The tragic fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris yesterday has caught the entire worlds attention. While I am not Roman Catholic or even Christian, I know what the building represents – nearly 800 years of human history.

Years ago (1997) I was privileged to go to Westminster Abbey. To say that it was moving would be an understatement. I can only imagine what many of my friends and acquaintances who have hugged a gargoyle atop Notre Dame are feeling today. From tears to gallows humor, there is a whole lot of chat about it’s burning.

I think that for me, there is a sense of loss of the history of that facility. The story of the Notre Dame is long and storied, and not nearly as peaceful – or even churchy – as you might think. In fact, not that long ago, it wasn’t even a church…