God Spot

margin-top: 30px

God Spot
This Christian Resource Blog has been created by a group of friends from around the world. Our purpose is to provide links to useful resources, some commentary on topical or doctrinal issues, a place where anyone can come with questions and a means whereby we can share our faith. And above all, to grow and encourage each other. As Christians, we believe we bear God's image in this world, and seek to glorify God's name in this endeavour. Any Christian who wants to join with us is very welcome!

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Sacrifice

On Friday my husband and I attended a Hindu wedding. The ceremony went for nearly two hours and was followed by a vegetarian meal. There seemed to be a fair bit of ritual with giving to and fro of offerings and gifts.

There were saris of such beauty and various colours, incense, gold, garlands, flowers, more incense, noise along with the tat tat of drums and the ear piercing 'screech' of long horned trumpets.People moving and talking.

No spoken vows that I could pick up, but three generations on both sides of the family named by the 'priest' to bring their blessing on the union, and the couple linking their little fingers and walking around the god of fire three times.

We were given a four page written explanation of the different rituals so that we could make sense of the whole evening.

One thing that really stood out to us was the sacrificial coconut.
"...The priest holds high a lit oil lamp symbolizing the divine light witnessing the nuptial knot. Also now a coconut is cracked into two halves by a close member of the family symbolizing a bloodless sacrifice. The sweet coconut water signifying love, the white kernel purity and the broken shell selfishness shed..." Not only do they have a 'sacrifice' but also a 'trinity' found in the coconut. When talking with a Hindu I guess that these particular rituals could be useful as a springboard when sharing the Gospel.

The next day we went to a Catholic wedding for the same couple. Reading through the whole program was also an eye opener. All the wording except for one paragraph was amazing. There were no 'hail Mary's' or 'Mary mother of God' said. Scripture was read and quoted and Christ was acknowledged. The one thing I found difficult to cope with was "...Let us pray for all the loved ones who have passed away, may they enjoy happiness in their eternal life..."
But apart from that one paragraph and the horrendous heat - it was a very nice wedding.

What a contrast between the Friday night and the Saturday afternoon.

# posted by shellymac @ 7:09 pm

2 comments

Comments:

Greetings --

This is just to introduce myself. Jack H. I've got a blog that might be of interest to some of you good folks.

forgottenprophets.blogspot.com

See if you like it.

Best,

J

# posted by

Jack H : 8:13 pm

Thanks Jack, will check it out. Shalom!

Michele, found your positive comments on the RC wedding encouraging - we had a similar experience (unexpected!) at a RC infant Christening. There, the priest brought all denominations into the ceremony by describing the one true catholic (small c) church as including all Christians, and he mentioned the Baptists and Presbyterians down the road, etc...

My work colleague (a RC) said, when I told him, "must have been a hippy priest!"

# posted by

geoff : 2:12 pm