Purification

Most cultures/religions have purification ceremonies that involve some sort of symbolic cleansing—an outward washing meant to signify an internal sanctification. During a recent discussion on this topic, an insightful friend said: “Purification involves pulling back from the world and drawing closer to God.” Her comment made me rethink some of my previous assumptions. Most of us attempt to clean ourselves up while remaining in the muck. We also imagine that spiritual purification is similar to taking a bath—a ritual ablution that we can do on our own. I realized that purification might be more akin to picking off ticks than it is to washing off dirt. Let me explain…

My husband and I frequently take our dog for walks along wooded trails. When we get back home, we brush the dog—getting out all the bits of debris that have stuck to her long fur. We also check for ticks, both on the dog and on us. Because ticks burrow into dark crevices, they are a bit challenging to detect and remove from one’s own body—thus this task is best left to an intimate friend.

Similarly, internal purification is a bit more intricate than a regular washing. First of all, we have to pull back from the ‘woods.’ There isn’t much point in trying to cleanse ourselves from sin, while still remaining in the midst of it. We cannot detect these sins all by ourselves through introspection. Occasionally, our friends might be able to point out a flaw or two. Yet, even they are not able to get into the deep, dark crevices of our minds. Fortunately, there is an intimate friend, the Holy Spirit, who is able to look into every nook and cranny and completely remove all our iniquities. All we have to do is submit to his ministrations.