Well, here is a second entry. This is a good sign towards possible continuity, though (admittedly) I am more making myself write this one than it flowing from any real angst. I think that most people who know me would admit that I'm not all /that/ angsty of a person. I did consider getting a "deadjournal" (if that site hasn't gone the way of "coolmail") purely for the "irony" style points, but I figured I'm not /that/ indie-rock.
I was talking the other night with Dan "Doodles" Taibi and Jake Crider as we smoked (pipes for them, a Cuban for me). We were talking about transcendence, its role in the Church and where the Western church in particular has lost some of it. Now, one of the Church's main functions is to be the sacrament of salvation to the world. Now, the word "sacrament" itself implies/requires transcendence. The material aspect of a sacrament must transcend its own reality to point to a spiritual reality that is taking place. However, the concept of salvation that this idea is referencing /needs/ transcendence to make sense. The salvation that the Church is meant to provide to the world cannot be a merely material salvation, such as salvation from oppressive government or even hunger. It is true that Christ himself said that we will be judged on what we do for "the least" of humanity, but a starving man who has been fed with bread that perishes but has not received the grace of salvation is still going to Hell. The very act of feeding the poor must be sacramental for the Church. It must contain not only physical bread but the super-substantial bread that is the person of Christ. Any political action that the Church takes against an oppressive government must not merely be a freeing of the body but also a freeing of the soul. It must be both a very real liberation from a physical oppression and the sweet freedom of Christ's yoke.
In the current focus of the Church, or at least of members of it, there can seem to be a focus on the physical. The Church must indeed feed poor Lazarus if it is able, but it is even more important that it teaches him to hope in Heaven when there is no food. There seems to be a certain assumption that if the mouth is fed, the soul will find Christ in that action. In fact, while perhaps a starving man may not have the presence of mind to receive the gospel, I find it difficult to believe that a man who has been fed merely with perishable bread will not simply set about seeking more dust and ashes to eat, rather than seeking the excellent bread of the Good News.
That issue aside, I think that the Church has lost a great deal of transcendence in its architecture and liturgy. Now, by "transcendence in the liturgy", do I mean "I can't understand it because it’s in Latin"? Certainly not. What I mean is a unity in the physical church building, the words said at the Mass and the spiritual reality taking place. It used to be that the towers of Churches would reach up to the heavens, signifying the yearning of God's people for His Kingdom. It used to be that statues and mosaics of the saints filled the Church, reminding us of the presence of the Church Triumphant, celebrating that eternal banquet with us. It used to be that vaults drew our eyes naturally upward to the glory of stained-glass windows, celebrating the light of God's grace shining into His Church.
Now we have the Mass in auditoriums and wonder where the sense of mystery has gone, and why so many teens are just plain bored in Mass. It would be better to say the Mass outside! Gods own creation will draw our attention to Him far better than works of Man that don't even /try/! The Church needs to start treating its buildings like the houses of God again, not because they are His exclusive (or even primary) dwelling on Earth, but rather because it draws our attention to God and to His Glory.
Anyways, now it is far too late for me to think coherently anymore, so I will end before I ramble. I may have more to say on this or similar topics at a later date, however. I hope that the above is not too uninformed or simplistic, I don't pretend to be in IAGryniewicz's league.
Hesychia.
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