reclaiming the sacred

I am often struck by the realization that not much seems sacred in our culture anymore . . . in a world where dialogue about anything & everything is so highly valued (via the news, blogs, movies, twittering, commercials), a great vacuum of meaninglessness has resulted in the midst of all the information. Discretion? Restraint? Neither are things I see evidence of very often. Instead it seems that the leading ideals of the day are to tell all, show all, do all, watch all - because in doing so, you are (supposedly) demonstrating your arrival at some pinnacle of cultural sophistication or maturity. Don't get me wrong: I'm not an opponent of free speech and I don't think there are topics that should be off limits. But it seems that the pendulum has swung too far when the idea that giving certain things a special place or respect (like how I talk about sexuality or God, how I present myself, how I use my Sundays) is something rarely seen or heard - much less valued.

To me, the concept of the sacred has to do more with how we talk about or do things, and with whom and when and where and how often. Sometimes I wonder if we really even grasp what it is to reverence something. I guess it's no wonder since we see so few examples of what doing that should look like. I think this is why the liturgical traditions of the Anglican church are appealing to me (in part) - because they provide tangible and participatory reminders of my humanity and the "other-ness" of God. In turn, these reminders point me to the dignity inherent in all of creation because of the "other-ness" of its Creator . . . and in light of that, I am challenged to think about whether what I talk about, the things I laugh at, the clothes I wear, and the movies I watch are helping me (and those around me) to reflect this innate dignity and beauty of creation. Good things to think about on a rainy Monday . . .