God is Beauty

I once heard it said by a Muslim social justice worker in inner-city Chicago that the Quran says "God is beautiful and he loves beauty."  These words have always stayed with me. 

I myself am not Muslim, but the idea that aesthetic beauty is something holy and sacred deeply resonates with me.

I recently went to the coast of New England in celebration of my wedding anniversary, and experienced absolute awe at the natural beauty all around me. 

And, as I walked along the pathway that followed the curvature of the rocky ocean coast, stopping along the way to take a closer look at each wild flower that grew up out of the cliff wall, I was reminded of the modern day poet and theologian John O'Donohue who frequently wrote in both prose and poetry about the godly beauty of nature- with particular love and awe for the landscape of his homeland, coastal Ireland.  I believe Mr. O'Donohue preached, in the best sense of the ministerial word, that "beauty is the illumination of your soul."

I suppose it makes sense then that I feel most at home when I am surrounded by that phenomenal scenery that is god itself because it is like the best of homecomings.