A former student of mine is currently embarked on a research project on the topic of “sacramental beauty”. She sent me some questions related to her topic which are published below, together with my response:  

 

How would you personally define sacramental beauty?

Beauty, as one of the three transcendentals, is a manifestation of the presence of the Trinitarian Godhead. Goodness (virtue) manifests the Trinity; truth (reason) manifests the Trinity; and beauty manifests the trinity. As such, and properly perceived, beauty is always a sign of God’s presence that is meant to lift us in prayer and praise. 

 

Do you think a vibrant and colorful sunset, or even just the warm glow of sunset, falls under the category of sacramental beauty? 

Yes. Absolutely. If we fail to see the sign of God’s presence in the beauty of any sunset, it is we and not the sunset that is at fault. Humility opens our eyes to beauty; pride blinds us to it.

 

And, lastly, do you think one’s ability to notice sacramental beauty is linked with the imagination?

I think our ability to express and communicate the beauty to ourselves and others is connected to the imaginative faculty but the ability to see beauty is much more primal and is connected to virtue (humility) or its absence. The humble soul will always be edified by the presence of beauty, even if he lacks the imaginative gifts to articulate his experience of it; the proud soul will be blind to beauty, regardless of any imaginative gifts that he has been given (and for which he lacks gratitude!).

 

Finally, you might find helpful an article that I wrote recently for the Imaginative Conservative: http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/2015/01/gutter-man-grandeur-god.html