Day 143c: Peace at Patrick’s place … (September 19, 2019)
It didn’t take long for me to come across St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on the outskirts of Morisstown, and its stained glass windows hinted at an astounding beauty that was indeed confirmed upon entering. I still to this day have no idea who generated these astounding creations, and yet major kudos are more than deserved for them. The main sanctuary was graced with six gorgeous panels, in turn dedicated to The Ascension (Acts 1:9), The Crucifixion (John 19:17-18), Jesus appointing The Twelve (Mark 3:13), Moses alone on Mount Horeb (Exodus 3:1-2), The dove after The Flood (Genesis 8:10-11), and Abraham & Isaac (Genesis 22:9-10). Yes, each and every one of these depictions has a series of powerful meanings (most of which I have already written about and published on my website for public perusal) that delve far deeper than the standard, dogma-tainted limitations that are taught to the average church-goer, and yet even this sad fact couldn’t take one ounce of inspiration or amazement away from these uber-splendid works of art …
“So often when we say ‘I love you’ we say it with a huge ‘I’ and a small ‘you’, and just as often use love as a conjunction or a noun instead of the action verb it far-more-divinely remains. It’s no good just gazing out into open space hoping to see the Lord. Instead, we must look closely at our neighbor, someone whom the Divine Itself has willed into existence, and someone for whom Jesus himself chose to be crucified. Indeed everyone we meet has an equal right to exist and be treated with respect & kindness. And yet such an acceptance of otherness is a danger to our egos; it threatens us and makes us vulnerable. To recognize the other’s right to be himself and be loved anyway might mean recognizing his choice to denigrate or harm me. And yet if we set a limit to this Right to Be – if we arrogantly decide who is worthy of our love and who isn’t, then that Right is no real Right at all. Love is innately difficult – that is its nature. Christ himself was crucified because he taught this truer love – the love that knows neither limit nor hesitation; the love which is a terror for all lesser men; a love which demands total surrender to every encounter; a love that calls repeatedly for our willing death.” ~ inspired by Anthony Bloom
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