Notre Dame

Sunday, as Christians around the world gathered for worship on the second Sunday of Advent, as Lenape Valley decorated our Chrismon trees and shared a feast at the Advent Brunch, Christians in Paris celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of Notre Dame for the first time in five and a half years. Light shone through the restored stained-glass windows as the grand organ filled the hall with the music of the faith. The choir’s voices echoed off walls scrubbed clean of scorch marks from the fire that ravaged the cathedral five years ago. On April 15, 2019, a fire began on the eaves of the cathedral, burning for 15 hours while more than 400 firefighters battled to extinguish the inferno. On that day, the world watched in horror as the lead roof melted and the intricate wooden beams that supported it burned away, leaving a gaping hole over the sanctuary. The spire that marked the cathedral for miles crumpled into a twisted mass of metal at the base of the altar. Yet somehow… many believe by God’s good providence… the altar and cross remained standing amid the destruction.

The day after the fire, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild Notre Dame in five years. The rebuilding would be “the project of the century.” He declared that the cathedral was the “symbol of the city of Paris and of the French nation,” thus such an audacious timeline was essential. When the building of Notre Dame was initially commissioned by King Louis VII in 1163, the king wanted a cathedral to match the city’s new status as the center of power in France. Since its completion in 1345, the cathedral has held that central place in the city and the nation. The year before the fire, 12 million people visited Notre Dame- Our Lady, making her the most visited monument in Paris. The cathedral’s three pipe organs and immense clarion of bells have filled both sanctuary and city with music. Her breathtaking stained-glass windows, elaborate stone carvings, signature flying buttresses, and soaring spires have captivated millions of people worldwide. It was no surprise when Macron made rebuilding the cathedral the priority.

Immediately after the 2019 fire, work began to restore the cathedral to her former glory. Some say she is even more beautiful now, the walls gleaming white after centuries of soot and grime were washed away. This new chapter in the cathedral’s life has also brought new safety features, fire precautions, and updated electric and plumbing. Two thousand workers and artisans have labored around the clock to complete the first phase of the renovations. The scaffolding on the exterior signals the second phase that will take several more years to fully restore the decorative features on the facade. It has taken contributions from 150 countries, and thousands of individuals to gather the 900 million eros needed for the project. At the reopening ceremony, the word MERCI- was projected onto the cathedral’s iconic western facade- a thank you to the world for their partnership in the project. Macron declared at the ceremony: “Notre Dame is not just a French monument, it is a magnificent sign of hope, proof of what the world can do when we work together. We can do great things together. We can do the impossible. Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame are ringing again. And in a moment, the organ will awaken, sending the music of hope cascading out into the world.”

What an impressive speech. What a celebration of human ingenuity and international cooperation. What a celebration of an iconic landmark. But unfortunately, Macron’s comments illustrate that we have all missed the point. Notre Dame is not a monument, she is a sanctuary, where the people of God gather to worship the One who is greater. Architecture and artwork have been used for centuries to inspire awe and devotion among worshippers. When we step into a sanctuary like Notre Dame, the hope is that we will be inspired to imagine the One who created the universe and breathed life into being. In II Chronicles, the Bible offers us a description of the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem. It, too, was grand, framed in cedar and marble, and graced by carvings in gold and bronze. The completed Temple was an extraordinary structure in the ancient world. That Temple was intended to be the House of the Lord, but most often it has been referred to as Solomon’s Temple. It became Solomon’s show piece… his pride and joy… his claim to fame. Again, we miss the point. Years later, that Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. When the people rebuilt it, the structure was not as grand, and the people cried. Again, we miss the point.

I wonder how often we miss the point… especially at Christmas. They say this is the season of peace. How much we yearn for peace! Yet we wonder if peace is even possible. Have we missed the One who is the Prince of peace? They say that this is a joyful time… But in the Christmas rush, joy seems to be in short supply. How often we miss the “good news of great joy” that the angel declares. They say this is the season of giving… and giving is such a good thing to do. But sometimes in the giving, we are so busy we miss the One who gave his life for us. We are in the count down to Christmas… just 15 days left- are we missing the reason for the season? He is our peace… He is our joy… He is the One who moves us to generosity… He is life and light and hope. May we not miss the point this year.

With you preparing for the One,
Anita

Invite a friend to meet Jesus this year!