Liturgy Begins with Remembrance
May 29th, 2007 by 
ruah
After some reflection on the Washington Arts Group Conference, I, John, have been contemplating the situation of the artist. Let is be known that the title of this entry is a quote I thought particularly striking from a talk given by Stratford Caldecott. He did an eloquent job drawing from Sacred Scripture and the book of Revelation in his talk entitled, “Liturgy, Trinity, and Time.”
Simply, as I see it, to be an artist is to remember or to recognize God and then to convey, through whatever medium (or media) the artist feels called, the most intimate encounter(s) with God as the human imagination will allow. For the Catholic believer (this is me), the Liturgy is nothing less than a sacred space/time event which, like a cosmic “white hole” draws all time, history, eternity into, truly, Himself (to put it lightly!).
Here, in this event/encounter, the artist draws the focal point of his memory: his remembering of who God is. Here, the Christian artist will encounter the deepest and greatest of all mysteries essential to good art: beauty, love, life, truth, goodness, and suffering. In case you don’t know, this is the Mass.
At the conference, many were called to truly reflect upon and clarify the notions they had of “liturgy.” Among the Christians drawing more heavily from the Catholic faith perspective, Liturgy emerged as the very heart and soul, the very inspiration, from which the artist would find his inspiration and orientation in the present day.
Now, as a way to understand the true beauty and power of this event/encounter and the new lived reality one finds with being in Christ Jesus in this way, one does well to contemplate under “The Celebration of the Christian Mystery” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth ‘the wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.’ For this reason, the Church celebrates in the liturgy above all the Paschal mystery by which Christ accomplished the work of our salvation.” (CCC #1067)
As I continue to reflect more and more deeply upon how Liturgy may be the first-cause for all worthwhile artistic pursuits, it appears all the more evident that one must find through this sincere act of “oblation,” which Jesus showed on the Cross, the real identity of the Christian Artist (Jesus Christ being the most perfect Gift, Artist, and Offering). From this act of unspeakable love, the greatest inspiration has already appeared manifest in a multiplicity of forms over time and continues to steal our attention though not always made explicit.
Self-sacrifice in love for the other, helps us to truly see the Christian Artist (Jesus) at work in the evidence of Christian Art. Though how can a Christian artist sincerely hope to share in the sacrifice which the Lord Jesus offers to the Father for His bride, the Church, if he is unwilling to offer his own gifts, talents, and, to be sure, life, to his Lord or even his fellow man for the sake of God’s greater glory? Is, then, not the calling of the Christian artist, truly one of Divine inspiration and profound significance in our times? Is this path not one of true discipleship, un-knowing and self-abandonment to the Artist who is God? And so, if this be the case, the question arises, “In these days of static intellectualism and hollow materialism, how does the artist more fully enter into and prepare for formation as a ‘true Christian artist’?”
Some of us see the need for schools, institutions, and programs which foster, particularly, an interior life fitting to such a calling. Let me just say, I now hope and pray for artists and all those engaged in the arts to recognize this need and to work for the promotion of a new culture of the arts where, in the broader context, an “arts institution - artisan class” dialogue can form, and in the more narrow form, an “individual patron - individual artist” dialogue can deepen so as to display the universal fraternity found between Christian brethren who hope for and support the powerful message God is communicating through this most profoundly unitive work in the arts.
Perhaps for the Christian artist, a truly sacramental expression of life in Jesus Christ must be discovered more fully in the art of adoration and contemplation and from there, beauty will emerge. In any event, let us go forth with hearts filled with joy, to love, honor, and obey our Almighty Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
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May 29th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Thank you for this well thought out posting.
May I say, as an artist, I find it very difficult to have “mainstream” artist/curators understand this notion you speak of. For far too long contemporary art has been only about the individual and personal expression. To this end, we can no longer claim any kind of classical art which praises the mysteries of life. Contemporary artists see only the physical world and culture and most times this corporeal notion only sees the morose and cynical aspects of creation.
However, I will say, that if a Christian artist is good enough in producing art which satisfies to overwhelm contemporary critiques, those critiques are then always amazed to hear the artist Christian statement about their work. Indeed, the critics become admirers of the truth (or at least the mystery of this truth) of faith which produced the art.
Am I making sense?! Anyway, well done with your article. I also very much enjoy how you point out the liturgy as a beautiful art-form. I hope we can convince the modern day Catholic the beauties of a sacred and classical liturgy which helps to elevate our souls during the mass. If our masses are reverent and sacred, does this not help in our offering ourselves in prayer and uniting our lives to the sacrifice of the mass!
And, finally, as to your comment on the contemplative aspect of teaching art… AMEN!