4Most of all, friends, always rejoice in the Lord! I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! 5Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. 6Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. 7And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. 8Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. 9Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me— do it— and the God of peace will walk with you.
Philippians 4: 4-9 (The Voice Bible)
Today I was searching for Bible verses about beauty. I discovered The Voice, a dynamic equivalence Bible translation that included poets, artists, and musicians, in addition to the usual Bible scholars, as part of its development team. I think the notes are great, and the language is lovely. The drawback is that it isn't a Catholic Bible, so it's missing 7 Old Testament books. However, it's presented in the context of traditional (viz. liturgical) Christianity. I've found nothing objectionable in it so far. I had intended to view a sample but accidentally bought the ebook on my Kindle, so I've been exploring several passages.
I thought the passage quoted above to be particularly encouraging in the context of our COVID-19 distress. I'm setting an intention to seek Beauty and to avoid all those things which are the opposite of what Sacred Scripture is telling us to focus our minds and meditate upon in these verses. I implore you to do the same.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in his wonderful face. And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.
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