Following is the prepared text from Bishop Olmsted’s homily for Consecrated Virgins Living in the World

August 22, 2020

“The world will be saved by beauty.” Many people are familiar with these words of Dostoevsky. However, few know “the rest of the story.” The great Russian writer immediately followed that famous phrase with a question, “What kind of beauty will save the world?” Then, he said, “There is only one positively beautiful person in the world: Christ; so, the appearance of this measureless, infinitely beautiful Person is in fact… of course… an infinite miracle.”      

This explains the joy of those who are consecrated to the Lord as virgins. The eyes of their hearts are focused on the beauty of Jesus. Their faith is alive. They believe what God promised through the Prophet Malachi, “…suddenly, there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek” (Malachi 3:1)

Jesus promised at the Last Supper, “The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.” The Spirit also leads us to all beauty, pre-eminently the beauty of Christ. The fact that others in the world do not perceive the beauty of Christ does not mean it is absent.

Remember the stable at Bethlehem where our Savior was born. The fact that only a few Magi and a handful of shepherds recognized Him and paid Him homage does mean that the Child Jesus was insignificant. It means that insignificant things were given exaggerated attention. It shows how blind our eyes and hearts can be when they are not surrendered to God.

So, what did the shepherds and Magi see that was so beautiful? Luke records three things:

First, they saw “a baby in the arms of His mother;”

Second, they saw “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for the people Israel.”

Third, they saw “a sign that will be contradicted.” Let’s look briefly at the beauty of each of these.

First, they saw “a baby in the arms of His mother.” The Son of God, the King of the Universe, could have come in power, but instead He came in weakness. Out of love for us, Christ emptied Himself of the glory He shared with the Father from all eternity and chose to need the loving care of Mary and the strong protection of Joseph.  The Magi and shepherds saw a beauty which eluded everyone else in Bethlehem. They could see what others overlooked because they lived the virtues of chastity and simplicity and therefore knew that littleness never gets in the way of encountering the Lord. On the contrary, our poverty can deepen our longing for His coming as well as our thirst to recognize Him when He comes. The Magi and shepherds knew the wisdom of Jesus’ words, “Unless you change and become like little children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”

Second, Jesus is “a sign that would be contradicted.” From the time He was born, Jesus was a sign of contradiction. He was opposed by the proud but gladly welcomed by the humble. Where the powerful saw a threat, shepherds and Magi saw tenderness and mercy. Where Pontius Pilate saw disgraceful defeat, Mary Magdalene saw the beauty of love, even unto death on a cross.

Our beautiful Savior is no less a sign of contradiction today. The 20^th century witnessed more Christian martyrs than all the previous ones combined: from Maximilian Kolbe and Edith Stein in Nazi Germany to Miguel Pro, Toribio Romo and the many other Cristeros martyrs in Mexico to the thousands of courageous martyrs of Vietnam, Russia, China, and beyond.

Because He is a sign of contradiction, it is impossible to remain indifferent to Christ. Either we believe in Him and place Him at the center of our lives, or we are at war with Him, at least in our hearts. His love is so strong in mercy that He will not leave unchallenged our prejudices and sinful habits. He disturbs our troubled consciences so that we may be converted and live. He breaks down the barriers we build against others and demands that we love our enemies. As Dostoevsky wrote, “Love in reality is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” Still, love is beautiful beyond compare for it is the essence of God.

Third, Jesus is “a light of revelation for the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel.”  This is what Simeon said of the Infant Jesus when He was carried by His parents into the Temple, but only Anna and Simeon recognized Him. What blinded everyone else in the Temple? And why the similar contradicting response to Jesus during His Public Ministry? Jesus told the people (Jn 8:12) “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me does not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” But Herod and the Pharisees preferred the darkness and were blind to Jesus’ goodness and beauty.

In a papal audience with some Religious Sisters, a few years ago, Pope Francis said,

“The beauty of your joy can change the world… It is ugly when a consecrated man or woman is self-centered, always looking at him or herself in the mirror… Authentic joy that is not self-referential or complacent is the most credible witness of a full life.”

Dostoevsky is right. “The world will be saved by beauty” – the most beautiful Person in time and eternity. There is nothing counterfeit about His beauty or the joy He brings.

Let this “infinitely beautiful Person,” then, Jesus our Beloved, be the center of your life; then your joy and your charity will bear compelling witness to His Glorious Kingdom.