“Through beauty we come to know God on a deeper level. We allow ourselves to be caught up in His love and through it seek to persevere on the path to holiness. When we experience beauty in our daily lives, when it truly draws us outside of ourselves, we can come to a deeper understanding of the truth that is in Christ and His Church” (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, “The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty”).

So much of modern life numbs us to beauty, including our distorted desire for constant productivity and our addiction to screens and social media. This rhythm of living robs us from the moments of awe and wonder that ground us in the reality of who we are and who God is.

God Is Beauty

Acts 17:34 reports that St. Paul converted a man called Dionysius, who would later become the first bishop of Athens and then a saint. According to Father Jacques Philippe, this early Greek theologian connected the Greek word “kalos” (meaning “beautiful”) to the verb “kalein,” which translates as “to call or summon,” concluding that beauty beckons us to the other two transcendentals of truth and goodness.

Embracing beauty as a way to encounter and behold God has been so lifegiving for me. In my fear of vanity or frivolity, I used to take a utilitarian approach to living. My apartment was minimalist by design, and my wardrobe was an interchangeable color palette of neutrals upon neutrals. My home and closet may have been tidy, but nothing in either of them truly delighted me or others. I was living for convenience, not contemplation.

Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde once noted that form follows function. He said that if something is merely only useful, and not beautiful, soon enough, no one will want to use it. How often have we seen this in architectural spaces? Or in modern art that serves to shock rather than soothe?

Having always admired God’s creativity in nature and wildlife, I try to never take a beautiful sunset or landscape for granted. However, in my personal life, I was living for key moments while my present was wasting away. I’d find myself waiting for occasions to wear a nice dress or for specific visitors to make my home as I’d like it to be. At the risk of ruining anything in my everyday life, I’d wear comfortable, old clothes, and I’d put beautiful household items away in storage. I had an unhealthy attachment to material things and didn’t deem myself worthy of enjoying them on my own.

“Think About Such Things”

I was recently inspired by St. Francis de Sales’ way of life and his desire to always present himself, in his outward appearance and mannerisms, with elegance. I’ve also been more conscious than ever of his teaching that the angels, although invisible, are continually present with us. They are enough of an audience, at any time, to motivate me to delight in even the smallest beauties in life, knowing that when something is beautiful, it is useful.

In Pope St. John Paul II’s “Letter to Artists,” he quoted the poet Cyprian Norwid, who claimed that beauty can change the world. When I see how beauty points to the glory of God, I can believe that he was right.

To end, I’ll leave you with one of my most-used pieces of Scripture, which informs what popular culture I consume, what I read, what I buy, and how I try to live my every day:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

After all, what informs our thoughts if not what we are able to see? Here’s to living life in abundance and beauty.

Delphine Chui is a London-based cradle Catholic who strayed away from the Church for over 10 years. Convicted and undeniably pursued by God and Our Lady when she hit 30, she has been chasing truth and love ever since. Her radical reversion saw her completely change her life, taking on a whole new approach to her career, friendships and relationships. A former mainstream magazine journalist, Delphine now works full-time on her charity, CareDogs, which helps bring lonely or socially-isolated older people back into the community through canine companionship. When she’s not attending Traditional Latin Mass or doing something cat/dog-related (she has both at home), she can be found listening to podcasts or journaling. You can connect with her and say hi on Instagram.