Olivia watched her mother preparing the meal.
‘Mum, why do you always cut off the end of the joint before putting it in the oven?’ ‘My mother used to do it, so it must make the meat cook better.’
‘Grandma, why do you cut off the end of the joint before putting it in the oven?’ ‘My mother always used to do it.’
‘Great grandmother, why do you always cut off the end of the joint before putting it in the oven?’ ‘It’s the only way I can get it in my small baking tin.’
Do we treat our church traditions in the same way, sticking to what has always been done without knowing the reason why?