Margaret Felice

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Media
  • Calendar
    • Upcoming Performances
    • Upcoming Speaking Events
  • Speaking
  • Publications
  • Performance
    • Biography
    • Repertoire
  • Contact
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Holy Newness

April 15, 2019 · Filed Under: faith, Places · Tagged With: Boston, Cathedral, faith, Holy Week, hope, liturgical calendar, Notre-Dame, Paris

Cathedral InteriorYesterday I visited the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on the occasion of its reopening after a two-year renovation. The mood was celebratory as many of us wandered the bright, shiny sanctuary whose cosmetic improvements were matched by structural and safety upgrades to ensure the building’s longevity.

On the way home I passed the old Immaculate Conception Church/Jesuit Urban Center, long deconsecrated and with new scaffolding over the front as the former home of Boston College continues its incremental transition into condos. I was sad – even knowing that the work that began there continues, even having had more than ten years to mourn its closing.

And now today we see the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris in flames, and it hurts.

It’s OK to mourn a building, a space, a thing. Our lives play out in space, and spaces of prayer are particularly meaningful. We fill them with our hopes and sorrows, and mark out our lives within them.

Living an honest life requires recognition that things fall apart. Nothing lasts forever, and most things don’t even last as long as many of the Cathedral’s elements which have been lost to fire.

Living a Christian life, though, gives us hope – a hope that is not necessarily limited to Christianity but which finds poignant expression in our celebration of Holy Week. We know that God is always ready to draw new life out of darkness and loss. We know that the Son of God, who knew suffering, was raised to glory. We know that the Spirit remains with us, guiding us toward a holy newness, sanctifying what remains.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • More
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Pocket
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit

Related

Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More about Margaret

Subscribe to Blog

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox.
How often would you like to receive updates?

Recent Posts

  • What I read, 2022
  • Finding Lady’s Wells
  • A place for grief to go
  • Post-op
  • Eating a tomato sandwich in October

Topics I’ve Written About:

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets
  • Home
  • About
  • Biography
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Media
  • Performance
  • Publications
  • Repertoire
  • Speaking

Search

© 2023 Margaret Felice · Headshots by Earl Christie · Website by Little Leaf Design