When I was at my work training a couple of weeks ago, we did an activity that stuck with me. Facilitators handed out stacks of 50 cards with virtues / values on each. Round by round, we were invited to remove less important value cards from our pile, until we were left with a top 10. I surprised myself when I saw one of the values that had made my final list, but not the final lists of my colleagues: beauty.
I shouldn’t have been surprised, however, because I love beauty. Days earlier, I had sent a voice memo to a friend gushing about how the beauty of Paris captivated me. I have hundreds of photos on my phone from those two days of balconies, terraces, churches, art, and more. Beauty simply enthralls me — and I am not alone.
On Sunday at Mass, I noticed a woman a few pews ahead of me filming almost the entire service, moving her phone around to capture the priest and the choir but also the mosaics that cover the walls and ceilings. She was in awe, and for good reason — it’s a stunning church. As the Mass went on, I realized she probably wasn’t Catholic, and while she may not have understood what was going on in the liturgy, she did understand beauty, because beauty is the universal language that lifts our eyes toward God.
Beauty draws our hearts and minds upward, especially when we’re weary.
And I am weary. A few disappointing situations last week left me frustrated, exhausted, and sad. I sat in adoration night after night and told Jesus honestly, “I don’t like that things are this way. I wish they were different.” By the time Sunday came around, after returning home from that beautiful Mass, I almost skipped the opera I had tickets for, but my mom insisted, “You need to go and sit with some beauty.”
She was right. The orchestra, the voices, the sixty person cast, the grandeur of the costumes and sets — all lifted something heavy off my heart. Beauty healed what logic couldn’t.
In confession yesterday, the priest asked me why I’m so suspicious of God — why I don’t believe completely and totally that He is always taking care of me. Beauty breaks my suspicion. When I encounter something truly beautiful — a piece of music, a sunset, a beautiful city, a cathedral ceiling — I’m reminded of how small I am, and how big God is. Beauty humbles and uplifts at the same time.
Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
Matthew 6:28-30
If you’re facing something heavy or hard right now, go find something beautiful. Listen to music that moves you. Crunch through falling autumn leaves in the park. Pause in a church. Let it draw your heart back to the Author of all beauty — the One who loves you, holds you, and is making all things new.
Pray for me, I’m praying for you!
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
An incredible reflection from Emily P. Freeman
I thought this was so beautiful from Emily P. Freeman, a reflection on what we really mean when we say “I just can’t do this anymore.” It was a beautiful exercise for me to think about the past few times I’ve felt this way and reflect on if that feeling came from frustration, exhaustion, sadness, loneliness, etc. A great reflection to have in your pocket if you feel this way in the future (hopefully we don’t, but it happens!)
Trader Joe’s on the Acquired Podcast
I love this podcast and this 3.5 hour deep dive into the history and magic of Trader Joes is an absolute do-not-miss. What a phenomenal look at my favorite grocery store — I was captivated start to finish. 12/10 recommend!
An absolute banger of a book from Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods is all about what happens when we allow anything to take center stage in our lives other than God (spoiler alert: not good things). It’s been so convicting and encouraging!
The Pope loves beauty, too
I love her and this
I used to volunteer with Sr. Faustina at her convent in NYC, and she is a true saint on earth. The Litany of Trust is one of my favorite prayers (and back in the rotation right now) and I love love loved this talk she gave about why and how it came to be. Also!! Pray More Novenas is doing a Novena for Trust starting Thursday, inspired by this prayer — you can sign up for their daily emails here.
Pray for the Holy Souls
November is the month of praying for the dead, and it’s one of the most important privileges we have on earth. There are many ways to pray for the dead, including offering their intentions at mass, praying prayers for those who have died, a Toties Quoties Indulgence (can be gained anytime before next Sunday!), or (my favorite) praying a rosary in a cemetery (we are blessed with many beautiful cemeteries in DC!)
Prayer intentions
A special intention