Notre Dame: The Altar of Hope

Photo Courtesy by Reuters.

Fire recently engulfs the historical Notre Dame Cathedral which served as the “symbol of Christianity” for 850 years in Paris, France. Reports say that the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof were both destroyed during the fire which burned for several hours. Unknown to many, the devastating event was not the first time for the historical infrastructure, as a matter of fact, the present edifice only replaced a church that was destroyed by fire and in 13^th century, another fire also struck the cathedral.

The shocking event damaged not only one of the world’s ancient cathedrals that became a silent witness of history but it also hurt the hearts of the faithful that looked up to the cathedral as a symbolic structure for faith and Christianity enduring  the test of time. According to several news reports, the cathedral burned for several hours but miraculously, the altar specifically the cross stood still as if it was untouched. From the blazing fire that consumed parts of the sacred place, the altar’s preservation is unbelievable and due to this, many may deny its validity as a miracle. But for some believers, it is enough to be a sign of hope out of the unexpected event that destroyed the beautiful cathedral.

The ‘miraculous’ event served different representations, like how Christianity endured all the test of time and difficulties, like how Jesus successfully conquered the temptations of the devil, like how Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, and how the kingdom of God will come with power at the end of time. The altar’s preservation to be considered as a miracle is not a topic for debate; it is a symbol of how our faith, like the cross that stood still after the blazing fire, must also remain imperishable.