This Weekend, One of the Great Achievements in Modern Human History Opens its Doors

You don't have to be French, or Catholic, or Christian, or even religious, to appreciate what feats humans are capable of when they're motivated by their faith. This was the scene in Paris on April 16th, 2019:

For a while, it appeared that Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the great works of art, science, architecture, engineering and construction in world history, would be at total loss. Along with all the priceless artifacts contained within. But as the hours and days went on, there was a thin hope some of it would be spared. There were reports of priests running through the flames at great personal risk to retrieve as much of the irreplaceable treasures as they could. Some of the most sacred parts of the church were spared:

 As were some of the features that are among the most celebrated artistic achievements of all time. And once the fire was out, authorities vowed that it would all be restored. As accurately as humanly possible. Even using the original types of tools, materials and methods. 

And here it is, 5 1/2 years later, as it's due to open in a formal ceremony this weekend:

It might sound trite to call it a miracle, since it took so much labor-intensive effort to accomplish all this. But to me, the miracle is what human beings are capable of. The way we possess the intellect, the skill, the craftsmanship, the drive, the willingness, and I'll add the love, to take on and finish such a monumental task in such a short period of time. 

And to that I'll add the original builders, who laid the first bricks of this magnificent structure in 1163. The Greek proverb, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in,” has never been more applicable. Because the work wasn't completed until 1260. And has been constantly improved upon throughout the centuries. And in the time it takes for average major appliance to break down now, those workers in that first photo have restored Notre Dame in a way those first workmen could never have dreamed was possible. Using the same blood, sweat, toil and tears they did. 

Incroyable. 

Here's a terrific thread that will give you a firm belief in what mankind is capable of, so I suggest you set aside some time to look through all of it:

But for our purposes, I'll just post some of the highlights. Beginning with the purpose of cathedral and its design:

As well as the artistry. I read an essay once by an agnostic who described standing before one of the Rose Windows and having an epiphany that changed his worldview forever. Somehow all this stained glass survived the blaze:

As a side note, during the Nazi Occupation of France, it was feared the Germans would destroy these windows, so they were carefully disassembled, hidden away, and returned once Paris was liberated. 

Then there's the most revered and sacred relic of all, which was rescued from the fire, and will be on display tomorrow:

And while you could never hope to do justice to the sculptures and statuary of Notre Dame in a single post, here are just a couple of small Trader Joe's Samples Counter-sized portions:

So if I may, let me suggest we all try to take a moment to catch the celebration Saturday. Because it's more than just about a church you might not be yours in a city you'll never visit an ocean away. This is about the indomitable human spirit. People coming together to restore their history for posterity. It's about science and math, labor and effort, mind, body and soul. And what our species is capable of when we're called upon to do things for the greater good of all humankind. 

As noted Catholic scholar JRR Tolkien put it, "Evil is not able to create anything new, it can only distort and destroy what has been invented or made by the forces of good." This demonstrates that, whatever our flaws and how awful the things we're capable of are, there are "forces for good" in this world. And we're all better for it.

Vive la France.