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God’s love is revealed in beauty. Because of that, beauty is a large part of our spiritual journey. In episode 11 of Things Above, James Bryan Smith invites you to rethink how you understand beauty. Drawing from the wisdom of people like Thomas Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar, John O’Donohue and Simone Weil, we discover that beauty has the power to transport us to love. O’Donohue writes, “In order to become attentive to beauty, we need to rediscover the art of reverence. Reverence bestows dignity and it is only in the light of dignity that beauty will become visible. Reverence is also the companion of humility. A sense of reverence opens pathways to beauty that surprise us. The earth is full of thresholds where beauty awaits the wonder of our gaze.”
James Bryan Smith closes this episode with a glorious thought that came to him while sitting in the beauty of nature: God sings his love to you in birdsong. God smiles at you in maple trees. God charms you with the color green. He gave you eyes to see sunsets, ears to hear rainfall, a nose to smell a rose. God’s massive love appears in small fragments. God is loving you in these moments, even if you do not know it. This week, you are invited to notice beauty. Let God speak love to you. Write what you see in a “Beauty Journal” or take a picture of something that pleases your sense of sight.
Related episodes:
1. The Mystery of the Incarnation
2. God’s Love
3. Forgiveness: The Way to Freedom
4. Epiphanies From a Guitar Part 1
5. Epiphanies From a Guitar Part 2
Hello. I appreciate and enjoy this podcast very much. About a month ago I was sharing with a friend about a talk I was giving at a retreat for college students. The premise was similar to this podcast and she encouraged me to listen. I now listen every week. Can’t pick a favorite but I really love this one on beauty. I am currently working on a photo/writing project with this theme. Thank you for your work and investment in the Kingdom. Grace and peace.
Thank you so much for letting us know about the impact this podcast is having in your life! We are so happy it is making a difference in your life and others! Blessings
I agree. I am changed by this idea, that God is speaking His love to me in the beauty all around me. I knew an atheist who came to Christ, because she could not explain away beauty. Another writer who talks about this idea a lot is John Eldredge (Wild At Heart). His books have helped me with this concept, as well. Also, T.M. Moore writes about the discipline of looking at God’s beautiful creation. God speaks to me in books, too, ha ha. 😀