Rings of Power
October 4, 2024 at 1:06 p.m.
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
I’m a big “Lord of the Rings” fan. You can summarize the plot of a lot of epic books/movies pretty easily, but this is not one of those cases.
“Oh you don’t know the story? Well there’s this ring. Actually, there were a bunch of rings. The ‘one ring’ is evil right and can sort of control all the other ones, and the bad guy lost it and needs it back to, you know, rule the world.” “Oh, so what do the rings do? Let me guess you point it at your enemies and it vaporizes them.” “Well, no, not exactly.” “Ok, well what is the story about, the heroes have to find all the other rings before time runs out and unite them to beat the bad guy and his ring?” “Oh…No. We don’t even know where a lot of those other rings are, the story is really about just the one ring.” “Ok so the heroes have to beat the clock to find the ring first so they can use it against the bad guy?” “Oh, they already have it. It’s a story about them trying to get rid of it.” “Why would they want to get rid of it if it’s the most powerful weapon there is?” “But that’s what happens, they need to destroy it.” “Ok whatever. So, the hero saves the day and becomes the Lord of the Rings?” “No, the bad guy is the Lord of the Rings.”
In the Readings this Sunday, we call to mind real-life rings; wedding rings to be precise. But these rings aren’t simply jewelry, they are a symbol of something very real indeed. They point to a visible sign of an invisible reality. “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” On the surface, someone might wonder what’s so different about being married, especially Sacramentally in the Church, than just having a committed boyfriend or girlfriend, or getting married in Las Vegas, it’s just a piece of paper isn’t it? They’re just rings, aren’t they?
“Oh, cool you’re married with the Sacrament of Matrimony? So does that mean you can point your ring at your spouse and make them not mad at you all of a sudden?” “Well, no it doesn’t work like that.” “Or maybe you tap your rings together and then immediately both get the same idea of where to order food from?” “No, but that would be pretty handy.” “Well then what do your wedding rings do exactly?” “Well it’s more about who we are.” God’s grace flows in us and around is in a particular way. He’s present in our family, and He uses us as an icon and image of His love for all those who look at our marriage and family and don’t see us but instead see Him. It’s also built into our lives to put others first as we change diapers, do dishes, and anticipate each other’s needs. There’s an “invisible reality” here.”
Back to Tolkien’s Rings of Power, a lot of the rings corrupt their wearers and turn them to the service of the “bad guy” Sauron. But there are 3 rings worn by the Elves that don’t work that way. They actually have this preserving and flourishing effect on these Elven realms like Rivendell. If someone were to ask the “what does it do” question to the Elves, they again might say, “Well I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but Rivendell sure is flourishing because of it.” The same is true with the Sacrament of Matrimony. God gives us a grace that we don’t ‘control’, but that we openly receive, and it allows our marriages to thrive. So, if you’re not married yet and think that’s where God is calling you one day, don’t settle for the “just a piece of paper/just jewelry” version. Get married in the Church and receive this amazing Sacrament. And if you already are, use the rings! Don’t “keep it secret, keep it safe” like the characters need to in Lord of the Rings, but let the whole world see the grace in your rings and in your lives!
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Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
I’m a big “Lord of the Rings” fan. You can summarize the plot of a lot of epic books/movies pretty easily, but this is not one of those cases.
“Oh you don’t know the story? Well there’s this ring. Actually, there were a bunch of rings. The ‘one ring’ is evil right and can sort of control all the other ones, and the bad guy lost it and needs it back to, you know, rule the world.” “Oh, so what do the rings do? Let me guess you point it at your enemies and it vaporizes them.” “Well, no, not exactly.” “Ok, well what is the story about, the heroes have to find all the other rings before time runs out and unite them to beat the bad guy and his ring?” “Oh…No. We don’t even know where a lot of those other rings are, the story is really about just the one ring.” “Ok so the heroes have to beat the clock to find the ring first so they can use it against the bad guy?” “Oh, they already have it. It’s a story about them trying to get rid of it.” “Why would they want to get rid of it if it’s the most powerful weapon there is?” “But that’s what happens, they need to destroy it.” “Ok whatever. So, the hero saves the day and becomes the Lord of the Rings?” “No, the bad guy is the Lord of the Rings.”
In the Readings this Sunday, we call to mind real-life rings; wedding rings to be precise. But these rings aren’t simply jewelry, they are a symbol of something very real indeed. They point to a visible sign of an invisible reality. “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” On the surface, someone might wonder what’s so different about being married, especially Sacramentally in the Church, than just having a committed boyfriend or girlfriend, or getting married in Las Vegas, it’s just a piece of paper isn’t it? They’re just rings, aren’t they?
“Oh, cool you’re married with the Sacrament of Matrimony? So does that mean you can point your ring at your spouse and make them not mad at you all of a sudden?” “Well, no it doesn’t work like that.” “Or maybe you tap your rings together and then immediately both get the same idea of where to order food from?” “No, but that would be pretty handy.” “Well then what do your wedding rings do exactly?” “Well it’s more about who we are.” God’s grace flows in us and around is in a particular way. He’s present in our family, and He uses us as an icon and image of His love for all those who look at our marriage and family and don’t see us but instead see Him. It’s also built into our lives to put others first as we change diapers, do dishes, and anticipate each other’s needs. There’s an “invisible reality” here.”
Back to Tolkien’s Rings of Power, a lot of the rings corrupt their wearers and turn them to the service of the “bad guy” Sauron. But there are 3 rings worn by the Elves that don’t work that way. They actually have this preserving and flourishing effect on these Elven realms like Rivendell. If someone were to ask the “what does it do” question to the Elves, they again might say, “Well I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but Rivendell sure is flourishing because of it.” The same is true with the Sacrament of Matrimony. God gives us a grace that we don’t ‘control’, but that we openly receive, and it allows our marriages to thrive. So, if you’re not married yet and think that’s where God is calling you one day, don’t settle for the “just a piece of paper/just jewelry” version. Get married in the Church and receive this amazing Sacrament. And if you already are, use the rings! Don’t “keep it secret, keep it safe” like the characters need to in Lord of the Rings, but let the whole world see the grace in your rings and in your lives!