Cathredrals

On Thursday, one week into our trip and slightly dazed from jetlag, homework, and (totally my own fault) a really irregular sleep pattern, I suddenly found myself standing in the middle of one of the most famous landmarks in the Western world: Notre Dame. The sheer scale of the building, with its columns arching high above us into the dark ceiling, the dim light of the chandeliers and vigil candles, the soft glow of colors from the paintings and the stained glass windows was breathtaking, and after some consideration of the building techniques used in its construction, awe-inspiring. Countless hours of slow, hard, careful effort had been put into those walls, and lent them a gravity that could not be achieved through fast, impersonal modern construction. Yet for all its grandeur, it felt like a tomb. The paintings, the windows, and the architecture were carefully preserved, but without any of the purpose they once had. The building once built for the glory of God is now known as an architectural tourist attraction--with some remaining church services, of course. The church itself in France has faded, and it feels like the spirit of Notre Dame has faded with it. It is carefully preserved, but powerless.
I think our next stop taught me why: Sainte Chapelle, less awe-inspiring but possibly even more beautiful than Notre Dame, built to house the Christian relics, a monument to just the crown of thorns. It was beautiful, but it broke my heart. The king and his court would go to such great lengths to honor and cherish a small remaining piece of the Savior, creating a monument to show their piety and human power, but completely missing the God that already knocked on the door of their hearts. The imitation of heaven in the buildings' beauty failed to bring the realisation of heaven in the people's hearts. And it cause me to wonder: how often do I allow my experiences

with Christ to become cathedrals? How often do I allow my times with God to become a memory enshrined in the works it inspired? How often do I place God's presence in a place I visit, but never live in? Not only did our time at Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle give me perspective on the medieval French church and monarchy; it helped me to realise the difference between building God temples and being one.