There’s much talk about the various vices of our age. Greed and lust get lots of press. I won’t say they’re not problems. To me, though, a more insidious and pervasive problem (and a vice of which I’m too often guilty myself) is irreverence. (I’m using the term irreverence to describe a deficiency in our displays of respect toward that which is due respect – primarily Our Lord, but also those of His creations to which a lesser, though significant, degree of respect is due.)

It seems that people generally view irreverence as a very minor matter. In many cases, this may be correct. It’s insidious, though. It creeps into places where it can become a much more significant problem.

Example– Attending a regular Sunday Mass during which a Baptism is celebrated. The priest (not known for heterodoxy, dissent or liturgical abuses) introduces the family to the congregation and makes all sorts of endearing comments about the “star of the show”. There’s a real danger there – that some of the people in attendance may actually end up thinking that the infant is the “star” of baptism. That’s not how sacraments work. They don’t affirm our greatness. They exist to save us from sin – even the cute little cooing baby. It also detracts attention from the Lord of all things who humbles Himself to spend time with us. If there’s to be any talk of a “star”, it should be of Him for whom the stars in heaven sing and dance.

Some would agree that the above example describes wrong behavior on the part of the priest. Many, though, would argue that it isn’t that important. That very attitude is part of why irreverence is so insidious. When we curtail our reverence even in one small way, we make it that much easier to curtail it in other ways and places. If we can make a star of an infant who comes for baptism, then what of the children who come for first communion? What of those who come for confirmation? What of adult converts at Easter Vigil? Where is the line drawn?

Irreverence didn’t pop into the Church out of thin air. We live in a deeply irreverent society. Much of the humor we encounter -- whether in films, television, radio or from co-workers – is of the irreverent variety. We too easily slip from not taking ourselves too seriously to not taking anything seriously enough. As Christians we are called to be the salt of the earth.

May God grant me grace to grow in reverence.