“through baptism we are connected to the entire body of Christ, all Christians living and dead.”
A Lesson by Niggle
In January of 1945 J.R.R. Tolkien published a short story titled “Leaf by Niggle.” It is a symbolic story about our purpose in life.
In the story, Niggle is an artist, a painter, who lives in a community that does not place a great value on art. So Niggle paints mostly for himself.
One day he is inspired to begin a painting of a vast tree. He becomes obsessed with the work and abandons all his other projects to focus on the tree, the forest in the background, and the mountains in the distance. The works is intense as Niggle is intent on getting every detail right.
But he is constantly called way from his work by his neighbor Parish, an elderly man who seems to need constant aid with this or that chore. In addition Niggle has his own errands to run and all of this takes time away from the painting that he feels is imperative for him to finish.
At one point in the story helping Parish means giving up some of the supplies that Niggle needs for his painting. He is reluctant to do so because he feels that the time he has to finish the painting is quickly running out. But an authority shows up and reminds Niggle of a simple truth,
“People before paintings.”
What follows is a wonderful reflection on love of neighbor, community, and the importance of the gifts God has given us.
A Communion of Saints
Throughout His ministry Jesus reminds of the importance of preparing for the Kingdom that is to come.
In the early days of Christianity, it was thought that the second coming of Christ would be very soon, within the lifespan of those who personally heard Jesus preach. Accordingly, those first Christians were worried that their friends and family who died before Christ’s return would be left out of God’s plan of salvation.
Saint Paul assures the church in Thessalonica that this will not be the case.
In heaven we will be united with God fully and intimately. But through Christ we will also be brought into intimate communion with everyone else who is in heaven. All of our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, who have fallen asleep in Christ before us, are waiting to welcome us. This is part of the Church’s teaching on the “communion of saints.”
But even more, through baptism we are already connected to the entire body of Christ, all Christians living and dead. This allows us to call upon the saints, those already enjoying intimate union with God, to pray with us and for us.
Everything Is Connected
There is a popular myth that art is created in a vacuum. The Victorians gave us an image of a struggling artist working by himself in a drafty garret, enduring all types of economic and physical hardship in order to stay true to his unique artistic vision. This image has taken hold of the public imagination and plays into the artist’s ego, that their art must be a pure reflection of their talent, unaffected by outside influences.
But that is not the way human nature works. The history of art is a history of change. The development of artistic styles and movements is always a response to what has gone before. Sometimes it is innovation, built upon past achievements. Sometimes it is a rejection of the past in order to strike out in completely new directions. The point is that in art, as in life, nothing exists in isolation, everything is affected by everything else. Sometimes even the smallest innocuous event can lead to tremendous change.
Abstract art is often lauded for its uniqueness, as a pure expression of the artistic genius. The abstract artist perhaps comes closest to that popular notion of the isolated artist. But Pablo Picasso went so far as to say that there is no such thing as abstract art.
“There is no abstract art. You must always start with something. Afterward you can remove all traces of reality.” – Pablo Picasso
Jackson Pollock is one of the pillars of abstract art. Critics are divided on the value of his work even today. Pollock earned the nickname “Jack the Dripper” for his technique of pouring paint directly on to a canvas rather than using the conventional brush. It is this technique that has secured his place, albeit controversial, in art history. Critics of his work described his paintings as chaotic and senseless. But even the artist himself noted that he was inspired by “American Indian sand painting.”
The Body of Christ
As members of the Body of Christ, we are connected with each other. We participate in a mysterious, spiritual way with every action of the Body. In this time of quarantine and distancing restrictions, when we may be limited in our ability to attend the celebration of Mass. But it is important to remember that we all participate, in some mystical way, in every Mass that is offered at every time and place around the world.
As Christians we do nothing in isolation. We are not alone. As members of the body of Christ, sharing that distinction with the communion of saints, we are reminded that our life here has a meaning and a purpose. Every decision we make, every experience we have, is unique. Only each one of us can bring that unique experience to Christ and add it to His Eternal Kingdom.
A night sky full of stars is a beautiful sight to behold. If there were one star less, we would hardly notice. And yet the sky is less beautiful for want of that single star.
All that we do matters, how will we enlarge the Kingdom and add to the Beauty of Creation?
Pax Vobiscum
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time