Monday, December 2, 2013

Teaching the Faith through Beauty



Pope Francis in his first encyclical had these words to say about teaching the faith:


Every form of catechesis would do well to attend to the "way of beauty" (via pulchritudinis). Proclaiming Christ means showing that to believe in and to follow him is not only something right and true, but also something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendour and profound joy, even in the midst of difficulties. Every expression of true beauty can thus be acknowledged as a path leading to an encounter with the Lord Jesus. This has nothing to do with fostering an aesthetic relativism which would downplay the inseparable bond between truth, goodness and beauty, but rather a renewed esteem for beauty as a means of touching the human heart and enabling the truth and goodness of the Risen Christ to radiate within it. If, as Saint Augustine says, we love only that which is beautiful, the incarnate Son, as the revelation of infinite beauty, is supremely lovable and draws us to himself with bonds of love. (167)**   


I wonder how well we relate the Christian life when we lead our catechetical events (Baptism prep, Confirmation, and Marriage Prep), as the beautiful life.  I see the Way of Beauty as the way of Christ.  Thus we live the Christian life as the way of embracing beautiful humanity revealed in Christ.  We endure the trials and tribulations of broken humanity (to endure the cross) in order to live the beautiful life of Christ in us, and in Him to be raised (here and then) to the glory of His beautiful presence.   

Something to ponder.  Brian+


**See: APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION- EVANGELII GAUDIUM
OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL IN TODAY’S WORLD Link: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium_en.pdf

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