by Father John P. Cush, STD
Today’s readings reveal how words and actions reveal what lies within us. In Sirach, we hear that “when a sieve is shaken, the husks appear.” It’s a reminder that when we are “shaken,” our true inner life shows itself, and in this unveiling, our words are powerful indicators. Jesus takes it a step further in today’s Gospel: “For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Today’s readings, which highlight how words and actions reflect the depths of our hearts, can also be understood through the lens of beauty — both as Hans Urs von Balthasar and St. Thomas Aquinas describe it. Their teachings reveal beauty is not just something to be admired but a profound way to encounter God and communicate his love.
Hans Urs von Balthasar, one of the 20th century’s most influential Catholic theologians, emphasized beauty is transcendental. For Balthasar, beauty is not a mere aesthetic experience but a window into the divine and that beauty draws us out of ourselves, lifting us toward God.
Hans Urs von Balthasar often emphasized that what we say and do manifests our relationship with God. Just as in art or film, where directors use visuals to convey deeper truths, Balthasar argued that our lives should communicate God’s beauty. We are, in a way, “directing” the film of our lives.
In his monumental work “The Glory of the Lord,” Balthasar writes: “Beauty is the disinterested, yet compelling, presence of the divine splendor in creation.” When we encounter true beauty — whether in nature, art, or a life well-lived — it reveals God’s glory and stirs a longing in us for something greater.
Balthasar extends this understanding of beauty to our lives as Christians. He argued that our words and actions should radiate God’s beauty, serving as an evangelizing force. Just as a beautiful painting captivates its viewer, a life filled with grace and love attracts others to Christ. When Jesus says, “For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45), He challenges us to ensure that the “artwork” of our lives reflects the divine beauty within.
St. Thomas Aquinas provides a frame- work for understanding beauty that complements Balthasar’s vision. For Aquinas, beauty has three essential qualities: first, integrity (wholeness) — something is beautiful when it is complete, lacking nothing necessary; second, proportion (harmony) — beauty is found in the harmonious arrangement of parts, creating balance and order; and finally, clarity (radiance) — beauty shines forth, revealing
its truth and purpose. Aquinas teaches that God is the ultimate source of beauty because He embodies perfect integrity, harmony, and radiance. He writes: “The beautiful is that which pleases when seen” (ST I-II, Q. 27, Art. 1).
In human life, Aquinas explains, beauty is most fully realized when our actions align with God’s will. When we live virtuously, our lives take on a “radiance” that points others to God. This is why mercy, charity, and humility are not only good but beautiful — they reflect the harmony of a soul in communion with God.
When we bring together the insights of Balthasar and Aquinas, we see that beauty is not just something we observe but something we are called to embody. Our actions must echo Aquinas’ teaching that true beauty is rooted in charity, and they must fulfill Balthasar’s call to let one’s life radiate the splendor of God.
Similarly, in our everyday lives, the small acts of kindness, forgiveness, and mercy we offer to others can reveal the beauty of God’s love. In today’s readings, we are reminded that our words and actions reveal the state of our hearts. St. Thomas Aquinas and Hans Urs von Balthasar challenge us to go further, recognizing that our lives are meant to radiate the beauty of God.
To live this way is to embody the Gospel, making our lives a work of art that points others to the divine Artist. Let us pray for the grace to live with integrity, harmony, and clarity, so that through us, God’s beauty may shine forth.
Readings for the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sirach 27:4-7
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Luke 6:39-45
Father John P. Cush, STD, is professor of fundamental and dogmatic theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary and College (Dunwoodie), Yonkers, New York.