Fire in the Cathedral
In the Middle Ages, it wasn’t the building of stone, glass, and wood that mattered. It was the worship offered therein, which is why, when cathedrals caught fire—as they regularly did—medieval Christians took it as an opportunity to develop the skills they needed in order to rebuild. Nobody prior to the mid-twelfth century had built anything like the currently standing cathedrals at Paris or Chartres. Nobody knew how to make such beautiful glass before medieval glaziers learned the secret of the reds, greens, and blues. If the craftsmen of the Middle Ages could figure out how to make glass and carve stone, surely modern Christians can do so again. They have the medieval exemplars on which to model their work. All they need is the will to praise God.
—Rachel Fulton Brown, “Fire in the Cathedral,” First Things, April 17, 2019
For further reflections on the importance of the Lady and her Son, go here.
Some of us have been hoping you would weigh in on this. Thank you.
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DeleteAs an Orthodox Christian (as in Orthodox Church in America); we like our separated brethren in the Latin Church magnify Mary above all women (and mere-men for that matter) for she alone was chosen by God Himself to bear the Savior of our souls and she spoke the most open acknowledgement of the Glory, Sovereignty, and Saving Power of God and the lowly estate of man (and woman) in the history of the world. The Magnificat--
DeleteMy soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever. (Luke 1:46-55, ESV)
Even we Orthodox weep over the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral, may God in His Goodness and Wisdom, restore not only the building but the faith upon which it was built.