It was the 19th-century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky who stated in "The Idiot" that "beauty will save the world."
The author recognized the power of beauty to inspire, to transform and to heal. He also acknowledged the profound need that we have for beauty in our world, because without it, we are lost.
In the prologue of the Gospel of John, we read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." (John 1:1-5)
God is the creator and through Jesus, the Word made flesh, all things have come into being. All of creation is a reflection of the Divine and this brings light into a world that is often shrouded in darkness.
God reveals to us what is good and true and beautiful and we see this most clearly in creation. What we see around us is a reflection of the glory and love of God and it is beautiful to behold.
As the psalmist states, "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork." (Psalm 19)
Christians believe that one of the most profound attributes of God is beauty. St. Augustine experienced this reality when he stated, "Late have I loved you beauty ever ancient ever new, late have I loved you." (Confessions)
He was writing about his conversion experience and how he had been drawn to beauty which ultimately led to his salvation. Here we find a truth that has been seen in the lives of countless individuals throughout history. God has written on the human heart a natural attraction to beauty.
We have all heard it said that 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' Unfortunately this statement gives the impression that beauty is totally subjective. We determine what is beautiful and it can vary from person to person.
On the contrary, from a faith perspective, beauty is considered objective because its true essence comes from God, who is beauty ever ancient ever new.
One of the traditions that is associated with the new year is to make resolutions. This usually involves a commitment to making positive changes in your life. Perhaps we should consider the beauty of this world. Am I adding to or subtracting from God's creation?
We know that the world is facing many challenges from an ecological perspective. Climate change is a reality and we see how it is negatively impacting millions of people all over the world.
Do we understand that we must not abuse what has been entrusted to us? As stewards of creation we have a responsibility to preserve its beauty for future generations.
If we believe that God is beauty, then the more we reflect God, the more beautiful we become. This is something that transcends mere physical appearance. A truly beautiful person is one who radiates Christ who is the Light of the World. This is the beauty that the world needs, light that shines in the darkness.
During this coming year we can allow ourselves to be overcome with darkness and ugliness or we can embrace the radiant light. We can add to the problems or be part of the solution because we believe that 'beauty will save the world.'
Happy new year.