From the Provincial's Desk

     You will find in this, our third issue of Ignatian Imprints, a number of stories reflecting the beauty of God’s love in all creation.

Our cover story focuses on Jesuits and lay people in the Maryland Province who are artists. How does their faith influence their art? How does one find God through art? Looking at art is one way of listening to God. 

When we are in the presence of something beautiful, or are creating something beautiful, we become more aware, more able to see deeply into the beauty of God’s world. Our hearts are enlarged. And with this awakening, this enlarging of ourselves, our horizon is expanded. We become more aware of not only the creative act, but of the Creator. We can appreciate these words of St. Augustine in a more complete way through our expanded awareness:

Beautiful is God, the Word with God…He is beautiful in heaven,
beautiful on earth; beautiful in the womb, beautiful in his parents’
arms, beautiful in his miracles, beautiful in his sufferings;
beautiful in inviting to life, beautiful in not worrying about death,
beautiful in giving up his life and beautiful in taking it up again;
he is beautiful on the cross, beautiful in the tomb,
beautiful in heaven.  Listen to the song with understanding,
 and let not the weakness of the flesh distract your eyes from
the splendor of his beauty.

This issue also includes a compelling discussion by George Coyne, SJ, about God and evolution. In his article, Fr. Coyne observes a God who made a universe that has dynamism within it, and through that dynamism, that play of creation, participates in the very creativity of God.

In the “Grad at Grad” article we highlight five students, one each from our five Jesuit secondary schools. Each student exemplifies one of the characteristics outlined in Profile of the Graduate of a Jesuit High School at Graduation. These five, representative of all our graduates, have found ways to manifest God’s beauty in their own individual ways.

Whenever we awaken beauty, whether through creating a work of art or simply appreciating God’s creation, we help to make God present in the world.  Everything is beautiful, the whole secret lies in our awareness of God’s presence in that beauty. As men and women of faith, we can use this gentle reminder to pay attention, to manifest God’s beauty in our own lives. For even we radiate that same beauty of creation. 

Our beauty is gift from our Creator.

Yours in Christ,

Timothy B. Brown, SJ
Provincial