Lent with the Early Church Fathers Day 13

Day 13

Lent with the Early Church Fathers

A daily post from Tom Bandy

 Based on Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers (Eds. Christopher D. Hudson, J. Alan Sharrer, and Lindsay Vanker: Hendrickson Press, 1999)

 God’s masterpiece

 Basil

 God does not judge the beauty of his work by how it charms the eyes. He does not have the same idea of beauty that we do. What he considers beautiful is that which perfectly demonstrates skillful artistry and tends to be useful toward this end.

 So then, God judges the design of his own works and approves each one of them. They fulfill their ends according to his creative purpose. A hand, an eye, or any piece of the statue lying separate from the rest would not look beautiful to anyone. But if each one is restored to its own place in beautiful proportion, it would strike even the most uncultured as beautiful.

 Before uniting the parts of the work, artists distinguish between and recognize the beauty of each piece. They think of the object they have in hand. Scripture depicts the Supreme Artist in the same way. It praises each one of his works. Soon, however, when his work is complete, he will give well-deserved praise to the whole.

 TGB: Whenever we are enjoined to “see the big picture”, our human eye inevitably focuses on the best parts rather than the least parts. We celebrate the saints but overlook the least of Christ’s brothers and sisters. God’s eye sees the least impressive part first, and from this humble beginning assembles a picture that is beautiful in every detail. The saint is only revealed when holding the hand of the suffering.