While Kelly and I were in Germany, Jan and Ariel took us on a day trip to the city of Köln (spelled "Cologne" in English).
Immediately upon entering the city, it is apparent that the Cologne Cathedral is the city's distinguishing feature and landmark. When emerging from the main train station, you are greeted with this impressive sight.
Pictures do no do it justice! It is so hard to capture the scale of this enormous and beautiful building, but just trust me when I say that it is awe-inspiring.
This is the first cathedral I have visited in my European travels. In my Art as Experience class in college, we studied the architecture of ancient cathedrals. While I found it interesting at the time, I would have appreciated it much more had I been traveling in Europe. I can't tell you much of what I learned in my class, either, but I do remember this: Cathedrals were designed to point to Christ and the Glory of God.
Sometimes I wonder if building huge, majestic buildings was/is the best use of the Church's resources, when there are so many people in this world that are poor and suffering. But then I remember the woman who washed Jesus' feet with perfume.
"While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. 'Why this waste?' they asked. 'This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.' Aware of this, Jesus said to them, 'Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she had done will also be told, in memory of her.'" Matthew 26:6-13
So sometimes extravagance for the sake of worshipping the Lord is appropriate, and better than giving to the poor. In this case, it was probably acceptable because Christ was physically there with them, but it also struck me that Christ said she was preparing His body for burial. It served a purpose beyond what the disciples understood at that moment. That is challenging to me.
I guess what I'm saying is that if God calls me to do something for Him, and it seems like something else (like giving to the poor) makes more sense, I should trust in Him that He knows more than I do!
Let's not forget about motives here, either. We are called to give to the poor and suffering so that they may know Christ. That is the overarching goal. So if we are asked to do something besides give to the poor, we should ask if it is sharing the Glory of the Lord and pointing others toward Him.
Maybe these cathedrals were built with impure motives, to show off. Maybe the poor were oppressed in order to build them. I honestly don't know, and that's not for me to judge.
But they have been built, and they are here for us to see and learn from. And I think God can use that for His Glory, whatever the motives were.
"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." Philippians 1:18
If hundreds of people visit cathedrals every day as a "tourist attraction", and they see Christ on the cross, and they know they are in a place of worship, and they are forced to be quiet and think about God and eternity, that is a good thing.
They may not hear the Gospel when they are there, but in so many of these cathedrals they can see it, if they take the time to look at the stained glass windows.
And I can pray that the Lord would reveal Himself to them. I can pray that they have Christians in their lives that show them that Christianity is more that just rituals performed at regulars times throughout the week.
Christianity is a relationship and a way of life. It governs every thought, word and deed. It is not just something to chose to believe in to give you a feeling of peace.
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