Today, on the Monday of the Holiest of Weeks for Christians, the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is burning. My Twitter feed repetitively showed the spire on fire and toppling over. I turned it off because watching it was scarring my soul.
An on-fire crumbling steeple of a structure like this one seems too hard to take in. It was built in the 13th century and has stood for God’s steadfast love and faithfulness in all times. A building but so much more. A landmark for Paris but so much more.
Lately it seems that so many things we believed would stand forever are crumbling: institutions, morals, decency, our earth.
For others on a more individual level, life is crumbling because of a diagnosis or loss. Sometimes it is a relationship that topples over or our trust in someone or something that gets ransacked.
I turned my feed back on later and saw something else this time, the crowd gathered around the structure kneeling and singing hymns. Kneeling. Singing hymns.
Those people did not know each other. I’m sure they likely didn’t speak the same language or share specific religious ties. I’m sure no one was leading the crowd in this way.
Even as the burning continued another kind of new life stirred in that crowd.
The singing that rises from tragedy, loss and crumbling steeples of all kinds is the essence of the Spirit of God. It is the resurrection faith. It is the message of Holy Week. It is why on Easter Sunday, despite what happens in the meantime, we find our wavering voices and sing.
Dr. Cindy Ryan is a pastor, wife, mother of three, Mimosa/Mocha to Keller and Pace and breast cancer survivor.
drcindyryanblog.com 
Cindy, I’m reading your blog as the tv shows the cathedral burning. Earlier, I found my photo album of my trip to Paris many years ago and my tour of Notre Dame. It was hard to sink in all of the history and how symbolic to most faiths this cathedral represented while I was there. Thank you for helping me visualize how this tragedy is bringing faith through prayer and song during a Holy Week they never expected.
What beautiful words…I sit hear watching in disbelief and I am so saddened by the loss of such a sacred place. I had the opportunity to visit there in 1998 when I attended the World Cup and prayed with people from all over the world. I will never forget that day, or this one, as I watch this unfold in front of our eyes, and see the way that tragedy ha
s brought these strangers together to honor God.
Gosh. Here I am just working and not having any idea about this. Melissia always let us know breaking news. I miss her.
And you, and Debbie and Cheri and Trudy, but…it’s ok.
I’ll see it on the news tonight to learn more. Thank you for writing of the hope.
Love you,
Bev
Had been at the Arboretum all day with daughter-in-law and grandchildren having a wonderful time. Came home and my husband told me of this horrible tragedy. So sad and brought back memories of my 2 visits there
years ago – one on my first trip to Europe with a friend and then with my
Mom. Such a horrible tragedy- especially daring Holy Week. What a beautiful moment when strangers came together to sing……
Thank you for these powerful words.