"God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good"
Is it true that God is everywhere? Can we not pray anywhere? Of course it is but it is also no accident that Catholicism has inspired the most beautiful sculpture, triumphant art, and breathtaking architecture in the history of the world. We need to revive our basic understanding of the human person. People are both body and spirit and what we do with our bodies matters. So often in our day to day lives we forget the power of images, objects, and art.
Consider how Jesus worked his miracles. He could no doubt have just willed people to be forgiven, healed, fed. Jesus healed using words, actions, and mud and spittle. He knows that we as human beings experience the world through our senses. As a child how did you know your parents loved you? You felt loved in their words. You felt love in the hugs, cuddles, and kisses of your parents. Infants actually need touch and physical affection, without it they die.
Because we are body and spirit, Jesus uses words actions and material things to provide us with His healing graces. This is exactly what the Sacraments of the Church are today. Through the sounds, sights, tastes and sounds he continues through time and space to touch us, to hug us.
What does this have to do with you creating a small prayer corner in your home, or office. Beautiful surroundings inspire us. Adding a small quiet space in my home has done wonders for my family's prayer life. It does not need to be complicated. For me it is a small table, my favourite Bible, a candle, a crucifix. Make it personal, make it your own, and make it inspiring. For some of our non Catholic brothers and sisters we are not worshiping creation, we are worshiping the creator.... but that will have to be the topic of a future blog. "God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good."