REDUCING THE GLARE
Just a few years ago (2004), Frank Gehry finished his landmark creation of the 274 million dollar Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Now, with all that money you'd expect the building to shine, and it does. The shimmering stainless steel concert hall is truly marvelous to see.
In fact, people living in a condominium facing the structure agreed that the view was glorious, but that glory became overpowering when the sun shone at midday. Portions of the gleaming concert hall reflected brilliantly into the windows of the condominium, and temperatures rose by as much as 15 degrees. This forced residents to get off their patios, draw the blinds, and turn on the air conditioner until the sunlight shifted.
Jacqueline Lagrone, who lives on the fourth floor of the Promenade Residences, said, "You couldn't even see and then the furniture would get really hot. You would have to literally close the drapes, and you'd still feel warmth in the house."
As Disney officials looked for a way to dull the glare, they placed mesh blankets over the mirror-like steel. While this diminished the problem, everyone agreed that it looked terrible, and a more permanent solution was sought. (Jia-Rui Chong, "Disney Hall Glare Gets to Neighbors," L.A. Times, 2-21-04)
All too often, many of us try to tone down God's demands and reduce the glare of his holiness so we can live more comfortably.
(From a sermon by C. Philip Green, The Holiness of Grace, 4/29/2011)