Advent Thoughts: Seeking the Sacred

The concept of splitting the sacred from the profane is not only problematic – as if we could keep God out of anything or that faith can be nicely compartmentalized so it doesn’t get inconveniently obtrusive of our comfort – but its also abusive. It tells some that they are outside the providence and care of God, it divides our self: our interests, our hopes and dreams. It denigrates some truth as less than, or worse yet: not at all.

Ultimately the idea of splitting the sacred and the profane as two different realities dies in a moment of birth. The incarnation is God’s strong rebuke of any such splitting. The fullness of the divine made fully alive in the least of humanity. No split. No divide. No lack of worth. There is no corner of the world, no word in which the Word does not fully dwell. Our bodies our holy. Our minds are holy. Our spirit is holy. All people, places are dripping with the holy – the Word is present in all creation and no one can remove it, or profane it.

God profaned God’s word: emptied… descend… incarnated… and it is beautiful to behold. You are beautiful to behold. This is the message of advent, that God is already here – dwelling in and all around you, and it is good.