The journey that we are on as God’s pilgrim people takes us through many different pathways. Some are difficult to navigate. Others lead us astray. Still others are dead ends that force us to start over again.
Three signposts indicate we have chosen the Way, the Truth and the Life that is Jesus (Jn 14:6). These are beauty, goodness and truth. If we find these, they can lead us to Christ. If we reject or ignore these signposts, we will find ourselves wandering — lost, confused and alone.
Beauty reflects and reveals the glory of God. Whether we are looking at an amazing sunset, the Grand Canyon or a newborn baby, if we can see with the eyes of faith, we will be shown the way to heaven. Anyone who contemplates God’s creation with eyes wide open, or who gazes at a magnificent work of art without prejudging its meaning, is given a window into the mystery at the heart of everything. Beauty shows us the face of God and invites us to become one with him.
Goodness points us to God because God cannot be arbitrary, cruel or vindictive. Where we find honesty, integrity and justice, we find God. Scripture shows us women and men who were righteous — often in spite of their weaknesses and sins. They introduce us to Jesus and his mother, Mary, who were without sin and who, therefore, only did what was good. By imitating them, we find our way. By becoming “everyday saints,” who are not perfect but who strive to always do “the next right thing,” we can find paths that will lead us to perfection even if we never fully realize it.
Truth exposes all that is false, self-serving and destructive in our lives. Truth is not relative (“your truth or my truth”). It is grounded in the way things are, and it reflects what things actually mean. It takes wisdom to perceive truth, and because we have been given the gift of intelligence, we find truth through reason. But like the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection, we desperately need the gifts of the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and allow us to discover the richness and power of the mysterious truth that is God himself.
Beauty, goodness and truth lead us to God. If we fail to heed these signposts, we risk losing our way. Fortunately, we have Scripture (God’s Word), the Sacraments (signs that cause what they signify), the liturgy (expressions of thanks and praise to God), and the pastoral life of the Church (ministries of comfort, communion and social justice) to help us find our way.
The witness of Mary and the saints urges us to take the high road, to be good stewards of beauty, goodness and truth. If we choose another way, we may get there eventually (by God’s grace), but we will miss the magnificent expressions of God’s glory and majesty that are essential guideposts in our journey.
Dan Conway, a member of Holy Trinity Church, is a writer, consultant and stewardship educator.
