From the Editor’s desk, (Monday, 01/26/2015, Gaudium Press) Through the reflections that the author makes in this article, that we reprint for our readers today, we are led imagine what she wants us to see: “When the heat of the sun and the burdens of life weigh you down, come and rest in my light of nuanced shades of grace!” The article follows:
 |
How can someone observe a magnificent ocean view without being stirred to awe? Or a rainbow merging after a storm? Or even a simple flower covered with dewdrops that sparkle in the sun?
It seems that creatures cannot keep to themselves, but are constantly singing their Creator’s praises with wordless eloquence, glorifying Him with their perfections and making return to Him, in this way, for the good He has given them. Just as the Divine Author endowed nature with the ability to reflect his supreme beauty, He has also gifted human beings with the ability to elaborate even greater marvels using inanimate creatures. Consider, for example, the difference between an uncut diamond and the gem of extraordinary beauty produced by the skilled lapidary. Or compare a fine silk cloth with the prosaic caterpillar’s cocoon from which it was woven.
The possibilities are endless. With the insatiable desire for perfection that God placed in the human spirit, a chapter of human history could trace “The Search for Beauty” throughout the centuries. In it, we would see that the closer a civilization is to God, the better it is able to reflect heavenly transcendence in its works. This is why the richest cultural and artistic patrimony was bequeathed to us from the eras of greatest Christian fervour.
Just one example of this is stained glass, which arose in the golden era of the Middle Ages. Fruit of hands and hearts that loved God, stained glass windows transform material light into a kaleidoscope of colour, which, with the help of grace, transport us to the supernatural world. As the sunlight passes through them, matter and spirit seem to embrace, creating an atmosphere capable of inspiring peace in the hearts of those who stop to contemplate them.
One can imagine a soul heavily burdened by the anxieties and hardships of life entering a beautiful cathedral and instinctively looking for the source of the coloured light that adorns its walls. In seeing the image depicted in the stained glass, the soul is gently inundated with a consolation that soothes it and leads it to meditate and pray. Represented in splendid colours in the stained glass is Mary with her Divine Son in her arms, in a gesture of endearing supplication, appearing to beseech mercy for a sinner.
Relieved and calmed by this light and strengthened by the silently uttered prayer, the person leaves, consoled, and filled with confidence. It is as though a supernatural voice has murmured: “When the heat of the sun and the burdens of life weigh you down, come and rest in my light of nuanced shades of grace!” And if at times this light should disappear, as happens with stained glass at night, let us never lose confidence. At daybreak that light will return to shine with renewed brightness!
By Fahima Spielmann
Heralds of the Gospel Magazine, Vol 6, No 55, May 2012
Related Images:
