stone and intention

my wife put this song on a cd she made for me awhile back. i've been listening to the cd quite a bit lately and consequently began thinking about cathedrals. i remember studying medieval architecture during my divinity classes. i even recall one of my professors so enamored with the way the structures of these buildings and theology of the time were intertwined and how the buildings actually gave 'glory to God'. it was only later that i was educated as to the many fallacious reasons for ungodly amounts of wealth to be put into these structures... storing the state's wealth, grandstanding its authority, continuing century long work projects to name a few. imagine if that wealth were distributed to the needy.

i wonder if the western church of the constantinian footprint isn't doing the same thing. investing its wealth in structures and programs instead of using its resources to help restore humanity and creation. we have put so much wealth into the structure/institution of our churches (buildings, programs, advertisement, etc.) all in the name of God's 'glory'.

i wonder if God weeps when he sees these cathedrals of stone and intention.