Monday, May 17, 2010

A Beauty Crowned with Thorns and Crucified


Today in my Sacramental Aesthetics class I came across this amazing quote from Hans Urs Von Balthasar. I found it moving. Hopefully you will as well.

Both the person who is transported by natural beauty and the one snatched up by the beauty of Christ must appear to the world to be fools, and the world will attempt to explain their state in terms of psychological or even physiological laws (Acts 2.13). But they know what they have seen, and they care not one farthing what people may say. They suffer because of their love, and it is only the fact that they have been inflamed by the most sublime of beauties - a beauty crowned with thorns and crucified - that justifies their sharing in that suffering.


Yes, my friends, the crucifixion, with all its horror and shame is beautiful. Our wounds too, the ones we bear in our hearts, can be beautiful as well, if only we unite them to the sufferings of our Lord.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing this, Father. It gives much to meditate on.
God Bless!

Anna P said...

I'm glad you have this amazing quote from Von Balthasar, but I'd be careful of him if I were you. My husband has put him in his "under suspicion" list. From what I'm told Von Balthasar doesn't believe in hell, and a couple of other oddities. Just please be careful.