1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15-17 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Like so many, I watched with a broken heart as fire devastated Notre Dame cathedral.  It's possibly the most beautiful building I've ever been inside, and it was inside that place where I felt most deeply the call and presence of God.  I remember walking inside that building and being stunned by the ability of a place to transform the mind into the presence of the Holy.  I sat quietly in a pew in the back, trying desperately to soak in the sensation of the transcendent.  That place pointed me towards God, and while I cannot say that it's been a straight line between the experience I had that day and where I am today, I can say that my time in Notre Dame influenced my life and drew me closer to God. 
  The truly beautiful things and places in the world have that ability to direct our hearts and minds towards God.  They do not exist as an end to themselves -- they are conduits that guide the soul to contemplate something greater.  They funnel our minds towards the Creator, and they help create a sense of awe within us -- we are reminded of how great God is and how small we are, and that helps us grasp the significance of what Christ does on the cross, because no matter how small we may be, God still reaches down in love to us. 
  Here in John's letter, he is warning us against the things that don't direct our attention to God -- these are the things that are ends in themselves, that devour our hearts and give us nothing in return.  This is the power of addiction, and it is terrifying to watch the way it can destroy a life -- be it drugs or alcohol or pornography or food or any other force. 
  This is the beauty of Notre Dame cathedral -- while it is beautiful and captivating, what it stands for is more powerful.  It directs the eye to heaven, and to be in awe of it is to recognize the power of the divine.  My ultimate prayer for my life is that I somehow join in this effort -- that people see me not as someone interesting in who I am, but rather in my ability to point to my Creator, the One who crafted me and redeemed me and (somehow) loves me still, in spite of my flaws.
  May we all mourn for the loss of Notre Dame, and as the French rebuild that magnificent place, may our lives join in the effort to point to the glory of God.