I recently distributed Holy Communion during Mass in a small town. As in many places in Europe, most of the faithful are quite old. It is always touching for me to see the hands that are stretched out to receive the Lord, hands that have been worked through and worked off. The faces too – in many of them you can see – or at least guess – the traces that life has left on people, you can see the traces of much suffering. And they all come to find relief and healing and comfort and the companionship of Christ.
When I saw the faces of the faithful, the Instagram network came into my mind, and I thought that none of them would meet its standards. When you look around the social networks, you realize how much beauty there is. Many people, most of them young or at least not old, show themselves in all their natural beauty. Some of them use a little help to beautify their faces and bodies. Some really remind me of Greek statues, so much beauty can be seen – as invented by our Creator.
But worn-out ones you can hardly find on Instagram. The ones who want to hide. Those who don’t find themselves beautiful. Those who don’t have time to show themselves or simply don’t think it’s necessary. Many feel too old. But I thought: these here, in the church, are indeed the beautiful ones. There is a beauty in them that is extraordinary, that comes from real moments in life, that shows their authentic face (why and what should one hide from Christ?). There was a beauty that comes from within, that comes from the true self, that comes from love for God, that comes from the courage to show ourselves as we are, not to show off or make up or correct or compensate. Everyone is beautiful — if only we look for that beauty. It is there. God sees it. Jesus sees it. We can learn to see it. It’s a beauty that goes deeper than Instagram. It is perhaps … permagram …
Lord, thank you for all the beauty you have created. I thank you that I can come to you even with my unattractive sides. And I thank you for my brothers and sisters, from whom I have nothing to hide. Thank you for seeing the beauty in everyone.
And what beautiful writing today. Thank you
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Thank you Father. Always enjoy your emails.
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Thank you, Mauritius, for sharing your thought on the beautiness that comes from within. So true. So important to be remembered. So important to be reminded. Let’s enjoy the real beauty of life.
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That was a thoughtful piece on beauty and the human condition. It reminds me of the Rule of St. Benedict – Chp. 53 where he guides us to welcome all as Christ. If we can see Christ in every living human being, then we have seen true beauty.
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It is beautiful to be aware of the etched in scars, marks, signs on faces and hands on persons showing the life the person lived in Christ and with Christ.
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Thank you, Father. Always so beautiful and true what you write. I also thank Jesus for loving me as I am.
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Lieber Pater Mauritius,
welche tiefe Freude Ihr Worte über die wahre schönheit zu lesen;
Von Herzen Dank,
im Gebet verbunden,
Ihr
Freddy Derwahl
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