“At the foundation of life is the silent voice of God who eternally calls us through the flowers…through all the beautiful things that make life worth living.” Yogananda
The experience of Beauty might come to us through our five senses, but it is actually experienced within the human spirit. Beauty is a spiritual reality, a spiritual experience. The very first time I gazed at the image of Christ on the Cross of San Damiano, the very same Christ image that spoke to St. Francis, my whole body tingled with energy, and I was overcome with its Beauty. Conversely, if in our day-to-day lives we are obsessed with the physical world, possessions, things, the news, and ugliness, we are unable to experience real Beauty. If we want to experience the healing effects of real Beauty, we must know how to properly detach from all forms of crudenss, meanness, and brutality. Then we must nurture soft eyes, a tender touch, a gentle heart, and silent listening. Thomas of Celano, Francis’ friend and companion, tells us, “In beautiful things Francis saw Beauty itself, and followed Beauty everywhere.”
Beloved and Beautiful Divine Mother,
Use me to recognize and honor
Your beauty,
And quickly turn me away from
Crudeness, meanness, and brutality.
