If I'm right -- that a catholic imagination is essential for Christian revitalizing and re-enchanting the world with the Divine Presence -- then the paradox here is learning to set aside particular places, times,
activities and things as uniquely sacred, hallowed and sacramental.
Re-enchanting our days involves adding a sacred texture to our lives.
Part of my vows include "living the sacramental life" and "promoting the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church". For me, that mean re-enchanting time by embracing the liturgical calendar and fixed hour prayers. That sounds rather lofty, so let me use an example:
Over the last few years Kendra and I have been very intentional to celebrate all twelve days of Christmas, from December 25 to Epiphany on January 6. We keep the tree up through the 6th and keep playing Christmas music. We keep our house enchanted -- with music, lights and the like -- for the entire liturgical season. We don't tear everything down on December 26, rushing into the disenchanted New Year's day celebrations of football and watching the ball drop in Times Square with celebrities. Personally, from a celebratory stance, I wholly ignore New Year's Day. I find it an unwelcome intrusion into the Christmas season.
As another example, I've also embraced the offices of daily prayer. I started praying the Morning and Vespers offices in seminary, and try to keep Compline when I'm not exhausted.
Beyond time, we believe in re-enchanting space, too. The altar in our home is visible as you walk into the apartment -- and appears at a key place in the living room.
Sacramental objects pervade in public places. There's a cross that hangs just inside the door, greeting all our guests and reminding us that this house is a place in which we welcome and serve God.
And although it seems odd, I'm even thinking lately of the ways in which tattoos might be sacramental. Material reminders of the sacred.
A few years ago, a friend of mine began getting tattoos for each season of the Church Year. For her, those liturgical calendar tattoos are a spiritual practice of literally clothing her body with signs and symbols of Jesus.
And I've thought long and hard about what sort of tattoo I'd get if I were to get a tattoo. I'm thinking it'd be a tattoo of Rublev's icon of the Trinity on my left arm.
There are a variety of ways in which we can re-enchant the world. The underlining factor here is intentionality. No matter where we look on our person or in our personal spaces we need a sacramental there to remind us of the sacred and holy. Because in my experience, sacramentals help us re-enchant space, edging us back toward a fuller experience of Immanuel, God-With-Us.
Part of my vows include "living the sacramental life" and "promoting the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church". For me, that mean re-enchanting time by embracing the liturgical calendar and fixed hour prayers. That sounds rather lofty, so let me use an example:
Over the last few years Kendra and I have been very intentional to celebrate all twelve days of Christmas, from December 25 to Epiphany on January 6. We keep the tree up through the 6th and keep playing Christmas music. We keep our house enchanted -- with music, lights and the like -- for the entire liturgical season. We don't tear everything down on December 26, rushing into the disenchanted New Year's day celebrations of football and watching the ball drop in Times Square with celebrities. Personally, from a celebratory stance, I wholly ignore New Year's Day. I find it an unwelcome intrusion into the Christmas season.
As another example, I've also embraced the offices of daily prayer. I started praying the Morning and Vespers offices in seminary, and try to keep Compline when I'm not exhausted.
Beyond time, we believe in re-enchanting space, too. The altar in our home is visible as you walk into the apartment -- and appears at a key place in the living room.
Sacramental objects pervade in public places. There's a cross that hangs just inside the door, greeting all our guests and reminding us that this house is a place in which we welcome and serve God.
And although it seems odd, I'm even thinking lately of the ways in which tattoos might be sacramental. Material reminders of the sacred.A few years ago, a friend of mine began getting tattoos for each season of the Church Year. For her, those liturgical calendar tattoos are a spiritual practice of literally clothing her body with signs and symbols of Jesus.
And I've thought long and hard about what sort of tattoo I'd get if I were to get a tattoo. I'm thinking it'd be a tattoo of Rublev's icon of the Trinity on my left arm.
There are a variety of ways in which we can re-enchant the world. The underlining factor here is intentionality. No matter where we look on our person or in our personal spaces we need a sacramental there to remind us of the sacred and holy. Because in my experience, sacramentals help us re-enchant space, edging us back toward a fuller experience of Immanuel, God-With-Us.