Notre Dame – Reviving the Body of Christ
South facade and nave of Notre Dame Cathedral, two years before the fire, Source Flickr, Author Ali Sabbagh
(Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain)
Begun in 1163 on the Ile de la Cite in the heart of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral is an artistic and architectural masterpiece dating from the Gothic period [1]. The fire which occurred there on April 15, 2019 — though it, thankfully, claimed no lives — was a tragedy for the entire world [2][3]. The spire was totally destroyed, along with 2/3 of the roof.
Reconstruction
Reconstruction is underway with a commitment not only to restore the structure, but maintain its original integrity [4A]. This has required extensive research into medieval building methods. Rebuilding in the old style is necessary to assure that the new roof will behave the same way the old one did [4B].
Perfectly Straight
Some 13,000 wooden beams which supported the roof must be replaced. Oaks of the appropriate height and dimension have been sourced throughout France.
Because twisted fibers from damage during growth will weaken a tree, trees are inspected from every angle to identify defects before being harvested. The timber that is cut must be of top quality, and perfectly straight.
Highest Standards
“What I enjoy most is discovering the wood. Each tree is unique.”
-Francois Feillet, French sawmill owner [4C]
The forty five sawmills processing this timber adhere to extremely rigorous rules, the highest standards in carpentry.
The timber is first stripped of its outermost layer. Next, a slabber shreds away the remaining bark. Finally, a high speed bandsaw trims the lumber down to the beam specifications needed.
A House of Worship Defiled
Notre Dame Cathedral is today a house of worship, a symbol of French pride, and a tourist attraction. Its creation was an act of faith on the part of countless craftsmen — carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, glassmakers — and the communities which supported them.
But during the French Revolution the cathedral was defiled and abandoned. Public worship was banned. The cathedral was looted and vandalized, its west facade torn down [5]. A prostitute was installed on the altar as the “goddess of reason” [6].
The time, effort, and expense being devoted to the reconstruction of Notre Dame are the more ironic, since France considers itself a secular nation [7][8]. Only about 5% of the population attend church; 63% identify as non-religious; at least 29% declare themselves atheists [9][10].
Though the fire at Notre Dame was not a result of arson, France reports that there were 857 anti-Christian incidents in 2021 alone [11]. Churches and Christian landmarks are daily burnt or vandalized. Statues are smashed; satanic images, Islamic sentiments, and anarchist slogans are scrawled on walls.
Revival and Renewal
Subject to self-righteousness, avarice, self-aggrandizement, scandal, abuse and betrayal, commercialization, complacency, compromise, and outright heresy, the organized church has likewise collapsed in the modern era. We can no longer pretend this has not taken place.
The collapse was not due to external persecution (real as that may be), but to internal rot. Beyond the beautiful buildings, the actual church — the people comprising the Body of Christ — are desperate for revival and renewal.
Reform is critical. The reconstruction of Notre Dame provides a surprising guide.
- Areas of decay must be identified and removed, through the process of repentance.
- Solid new wood must be secured. This is the process of conversion. Integrity and devotion are what matter, not numbers of congregants filling our pews.
- Lives must be rededicated, then sanctified through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. His standards of holiness are the very highest. The bark must be chipped away, the sinful habits corrected, so that lives can be reshaped to the true purpose for which God intended them.
Like each tree, each life is unique. God alone knows the strengths and weaknesses of that life. He knows where the wounds lie which must be healed. God speaks to each heart in a unique fashion, conveying the same message of redemption to all.
Rebuilding in the old style is necessary to assure that the new structure will be as sound as the old. But it is God’s love which binds the structure together — each life, however insignificant it may seem to the world, an integral part of the whole.
“Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
Cause Your face to shine,
And we shall be saved!” (Ps. 80: 19).
—
[1] Wikipedia, “Notre-Dame de Paris”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris.
[2] Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, https://www.friendsofnotredamedeparis.org/.
[3] Wikipedia, “Notre-Dame fire”, https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_fire.
[4A, 4B and 4C] Nova, Season 49, Episode 13, “Rebuilding Notre Dame”, https://www.pbs.org/video/rebuilding-notre-dame-e4hnpa/.
[5] Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, “Progression Through Time”, “https://www.friendsofnotredamedeparis.org/notre-dame-cathedral/history/progression-through-time/.
[6] Catholic Weekly, “French Catholicism after the Notre Dame conflagration” by Bishop Peter Elliott, 4/18/19, https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/french-catholicism-after-the-notre-dame-conflagration/.
[7] Wikipedia, “Secularism in France”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism_in_France.
[8] The Atlantic, December 2021 Issue, “Why Is France So Afraid of God?” by Rachel Donadio, 11/22/21, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/12/france-god-religion-secularism/620528/.
[9] About France, “Religion in France”, https://about-france.com/religion.htm.
[10] Wikipedia, “Irreligion in France”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_France.
[11] Catholic News Agency (CNA), 2/12/22, “More than 800 incidents reported in France in 2021”, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250372/more-than-800-anti-christian-incidents-reported-in-france-in-2021.
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A Lawyer's Prayers 
Nailed it, Anna. The Church stands in need of radical repentance and restorative revival. Thanks.
Thank you, Erroll. Those who have turned away do not realize what they have forsaken.
God has been calling for restoration and reform for a very long time.
Jeremiah 6:16 (KJV)
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [therein].
We will not walk therein. Tragically, that response is as timely today as when those words were written.
It is heartbreaking.
Excellent article Anna.
Can you imagine the strength churches could have if they united and followed the word of God..
You are so right, Mary. Sadly, the great falling away prophesied in the Bible is happening before our eyes. Nonetheless, Christ says to the church of Philadelphia in the Book of Revelation, “Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Rev. 3:8). We must trust in Him, and keep faith.
Well said Anna.
Many thanks, Gary.
Good analogy, Anna. The younger generation are leaving the church in droves. They see the rot and want nothing to do with it. The “Remnant” needs to complete the purging and reach out to this generation as the true Church before they’re lost completely.
Exactly, Ann.