{"id":17494,"date":"2015-01-01T15:47:10","date_gmt":"2015-01-01T21:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=17494"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:58:49","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:58:49","slug":"the-incomparable-beauty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-incomparable-beauty\/","title":{"rendered":"The Incomparable Beauty","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<div align=\"center\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Cathedral_Fotor.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"470\" height=\"508\" \/><br \/><em><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Milan Cathedral<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> in Lombardy, Milan, Italy; photo by Prak Vanny<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>SOLEMNITY OF MARY,\u00a0HOLY MOTHER OF GOD<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><strong>SINCE <\/strong>the last week of Advent, I have been in a\u00a0perpetual state of contemplation of the <em>incomparable beauty <\/em>of the Catholic Church. On this solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God, I find my voice joining in with hers:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior&#8230; (Luke 1:46-47)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Earlier this week, I wrote about the stark contrast between the Christian martyrs and those extremists who are destroying families, towns, and lives in the name of &#8220;religion.&#8221; <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-christian-martyr-witness\/\">The Christian-Martyr Witness<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> Once again, Christianity&#8217;s beauty is often most evident when the darkness increases, when the shadows of the day&#8217;s evil reveal the beauty of <em>light. <\/em>The lamentation that rose up in me during Lent in 2013 has been ringing in my ears at the same time (read<a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/weep-o-children-of-men\/\"> <em>Weep, O Children of Men<\/em><\/a>). It is the dirge of a sun setting upon a world bewitched into believing that beauty lies solely\u00a0within technology and science, reason and logic, rather than the life of faith that comes from believing in and following Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><!--more--><\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived by the liar who wishes to define the Church by her sinners rather than her saints! That is, the beauty of the Catholic faith is discovered in those who live it, not in those who don&#8217;t. And this life of faith, as a matter of fruit, has produced incomparable beauty in the world. What religion has generated such beautiful chants and songs of worship than Christianity? What religion has dotted the planet with such beautiful architecture than Christianity? <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/MilanExterior_Fotor.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"470\" height=\"352\" \/>What religion has transformed the laws of nations, purified\u00a0cultures, and pacified peoples more than Christianity? Why? Because at the very heart of Christianity, of Catholicism, is a God<em> who is love<\/em>, unfathomable love and <em>mercy<\/em>. This in itself is one of the most distinguishing truths that separates Christianity from every other religion: our God is a lover who condescends to His creation not only to love us, <em>but wed us. <\/em>Hence, true Catholicism is not a conquering army, but a song of praise; not an ideology but a relationship; not a list of commandments, but a love affair. It is this Love that has transformed the hearts of people of every conceivable background\u2014from scientists to lawyers, homemakers to governors, laymen to princes\u2014that has then impacted the arts, science, literature, laws, and every other aspect of cultures where this Love has not been rejected.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'courier new', courier;\">His holy mountain rises in beauty, the joy of all the earth. Mount Zion, true pole of the earth, the Great King&#8217;s city! (Psalm 48:2-3)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">As St. Paul exclaimed: <em>&#8220;It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.\u201d<\/em> <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. Acts 4:20<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> It is impossible for one embraced\u00a0by the Trinity&#8217;s\u00a0love not to let it begin to touch every other aspect of their lives. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">THE INCOMPARABLE BEAUTY<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">And yet, dear reader\u2014as beautiful as our cathedrals are; as elegant as our liturgies can be; as transcendent as our art is; as sublime as our sacred music has been&#8230; the incomparable beauty of our faith is what the Lord can do in the broken heart of one who welcomes Him. And it is this <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" style=\"margin-right: 3px; margin-left: 3px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/mother-teresa_Fotor.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"302\" align=\"left\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"2\" \/>beauty\u2014the <em>beauty of holiness<\/em>\u2014that the world really longs to behold. Indeed, as enraptured as tourists are as they walk through St. Peter&#8217;s in Rome, nothing is more captivating than a soul possessed by Jesus Christ, a face that radiates His love, a presence that manifests <em>the<\/em> Presence.<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">It is this incomparable beauty that the Mother of God has descended to earth in these last times to wrought in the children of God: to create a people so divested of themselves, so in love with God, so ready to do His will&#8230; that they become another Christ on earth. <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_3');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_3');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_3\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. Rev 12:1-2<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> This is what the prophet Daniel foresaw in a vision of those saints of the last days:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time; but at that time your people shall be delivered, every one whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">These are the ones who, renouncing themselves and the false peace and security the world offers (and will offer), <em>&#8220;follow the Lamb wherever he goes&#8230; On their lips no deceit has been\u00a0found; they are unblemished.&#8221;<\/em> <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_4');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_4');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_4\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_4\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. Rev 14:4-5<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> They are&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">&#8230;the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Rev 20:4)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">They are the ones whom St. Paul describes as <em>&#8220;blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world.&#8221;<\/em> <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_5');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_5');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_5\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[5]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_5\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. Phil 2:15-16<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> This is the incomparable beauty, which like the paradox of the Cross, will shine to the ends of the earth in what can only be called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-vindication-of-wisdom\/\">the<em> Vindication of Wisdom<\/em><\/a><em>. <\/em><span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_6');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_6');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_6\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[6]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_6\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-vindication-of-wisdom\/\">The Vindication of Wisdom<\/a><\/em> and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/vindication\/\">Vindication<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script><\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">BEAUTY IN POVERTY<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">And yet&#8230; as I looked into my own heart this Christmas, I saw nothing but poverty to such a degree that I cried out: &#8220;Lord, if <a href=\"http:\/\/studiobrien.com\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"margin: 2px 5px 2px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/StFrancisbyMichaelD.OBrien.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"248\" height=\"272\" align=\"right\" hspace=\"2\" \/><\/a>there is anything that shakes my faith, it is that after all these years, after all these Communions, confessions, Masses, and prayers, that I seem to be as unholy as I was decades ago!<em> Why<\/em>?&#8221; After Communion last night during the vigil Mass, I brought this question again before the Lord. And His answer was this:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><em>My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weaknesss. <\/em>(cf. 2 Cor 12:9)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">Today, on this feast of the Mother of God, we have put\u00a0before us once again the <em>prototype<\/em> of a Christian, the model of bearing Christ in the world, the formula for becoming a shining star, the key to being another Christ in the world: a simple, humble, obedient virgin. The answer to my cry is not to become great, but <em>small<\/em>; to not despair, but <em>begin again<\/em>; <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_7');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_17494_1('footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_7');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_7\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[7]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_7\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/beginning-again\/\">Beginning Again<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_17494_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> to not worry about tomorrow, but be <em>obedient<\/em> today.<\/p>\n<p align=\"LEFT\">That, my friend, is the path to bringing <em>Incomparable Beauty<\/em> into the world.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"LEFT\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Oh! when in every city and village the law of the Lord is faithfully observed, when respect is shown for sacred things, when the Sacraments are frequented, and the ordinances of Christian life fulfilled, there will certainly be no more need for us to labor further to see all things restored in Christ\u2026 And then? Then, at last, it will be clear to all that the Church, such as it was instituted by Christ, must enjoy full and entire liberty and independence from all foreign dominion\u2026 \u201cHe shall break the heads of his enemies,\u201d that all may know \u201cthat God is the king of all the earth,\u201d \u201cthat the Gentiles may know themselves to be men.\u201d All this, Venerable Brethren, We believe and expect with unshakable faith. <\/strong>\u2014POPE PIUS X, <em>E Supremi<\/em>, Encyclical \u201cOn the Restoration of All Things\u201d, n.14, 6-7<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_17494_1();\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_17494_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_17494_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_17494_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_1');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-christian-martyr-witness\/\">The Christian-Martyr Witness<\/a><\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_2');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. Acts 4:20<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_3');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>3<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. Rev 12:1-2<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_4\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_4');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>4<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. Rev 14:4-5<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_5\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_5');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>5<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. Phil 2:15-16<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_6\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_6');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>6<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-vindication-of-wisdom\/\">The Vindication of Wisdom<\/a><\/em> and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/vindication\/\">Vindication<\/a><\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_17494_1_7\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_17494_1_7');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>7<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/beginning-again\/\">Beginning Again<\/a><\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_17494_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_17494_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_17494_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_17494_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_17494_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_17494_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_17494_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_17494_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_17494_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_17494_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_17494_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_17494_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_17494_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_17494_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Milan Cathedral in Lombardy, Milan, Italy; photo by Prak Vanny &nbsp; SOLEMNITY OF MARY,\u00a0HOLY MOTHER OF GOD \u00a0 SINCE the last week of Advent, I have been in a\u00a0perpetual state of contemplation of the incomparable beauty of the Catholic Church. On this solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God, I find my voice joining in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-journal","category-signs"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Incomparable Beauty - The Now Word<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-incomparable-beauty\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Incomparable Beauty - The Now Word\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Milan Cathedral in Lombardy, Milan, Italy; photo by Prak Vanny &nbsp; SOLEMNITY OF MARY,\u00a0HOLY MOTHER OF GOD \u00a0 SINCE the last week of Advent, I have been in a\u00a0perpetual state of contemplation of the incomparable beauty of the Catholic Church. 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