Editorial July 7, 1986 Issue

Lifting the veil of triviality

ALLISON W. PHINNEY, JR.

A friend of mine recently shared a magazine article with me in which the author spoke of lifting "the veil of triviality."^{ John K. Simmons, "Pilgrimage to the Wall," The Christian Century, November 6, 1985, p. 1002.} It set me thinking. First of all, I could see that trivializing is by no means as minor or infrequent as we might suppose.

• Isn't it unnecessary trivializing that tends to happen to Christmas, for example, if we get all wrapped up in rushing around and feeling tense about family relationships? The fact is that Christ's coming brings release. When we see each other in this light of Christ, or Truth, we're freed from thinking in narrow, personal terms. We get a much larger view of each other. And we have more of the feeling of moving in accord with the good that God is giving to all.

• Don't we trivialize when we worry that we might not be liked because of our spiritual convictions? Christ Jesus pointed us in such a different direction when he said, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."^{ Matt. 5:11.}

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