Thomas Berry was a champion and steady voice for the future, and for the children of the future. It is most appropriate that the hands of Lauren Klose, a young artist working alongside Sr Bernadette, collaborated in bringing this image forward, not to be venerated but to inspire hope and action for the Earth Community.

In this icon, Thomas is encircled by the great flaring forth of the Big Bang, setting him inside the 13.7 billion year universe story. The stars of our Milky Way Galaxy surround him while he holds in his hands the white lilies of the meadow, representing the Earth Community.

This is a joyful image, meant to have us smile back, encouraging hope and challenging us to go into the future as a single, sacred community.  Thomas is portrayed with his famous smile, reminding us of the words he spoke toward the end of his life ~

“I hope my laughter is the last to go.”

The White Lilies, a signature image of Thomas Berry holds prominence in the space, offering a visual representation of his encounter with a meadow described in the chapter, “The Meadow Across the Creek”, from his book, The Great Work.

“The field was covered with lilies rising above the thick grass. A magic moment, this experience gave to my life something that seems to explain my thinking at a more profound level than almost any other experience I can remember.”