Contemplated with a pure soul, beauty speaks directly to the heart, turning astonishment to marvel, admiration to gratitude, happiness to contemplation. Thereby it creates a fertile terrain to listen and dialogue with men, engaging the whole man—spirit and heart, intelligence and reason, creative capacity and imagination. It is unlikely to result in indifference; it provokes emotions, it puts in movement a dynamism of deep interior transformation that engenders joy, feelings of fullness, desire to participate freely in this same beauty, making it one's own in interiorizing it and integrating it into one's own concrete existence.
- Via Pulchritudinis, 11.3
John 20:1-9
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.
Present to Beauty | Perception
Reflection by Erin Day
The first posture in the way of beauty is to become more present to God, which allows us to more readily perceive and encounter Him in the beauty around us. God is always present to us, but we aren’t always aware of His presence. In order to perceive God through the beauty around us, we must become present to Him.
This week, we focus on intentionality in order to simplify our lives and purify our souls, so that God can speak “directly to [our] heart,” through beauty (Via Pulchritudinis, 13). We’ll aim to give up to Him the distractions that keep us from seeing, knowing, and being close to Him.
Fertile Ground
Mary of Magdala went to the tomb while it was still dark. Imagine what that experience must have been like. Why do you think she went to the tomb while it was still dark? Maybe she wanted to be there while everyone else was sleeping and the noise of the world was quiet. She wanted to leave distraction behind. She desired to be truly present in that sacred space to pray, to be still, to fully enter into the grieving that her heart needed to do. By entering into that space, she was mercifully met with a beauty that was so deep that it penetrated through her pain and allowed her to know of God’s presence with certainty. She was intentional about going to the tomb during the first moments of her day. She didn’t delay her visit until after her other duties were finished. She put that special moment—that precious moment—first. She wanted to give it her all.
We need to create that same space in our lives and hearts. We need to cultivate and purify the soil of our souls to make it fertile ground. Even when we wake up feeling scattered, we can bring our distractions to God as gifts for Him to sanctify. When we intentionally give ourselves to Him at the beginning of the day—and throughout the day—we’ll receive the graces we need to carry out the duties God has placed before us. Our work can become a way of prayer because we can offer it to Him.
In order to intentionally become present to God and perceive Him through beauty, we can eliminate distractions, slow the pace of our lives, seek to see and experience true beauty, and make time for God every day. God whispers to you through the beauty He has created. Be available to Him and visit Him when He sends a soothing pine-filled breeze, the soft warmth of the sun on your cheeks, or the wispy eyelashes of your dear baby in your arms. He is there. Allow yourself to see Him.
Daily Living:
Limit distractions. Distractions can include anything from household clutter and visual noise to unhealthy habits and sins. What distracts me? What steps can I take to eliminate those things, little by little?
Slow the pace. God whispers to us in the still, small moments. Sometimes the pace of our lives is too fast and frenzied that we can’t hear or notice. Are there parts of my life that leave me feeling overwhelmed and exhausted? What tasks can I delegate or just clear from my list or calendar? Who can I ask for help?
Seek beauty. Mary Magdalene sought out the Lord’s presence. Do I seek to experience true beauty every day? What do I “take in” (TV, news, social media, podcasts, etc.)? Do these things help me perceive true beauty or do they twist reality and block me from being able to see the truth? Is there a time each day I can “unplug”?
Give Him time. God desires us to give Him our first fruits. How can I adjust my schedule to offer to Him my first moments or spend special one-on-one time each day? Can I go to Adoration or make a holy hour a regular part of my routine?
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