As a little girl, I saw a picture of an ancient, white marble sculpture that captured me in my Grandpa's coffee table book. I couldn't have articulated it then, but the sculpture's beauty did what beauty does: it pierced me. She wasn't a saint or a sacred object, but she made me think big and deep thoughts. She sparked transcendence and contemplation. I'd learn later that the sculpture had a name: Nike of Samothrace, sometimes called the Winged Victory, and that she lived in the Louvre in Paris. A dream to go there and see her swelled in my young heart. The first time I finally did, her beauty overwhelmed my senses. As tourists streamed by taking quick photos, I could only sit on the gallery bench and weep.
As they break through our usual routines, new places and new sights have a special way of opening us to the sacred. Connecting us with the riches of our universal Church. Carrying us closer to something higher, deeper, and wider. But it's not always a cathedral or a holy site that carries us to the sacred. Creation itself overflows with wonder, pointing like a Gothic cathedral spire toward the Creator. Beauty always points to Beauty, to the One who loves us most.
Here are some places you can find the sacred wherever your next trip takes you (and questions to help you ponder).
Gardens
What motivates you to grow your faith?
Who has been the “gardener” of your faith? Who has helped you grow?
What areas of your life are fruitful? Which areas of your life are no longer producing good fruit? How might these areas be changed?
What do you need to uproot? What do you need to plant?
Why does Jesus compare himself to a vine and branches?
Above: Claude Monet's garden at Giverny, France
Beaches
What are the deepest dreams and desires of your heart?
What do you think God’s dreams for you are?
What prevents you from being wholly yourself as God has made you to be?
Above: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Amusement parks
What do you think people are most searching for?
How is real joy different from fun, pleasure, entertainment, or comfort?
Where/when have you experienced true joy?
What do you think are some of the greatest imposters of joy in our culture?
Above: Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Boats, kayaks, and ferries
What do these words of St Thérèse mean: "The world’s thy ship, not thy home"?
Why is the Catholic Church sometimes called a “barque” (barge)?
What does this tell us about the Church’s role?
Where are you headed in life right now? Where do you want to go?
Above: Dauphin Island ferry across Mobile Bay
Iconic landmarks, cities, and castles
Who and what are the foundations of your life?
How do you see God—as a good Father, or something different?
What or who is the “king” of your life and heart?
Above: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California
Museums
Why do we save things? Why are we the only creatures that do this?
What does it mean to be human?
How has God been revealing himself throughout all of history?
Are we more or less human than previous civilizations?
Above: Musée du Louvre, Paris, France
Battlegrounds and memorials
How is love connected to sacrifice?
Why do bad things happen?
What do these words mean to you: "Bad stuff in our lives can make us either bitter or better"?
How does God use suffering for our good?
Above: 9/11 Memorial, New York, New York
Mountains
What was the most beautiful thing you saw today? What did it make you think about and feel?
What about you is beautiful?
Above: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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