Impermanence and Joy (# 1791)

1.A few weeks ago I wondered if my side exploration of Sant’Agnese fuori le mura and my readings from Thich Nhat Hanh would come together. Last night they did in a way meaningful for me but probably not for most people. I began to meditate on the impermanence of church buildings and religious sanctuaries in general. As an architecture historian and a historic preservation advocate, I have lamented the loss of many wonderful structures. In the city in which I grew up, the churches were the most interesting edifices in any neighborhood. The Roman Catholic churches, with their tall towers, dominated the skyscape along with industrial structures which I also appreciate. Because of their size, the Roman Catholic churches are usually too unstable to reuse for other purposes. After years of neglect they are said to be unstable. The dioceses have not been helpful at all and often seem to be trying to remove these buildings.

I also have been growing to appreciate these structures as more than they appear. The congregations came before the buildings. Poor immigrant women especially saved from the meager household pennies to help build these buildings. Who knows what percentage that was to the cost but the donors assumed these buildings would be there for generations. Stained glass windows, statues, decoration, organs were often purchased with congregation member’s donations. Then there were the workmen, the draftsmen, the artisans, and the clergy all contributed to the building.

2.Buddhists often talk about suffering, no-self and impermanence. Thay argued against conflating the three. Suffering is not a result of impermanence. If one thinks that way, there is no joy. Joy is found in the present; suffering often comes from living in the past or the future.