​On the fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time we heard a passage from Isaiah which stated that if we offer our love to our neighbors by sharing what we have, we will literally shine with the glory of God: “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 58:8) Isaiah knew a lot about experiencing the glory of God and the effects of such an encounter because he had a powerful vision of God when he was called to be a prophet. He heard the angels cry “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts” and he saw them surrounding God seated upon His throne in Heaven. (Isaiah 6) His vision of the glory of God was so great that it changed Isaiah forever. Not only was he glad to serve God knowing fully the dangers involved in bearing a message few wanted to hear, but his love emboldened him to do exactly that. Isaiah was a man so in love with God, so in awe of God, it affected every word that came from his mouth. That is, in seeing the glory of God, he could now speak His word with a brilliance, or radiance, that continues to shine for us today.

Two other major prophets from that era also had life changing experiences of God’s glory similar to that of Isaiah. As a young man Jeremiah was called by God while praying in the Temple in Jerusalem. God came to him in a vision far too great to be described in any detail, though he did write that God’s hand touched him on the lips, putting His word into Jeremiah’s mouth. (Jeremiah 1:4-10) His lips literally burned with the radiance of that touch, empowering him to serve God even in the face of the suffering he endured as a prophet. Ezekiel also had a vision at the beginning of his prophetic ‘career.’ Already in captivity, he was praying at the banks of a river in Babylon when the glory of God shone all around him. Ezekiel was so overwhelmed by the radiance of God that he could only describe it in terms of fiery wheels and the cherubim that accompanied them. (Ezekiel 1-3) Ironically, God had him prophesy while completely mute. That is, he had to act out all the messages to a people who were not listening to God. His experience of God’s glory enabled him to endure the humiliations which came as a result of his actions. And when his prophecies came to be reality and all the people were enslaved by the king of Babylon, Ezekiel finally spoke words to them, words of consolation and God’s mercy, filled with the radiance of God’s glory.

Of course, the Transfiguration of Jesus is the most exquisite manifestation of God’s glory expressed in radiance. All three synoptic gospels say that Jesus took Peter, James, and John up Mount Tabor and became so resplendent that He glowed intensely. His divinity shone as He was surrounded by the brilliant cloud of the Spirit while the glorious voice of the Father declared Jesus as the Son to whom they should listen. In being transfigured before them Jesus shared the most intimate expression He could offer his friends. Although at the time they were so overwhelmed that Luke says they were speechless, (Luke 9:36) the glory of this moment stayed deep in their hearts, perhaps enabling them to preach sermons filled with love and joy after the resurrection of Jesus (of which they were also witnesses through their encounters with the radiant Risen Christ). The fire of that love touched many people, enabling them to also accept Jesus as their Lord.

​While there are many Christian saints who radiated the love of God, the best example of living this radiance was St. Seraphim of Sarov, born in 1754 in Kursk, Russia. At the age of 18 he entered a monastery to live an ascetic life, fasting frequently and withdrawing into the forest with permission from his starets (a spiritual elder renowned for wisdom) in solitude, prayer, and contemplation. He was ordained in 1793 and further withdrew for contemplation, eventually coming to be regarded as a starets in his own right. What makes him most remarkable however, are the stories of the radiance with which he was filled. Seraphim spent so much time in contemplation that he eventually became imbued with the radiance of God so as to seem to ‘catch fire.’ The most famous of these episodes was detailed by a close follower named Nicholas Motovilov. According to Motovilov, St. Seraphim was teaching him about the Holy Spirit one particular day, “but Motovilov still did not understand. The elder then firmly took him by the shoulder and said to him, "We are both now, my dear fellow, in the Holy Spirit." It was as if Motovilov's eyes had been opened, for he saw that the face of the elder was brighter than the sun. In his heart Motovilov felt joy and peace, in his body a warmth as if it were summer, and a fragrance began to spread around them. Motovilov was terrified by the unusual change, but especially by the fact that the face of the starets shone like the sun. But St. Seraphim said to him, "Do not fear, dear fellow. You would not even be able to see me if you yourself were not in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Thank the Lord for His mercy toward us."” * In opening his eyes to the radiance of God in Seraphim, Motovilov also opened his heart and therefore he, too, was aglow.

It seems that when we have an intimate relationship with God we cannot help but respond with great joy which gives us a type of radiance. We cannot hold it in any more than the prophets or St. Seraphim could withhold the words which burned in their hearts, radiating the fire of God’s message of love to His people. And, this radiant glory is catching! Isaiah wrote, “If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness and the gloom shall become for you like midday.” [Isaiah 58; Italics mine] Jesus taught about this generous love in many of his sermons, particularly the passage found in Matthew 25:31-46. In other words, if we share the love of God, which is His glory, by works of justice and by reaching out to the suffering, whether their affliction is poverty, sickness, loneliness, alienation or mourning; if we feed those hungering for a place to call home, or longing for food, clothing, or relationship, then the light of love, the symphony of goodness and mercy, and the radiance of God, will overcome the darkness. 

We can seek to grow in the ability to know God’s glory through our prayer by asking to see and hear with the eyes and ears of faith. During the prayer most likely our experience will not be the same as the overwhelming glory experienced by the prophets, apostles, or St. Seraphim, but by opening the door to God we enable our ability to begin to see God’s glory outside of the prayer time through creation and especially in His people. Anytime we have an experience of God, whether it is through love, beauty, or radiance, the joy of it propels us outward in love toward others: we simply cannot hold it in. In other words, God’s glory is something we can impart to others. God chose to share His glory with His intimate friends like Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Ruth, David, Elijah, Esther, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel; and with John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, James, John, Andrew, Peter, Paul, and the countless saints like Seraphim of Sarov who came after them. And these men and women shared it with us through their writings or actions because they wanted to make a response to God, but they also wanted us to share in what they had experienced. They could not contain it since God’s glory begs to be shared!

The glory of God is the love which binds us together as a people, and subsequently it also brings God great joy because we are His. Thus we, His church, are beautiful in His eyes and are indeed nothing short of His glory. If His love and beauty have been entrusted to us, who are His glory, we cannot but share it with the waiting, hurting, longing, hungry world with whom He counts on us to share. Let us seek to become God’s glory more deeply, that we might shine like St. Seraphim so “light shall rise in the darkness and the gloom shall become like midday.”

May we spend time in prayer so that we might open ourselves to discovering the glory of God in our daily lives! May we ask for the gift of experiencing God’s glory through love, beauty, or the radiance of joy! May we make a response to the Lord in gratitude for His great glory by reaching out to those in our midst who are in need! May we recognize and accept the love of God who loves us as His Church, individually, and as One Body! And may we allow the presence of God to reside deep in our hearts that we might share the Gospel message in word and deed, touching the hearts of our brothers and sisters! Let us continue to meet in the radiant heart of Jesus! Peace! 

​                                            ©Michele L. Catanese

Note: Next entry will be March 13

* This quote is from the testimony of Nicholas Motovilov and was found at the following link:
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Seraphim_of_Sarov. The complete testimony of Motovilov is found in a very lengthy article which you can find here if interested: http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/wonderful.aspx

Images:
1. This is a photo which I took at Boothbay Harbor, Maine. At the time I took it, the reflection of the setting sun on the clouds caught my attention; the golden radiance upon everything truly reflected the glory of God.

2. I took this photo in Big Bend National Park in west Texas. This is a small offshoot of the Rio Grande River on the border of Texas and Mexico. It seemed to be a fitting example of what it may have been like for Ezekiel to be praying at the river in Babylon, perhaps struck by the beauty of the place just as the glory of God began to break through to him. I chose this particular shot because it captured the radiance of the early afternoon sun reflecting upon the water; but also there is a streak of light, a reflection from the overhead sun, caught by the lens of the camera as if God was beginning to reveal His glory as to Ezekiel. 

3. This is The Transfiguration of Jesus by Bl. Fra Angelico. This painting, which resides at the convent of San Marco in Florence, Italy, captures the radiance of the event. He paints an egg shaped cloud, the Shekinah (the Holy Spirit's presence) around Jesus. I also love that he added the faces of Moses and Elijah who also experienced the glory of God, and that he added St. Dominic, who for Fra Angelico was a luminary. Fra Angelico was a Dominican priest and therefore St. Dominic was his spiritual father. Finally he added Mary, to whom he had a great devotion. (To be clear, Mary was not present at the Transfiguration, nor was St. Dominic of course!) This explanation might help, also: http://idlespeculations-terryprest.blogspot.com/2011/03/fra-angelico-transfiguration-in-cell-6.html

4. This painting depicts St. Seraphim radiant with joy before Nicholas Motovilov. I do not know who painted this, but I found it at the end of the page at​ https://orthodoxcatholicmonastery.com/tag/st-seraphim-of-sarov/

5. This is a modern version of a Russian icon and was written by Fr. William Hart McNichols. It is called Umilenie Icon Joy of All Joys. This type of icon was a favorite of St. Seraphim. It seems he had a great devotion to Mary as depicted here and that it was he who referred to the icon as "Joy of All Joys." In fact, it is said that he died while kneeling before it. I chose this one because it truly does convey the radiance of God which filled Mary. Her joy became the joy of so many who have come to know Jesus. You can find this icon at http://fineartamerica.com/featured/umilenie-icon-joy-of-all-joys-156-william-hart-mcnichols.html

6. This is a painting called Dawn Over Riddarfjarden by Eugène Jansson, (1899) a Swedish painter. I chose it because it captures the beginning of a sunrise and so the sun is just beginning to illuminate the sky and surrounding area. Jansson captured the slight glow of the sun in reflection upon the water, a touch that is masterful. It reminds me that God's glory can come in something as 'ordinary' as a sunrise. It does not have to be something dramatic to convey God's glory; we simply need to learn to see.

7. I took this photo in Boston while walking in a public garden. Once again, it is a reminder that the glory of God comes in many forms. This simple rose gave me joy in that it spoke of the glory of God reflected in that which He has made.

Over the years I have come to love the work of many great painters such as Caravaggio, Fra Angelico, Van Gogh, Monet, and also many artistic forms such as sculpture and iconography to name a few. This is due in part to the influence of an artist-friend who has taught me how to see what is within a work of art. The result is a better appreciation for all sorts of works from different styles and eras, even those to which I was not initially attracted. My first love, however, was (and remains) music. The arts are all related insofar as they are a way of expressing beauty and therefore revealing something of the glory of God. And just as in a great painting we can learn to ‘hear a symphony’ and in a symphony we can learn to ‘see a great painting,’ we can discover how to discern the glory of God in that which surrounds us. It is all about opening our eyes, ears, and hearts. God’s glory is revealed in a myriad of ways, many of which can inspire and even soothe our souls, such as the ‘silent sound’ experienced by Elijah. The glory of God is His very essence and there is no way to describe this beauty except through a metaphor which might involve that which we see or hear. In short, beauty is God’s glory seeking expression.

The holy ones of the Old Testament were so filled with wonder and awe by their experience of the glory of God that it informed everything they did, transforming them into a reflection of His light to their communities. They were not totally fearless, but they were buoyed by the certainty of what had happened in their various encounters such that they were compelled to share the great love of God with His people. Just as the burning bush could not contain the flame and thus erupted in fire, God’s glory emanated from them through the medium each one knew best: the poetry and ‘music’ of their words or the heroism and generosity of their deeds. Wonder and awe in God’s presence inspired women such as Deborah, Ruth, and Esther, and men such as Abraham, Moses, and David to perform heroic deeds for God’s people. And the prophets were moved to respond to the glory of God in words that could be challenging or healing in order to convey God’s message. In other words, if we open our hearts to God’s glory which He expresses through the beauty of His love, we too will be filled with the inspiration which comes from such an encounter. If music, a painting, or even something quite simple such as a moment in prayer, stirs our hearts, this movement is nothing short of God’s glory.

God came unbidden to many of the great heroes of the Old Testament: Abraham was presumably minding his herds and flocks when God told him to go to a new land. Moses was doing likewise when a burning bush spoke to him, shocking him deeply. Yet both of these men were so filled with wonder and awe at these surprise encounters with God that they were inspired to move forward as God desired. The young David was also minding sheep, stuck out in a field while his entire family was entertaining the prophet Samuel. But then a messenger summoned him into the gathering, something he never dreamed would happen, and he was anointed as the chosen of God. I am not suggesting that we need sheep to have an experience of God, but what I am saying is that God often breaks into our quiet lives by sending some message of beauty to which we are invited to make a response. Abraham did not have to respond affirmatively, but something of God’s glory burned within his soul, moving him to go far from his homeland, thus setting up the beginnings of a nation through his many children. Moses was so moved by witnessing the fire of God that it enlarged his sense of compassion for His people, thereby enabling him to give up his entire life to free them from oppression, delivering the law which he expressed on behalf of God. And David was so filled with God’s anointing (the glory of God) that he dedicated his life to protecting God’s people with the power given him, also providing the music made with his lyre and the gorgeous prose of his Psalms. The love which compelled each of them to serve others found its roots in the glory of God.

Jesus, being God and man, expressed the glory of God through the humility of His birth, the beauty of His teachings (especially in His regard for the poor and oppressed), and the completeness of His self-giving. His transfiguration was a time of glorifying God as His Son, but in everything He did, the beauty of His love shone through. Those who encountered Jesus came away changed, though not all chose to accept what He offered. Some were healed of physical ailments, but the transformation of their hearts was the greater gift, beyond that which eyes could see. Those who were unbound from sin and evil were as new people, not able to contain themselves in expressing the joy of their new lives, giving glory to God in the sharing. The simple fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John became leaders of the Christian Church with such bravery that they literally gave their lives as martyrs. And even a once arrogant man, Paul, became so filled with the light of God’s glory in an encounter with the Risen Jesus that the scales fell from his eyes, and through prayer and study, he preached and wrote so eloquently that it was as a symphony in letters to the various communities of the Church.

This grace will change the way we see others, such that it will help us to love those who are not always easy to love. This is why Jesus could tell us to love our enemies as well as those who we perceive as friends. When our hearts are moved by wonder and awe, the power of that movement is the grace which helps us to rise above that which at first glance may even seem repugnant to us. This grace can help us to get past differences. It is not about warm feelings, although those can and often do follow such grace, but it is about being able to respond with mercy, love, compassion, and graciousness in the presence of those who are not immediately attractive to us. This grace can help us endure our own circumstances which may involve suffering, and in so doing enable us to reach out with compassion to others who are in pain, to feed the hungry, offer hospitality to the poor, widow, or stranger in our land, to bring light to those in darkness, and to help those who are ill, alone, or forgotten. We are called by God in every moment to reach out and bring His glory to those who do not know it.

We do not have to sing like David, have the courage of Ruth, or preach like Paul. That is, if we want to share in the glory of God, we simply need to open our hearts to let God show us what is truly beautiful. We need to let Him transform our eyes and ears, and to stretch our minds and hearts such that we learn to see and hear as He does. The grace given in even simple moments of receptivity enables us to hear the symphony, see the artistry, and appreciate the poetry found in the presence of the other. And it allows beauty, God’s glory seeking expression through us, His people, to bring light into the dark places in the world.

May we desire that our hearts be informed by the glory of God as experienced in beauty! May we seek God’s glory in the presence of others, especially in those quite unlike ourselves! May we pray for the gift of discernment, that we may learn to recognize that which is leads us to God and that which leads us away from Him! May we see all bushes aflame with the glory of God and all people as transfigured in the love which He offers! May we listen intently, give generously, and love openly! And may we turn to the many holy men and women who have gone before us for the inspiration to learn how to see and hear the glory of God! Let us continue to meet in the glorious Heart of Jesus! Peace!

​                                       ©Michele L. Catanese

Next entry: February 27.

Notes about music: Taste is subjective, but here are some recommendations: any Bach Fugue, Schubert's 9th Symphony, (in C Major), Requiem, Op. 48 by Gabriel Fauré, (The In Paradisum is sublime!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnilUPXmipM, Beethoven's 6th Symphony, (The Pastoral), Samuel Barber's famous and haunting Adagio for Strings.  ~
Also beautiful is Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j10M6rGKuxA. And I have to mention the Prologue of Arrigo Boito's opera Mefistofele, (in this one Faust is redeemed in the end). In it you will see Mefistofele on stage for a moment, and as he leaves the choir of angels begins to sing the most exquisite chorus I have ever heard in an opera. There are subtitles in this, and though the picture is not great, it is the best rendition I could find. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38E39KBdN1Q

Images:
1: The first image is a painting called Snow at Argenteuil, by Claude Monet, (1875) This is one of 18 snow scenes he painted near the Boulevard Saint-Denis. There are many Monet paintings that people are familiar with, but I chose this one because of the beauty in all the tones of white that he used. There is a silence that comes when snow blankets the earth, so this scene seemed almost contemplative. The "silent sound" which Elijah experienced, (mentioned in my previous post), is perhaps being 'spoken' by God in this moment. I also chose it because of the people walking in the snow. They may be observing the glory of God visually as well as in the silence. 

2: This painting is called Naomi and Her Daughters-In-Law by Marc Chagall. (1960) It depicts the passage in which Orpah decided to return to her hometown in Moab while Naomi and Ruth made their way into Israel. This painting captures their tearful farewell. (Ruth 1:14) I chose it because it shows the heroism and loyalty of Ruth, both to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and to God. Yet she mourned in leaving her sister-in-law Orpah since she knew they might never see each other again. God's glory is depicted here in the love of these women for each other, but especially in that of Ruth who gave everything up to serve the God of Naomi who she began to trust as her own. I love where this story ends up: Ruth marries the love of her life, Boaz, and together they have a son named Jesse, the father of David. https://www.original-prints.com/Marc-Chagall-Naomi-and-her-daughters-in-law-Original-Lithograph-1960::1244:321.html

3: This painting is called Saul and David, by Rembrandt (1655). I chose this painting precisely because it is from a different time period than the first two, seen above. All three were intentionally chosen from different periods to show different styles, each in their own way a work of beauty. As is typical of Rembrandt, the hues are largely muted and dark. But I also loved that David can be seen playing his gittith (lyre), singing to soothe the madness of King Saul. Even though Saul had tried to kill David multiple times, David still loved him as his king and friend. He loved as his eventual descendant, Jesus our Lord, taught during His ministry, which is to love our enemy; David loved with agapè love which means to love those who are hardest to love. This love gives glory to God more than any other love, and it also allows us to see God's glory because this is how God loves. http://www.wga.hu/html_m/r/rembrand/15oldtes/22oldtes.html

4: This icon is called Nuestro Salvador De Las Sandias, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. It shows Jesus gesturing as to bless and heal, bringing life to a lifeless desert. Jesus gives life to us through His love which will be poured out on the Cross and then will remain with us especially through the gift of the Eucharist. Everything Jesus did was 'God's glory given expression' because He is the Son of God. There is no greater beauty. You can find this icon at http://fineartamerica.com/featured/nuestro-salvador-de-las-sandias-012-william-hart-mcnichols.html

5: This is also the work of Fr. William Hart McNichols, an icon called Mother of God of Kosovo, although she goes by many different names, such as 'Mother of God Queen of Pilgrims.' In the book, Mary, Mother of All Nations by Megan McKenna and icons by Fr. William Hart McNichols, McKenna writes about this icon: "She is the woman of Kosovo, of Northern Ireland, of Iraq, of the West Bank of Palestine, of Sierra Leone, of Kibeho...and of so many places." (page 116) I chose this icon because it shows that Mary intercedes for us knowing that God is with all of His people. The flame of fire, a reference to the Shekinah (God's presence in the burning bush) shows that we need to learn to see the alien or stranger in our midst as part of God's glory. That is, they are no less capable of transfiguration than we are, and in fact, we need to let God show them to us as transfigured in His love. You can find the icon at http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mother-of-god-of-kosovo-087-william-hart-mcnichols.html

6: This is one of my photos. I took this in Biloxi, Mississippi during a sunset. I chose to use it here because it shows that sometimes things are not as they appear. It seems like there are multiple suns in this shot, when in reality it was simply taken through two panes of glass, thus the lens caught the sun's reflection. The glass cannot be seen here, so it creates an optical illusion. God's glory is in the sunset, but we also learn that sometimes there are unseen factors at play, and so this teaches us to trust God.

7. Lastly, another work of the artist to whom I referred at the very beginning of this piece, Fr. William Hart McNichols. He has taught me how to truly see and appreciate art and so that is why I have used (always with permission) three of his works in this entry. This one is not an icon, but rather a painting called St. John of the Cross in the Dark Night of the Soul. Even though St. John was thrown into prison by his own religious brothers, he spent the time with God in deep contemplation, penning some of his greatest works. He had great suffering during his imprisonment, but he also gained deeply mystical understanding through the experience. Being a gifted poet, he wrote a series of poems which he then spent many years explaining (after a dramatic escape from the prison), leaving for us works of mystical theology and beauty. He found the glory of God within the prison (perhaps also in the stars outside the window) and in turn shared God's glory with us. You can find this work at http://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-john-of-the-cross-in-the-dark-night-of-the-soul-290-william-hart-mcnichols.html