Apart from the immense artistic, historical, or even theological value of icons, there is another dimension that makes them holy windows. When you look at an icon, you look through the icon into the eternal reality it represents.
The same mystery makes the Roman Catholic or Byzantine Catholic or Orthodox eucharistic liturgies so potent. We do not simply remember an event, and stir our emotions to make-believe it is happening again. No, we enter into the event itself.
So at the Eucharist we find ourselves immersed in the reality of Christ's life, suffering, death and resurrection. So in icons we gaze into the eyes of Christ, his mother, or some other saint who so shone with the light of Christ that we clearly see Christ in them.
One could learn a great deal about icons, their history, their artistic qualities, the doctrines they teach, etc. But without the growing awareness of God mediated through the icon, the liturgy, the sacraments, then, icons would remain only intriguing and curious, rather than mysterious and awesome.
How do we let this experience happen, if indeed it is possible? Let the icon teach you; it is still, be still yourself; it gazes at you, gaze back at it; in it a hand is raised in blessing toward you, receive its blessing.
The funny thing is, the icon itself fades away once the reality appears.
The same mystery makes the Roman Catholic or Byzantine Catholic or Orthodox eucharistic liturgies so potent. We do not simply remember an event, and stir our emotions to make-believe it is happening again. No, we enter into the event itself.
So at the Eucharist we find ourselves immersed in the reality of Christ's life, suffering, death and resurrection. So in icons we gaze into the eyes of Christ, his mother, or some other saint who so shone with the light of Christ that we clearly see Christ in them.
One could learn a great deal about icons, their history, their artistic qualities, the doctrines they teach, etc. But without the growing awareness of God mediated through the icon, the liturgy, the sacraments, then, icons would remain only intriguing and curious, rather than mysterious and awesome.
How do we let this experience happen, if indeed it is possible? Let the icon teach you; it is still, be still yourself; it gazes at you, gaze back at it; in it a hand is raised in blessing toward you, receive its blessing.
The funny thing is, the icon itself fades away once the reality appears.
