Reverence for Other Souls
On learning to appreciate what is true, good, beautiful, and helpful for others, even if it's not your thing.
Brief message today, and if you’ve missed the backstory count your blessings.
First, story time:
At my previous parish there’s this giant silk banner of the Resurrection behind the altar, made by a parishioner at the founding of the parish. It gets changed out during Lent, so that once I had the chance to view it up close, and the artistic skill is undeniable, though alas when the banner is hanging it’s impossible to see and appreciate some of those fine details.
Anyway, I’m neutral on the banner. It’s not really my thing. If a new pastor had come in and wanted to replace it with a different more traditionalist work of art, it wouldn’t have upset me.
Except, here’s this: A friend of mine shared that when she was new to town she visited this parish, and knew she had found her spiritual “home” because of that banner. It spoke to her of the Lord’s love and His victory on the Cross in a way that was meaningful and profound.
And therefore, yes, now it would hurt me if the banner were removed, not for my sake but for hers.
So here is the thing a subsequent pastor did, a man with faults but also with many virtues (description of every priest, ha): He added some devotional art that truly complemented what was already in place and filled in some longstanding gaps, and thus enriched the entire parish while injuring nobody. Included was an enormous crucifix rehomed from a nearby tiny parish that had sadly been closed, thus giving the forced parish-pilgrims a place they could come pray before the crucifix they had always loved, the one from their old home.
This new-old crucifix makes the banner of the resurrection all the more powerful, by emphasizing and contextualizing just how victorious the greatest victory ever was.
We get these spiritual wins when we respect the devotional heartstrings of our fellow Catholics, and newcomers, who are different from us. Any pastor who had abolished the crucifix as “too old fashioned” or the resurrection banner as “too 1970’s” would have committed a grave injury on his congregation, and therefore on the whole Church. Juxtaposing the two made for a whole greater than its parts.
Do this whenever you can.
If there’s a popular devotional song (or secular work of inspiration) that isn’t appropriate at Mass, when can you make room for its playing in the many times outside of Mass that parishioners gather?
If there’s a pious custom that you’re uncomfortable with because sometimes it gets misunderstood or incorrectly exaggerated, how can you honor it while also catechizing those who are inclined to misunderstand its meaning and proper context?
When someone is exploring the Catholic Church and they bring with them spiritually comforting habits from their previous life, how can you help them sort through and honor and hold onto all that is good, and give a respectful farewell to that which only foreshadowed the deeper worship they are entering now?
This is essential to evangelization.
The human soul is not limited to a specific kind of art or music or prayer. We each have different devotions that we find meaningful, and others that leave us lukewarm at best. We are each created in the image of God, so that our individual tastes and preferences, properly ordered, express aspects of the Holy Trinity.
One priest prefers these plain, pared-down polyester vestments that express a different aspect of the Incarnation than the priest who is moved to reflect Divine Majesty by humbly bearing the ornately-embroidered vestments that were given to him by a grateful parishioner. These two are not in opposition to each other — indeed they may be the same man, acting with the humility of a beggar by donning whatever is given to him, or by ordering for use in his parish whatever he discerns will best help his congregation grow closer to the Lord.
If you want to evangelize, if you want to be a bridge for souls, you have got to escape the confines of your tastes and preferences in all areas where believers possess legitimate freedom. How can you help another find their way if you do not understand where they are now?
Our artwork is once again the Isenheim Altarpiece, because of course it is.
Well said!