The Beauty of Life

"I went across the garden one afternoon and stopped on the shore of the lake. I stood there for a long time, contemplating my surroundings. Suddenly I saw the Lord Jesus near me and he graciously said to me, 'All this I created for you, my spouse, and know that all this beauty is nothing compared to what I have prepared for you in eternity.' My soul was inundated with such consolation that I stayed there until evening and it seemed to me like a brief moment." (St. Faustina)

Have you ever sat outside, awestruck by the sights around you? Or seen a photo that hit you with its beauty? Or maybe taken a walk, and realized the beauty of everything you saw? I recently read the above quote by St. Faustina and was struck by the simplicity, but profundity of the passage. It's true that Heaven must be more beautiful than anything we've ever experienced. When I'm struck by quotes such as the aforementioned, I often wonder how one could even begin to fathom the beauty of the eternity that awaits us. I think about Heaven and the prospect of being there one day. It's true that the subject of death can be frightening and a lot of people aren't comfortable with the subject, but it's the elephant in the room. I often feel as though everything in our lives (from the materialistic perspective, at least) serve as distractions from reality. Although we don't have all the answers on life itself, we search for diversions to keep us from seeing the bigger picture at hand. 

But there's something is us that desires beauty; that is drawn to beauty as we experience it, and want more. Every person on this planet is living life, searching for a beauty, a satisfaction to fill the need for something greater. 

Although I personally haven't seen all the seven wonders of the world and most definitely have not experienced the most amazing things there are to see on this earth, I have seen my share of beautiful moments, even this year. Some of these include, but are in no way limited to the following examples. A youth night where we have a time of prayer and I have the opportunity to play music, and watch people as they enter deeper into meditation and praise. Or maybe leading a small group where I see the thirst and openness to faith in the eyes of youth. Or having a discussion with one of the leaders here who has a desire to continue the youth ministry long after our team has moved on. Or even having the opportunity to sit back and listen to the youth band play, knowing how far they have come to reach this point.

God's beauty is all around us. I think the thing that makes it different or at times less evident for some, is our attitudes or perspectives. It's no secret that being a missionary is hard work, especially when I easily lose sight of the bigger picture or get stuck in the rut of a repetitive routine. But ultimately, there is a beauty greater than anything we know on this earth. St. John Paul II said it so clearly during his time as Pope:

“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society.” 

God bless you.

Rebecca

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