Why is it that people feel compelled to adorn their bodies and personal belongings with other people’s names? Gucci bags, Hermes scarves, Louis Vuitton luggage, not to mention the hefty price tag that goes along with becoming a walking advertisement for what our society perceives as a status symbol. Are these objects of desire really a reflection of our inner selves? Do they make a statement about who we really are?

Recently I attended a conference for religious educators and administrators; Episcopalians, Catholics, Methodist and Lutheran teachers were in attendance. I run a small company (Terra Sancta Guild, http://www.terrasanctaguild.com) that designs and manufactures religious symbolism for ministers of liturgy as well as personal signs of faith. We also take commissions for custom design work. This was our reason for attending the conference. I was hopeful to speak to people who were interested in a custom commemorative for their Diocese or Church.

A well put together Director of Religious Education came up to our booth to inquire about a custom commemorative for major donors of her new school building. . She was interested in a medal with a portrayal of St. Joseph on one side and a representation of her new school on the other. I gave her pricing on the spot. She sighed as she placed her Coach bag on my desk.” Can’t you do any better then that? You see, I’m funding this project myself”, she confided. I had given her pricing for a hundred limited edition custom medallions and the whole order came to $1,400 dollars. This woman with her Coach bag worth at least $500, felt my pricing was unreasonable. “Well, I guess cologne and body lotion will have to do”, she sighed.

This Director of Religious Education felt that the cost was too high for her to recognize donors and supporters of her own spiritual community. There is no greater reflection of what we value then what we buy ourselves, and where we choose to spend our money. Religious symbolism is layered with meaning. It evokes a sense of rootedness, of communal destiny and most of all, a sense of faith in our Creator. Religious values cannot be taught in a vacuum. I think we need to insure that our religious educators and administrators live what they teach. They need to be walking talking examples of the values they promote in the classroom.

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