces nor develop any of the other virtues as God intends us to. Yes?