Ordinary Touch of Holy
T
he tradition of the Word that came into our hungry hands was brimming with praise. Some of the things for which Scripture gives praise are magnificent—for breath, for creation in all its majesty, for community and love. Some are more petty or suspect—for wealth, for power, for conquest. We are good at gratitude when things go our way, shouting a dismissive thankyougod over our shoulder. Scripture is also rich with celebration. Our Jewish forbearers celebrated cycles of the year, the months, and the moon; planting, harvest, birth, death, Sabbath. Hundreds of prayers marked the most common moments: going to sleep, using the bathroom, grinding wheat. Yet as a culture becomes more dominant, and pressured by the accoutrements of affluence, its habits of gratitude and celebration falter. As our gizmos rachet up the pace and mobility of our lives, they erode community and the places that make our celebrations meaningful. Cadences like: “God is good, all the time,” or thanksgivings for “waking me up this morning” rise from people who live on the margins, and who therefore know that nothing can be taken for granted. Life is fragile. These are refrains from people who wield small social control and know that ultimately we have no power over life and its outcomes. Those who live in the halls of cultural dominance and power can be blind to the gifts. It is difficult to be grateful for things to which you believe you are entitled. As we planned this issue, some of CONSP!RE’s crew reflected on the traditions of celebration in their own cultures (Latino, Asian, African American). Often, keeping one foot in dominant culture had cost them some of the spirit of celebration their own cultures had nurtured and protected. And for almost all of us, our celebrations have been commercialized, purchased, and farmed out. Parties we used to create at home with neighbors now come in a box: food, décor, music, entertainment. They occur at “destinations” elsewhere. This issue is about turning from that path to reclaim the simpler ethic of gratitude and celebration which grounded our ancestors. Our work is to see in ordinary, everyday moments the touch of the holy, and to recognize that, at the core, we all simply want to belong. The best parties make sure everyone at the table is embraced. —the editors 7