“God has given us all a role to fulfill, it is for us to choose whether or not we do so.”
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Art For Art’s Sake
The idea of art for art’s sake is a relatively new concept in the human understanding of art. It something of the culmination of a philosophy of art that started with the so-called Age of Enlightenment in the late 17th century that separated human endeavors from any connection with the divine.
“Art for art’s sake,” denies that the artist owes anything to anyone and is free to express his or herself in any way they please, completely divorced from any notion of dependence upon or obedience to, a higher authority.
But for thousands of years before “The Enlightenment,” art was seen as an entirely different endeavor. Art served. It served the public good, it served the public conscience, it served God. It is nearly impossible, although it has been tried, to study the history of art outside of a religious context. For the vast majority of human history, art has served to connect us with something greater than ourselves.
The ancient cave paintings in places such as Lascaux, France, still puzzle experts. There is a great deal of debate over why these paintings exist. Were they an expression of some sort of shamanistic magic? Or were they the paleolithic equivalent of teen graffiti? But if we look at the art of the centuries that followed and the purpose and intent of these artistic works, we may see a much simpler explanation. They exist to celebrate creation, to give thanks to the creator for a world which supplies the people with food and nourishment, and even, perhaps, to remember the animal lives taken in order to sustain the community.
To put it another way, for the vast majority of human history, the person gifted with artistic ability was obedient to something greater than himself. And while perhaps the arts are the most visible example of this obedience, the truth is that we are all given gifts in order to serve something greater than ourselves.
The Visitation
In today’s Gospel we hear of Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. At this precise moment the Old Covenant intertwines with the New. Elizabeth will give birth to the last of the old covenant prophets; Mary will give birth to the fulfillment of all prophecies.
The amazing thing about this encounter is that the presence of the unborn children is just as powerful as the presence of the mothers. John the Baptist leaps for joy while he is still in Elizabeth’s womb, as soon as Jesus who is still in Mary’s womb, enters the room. Even before they are born the children are fulfilling their mission. Their God-given purpose, their calling is already at work in them.
Each of has a calling from God, and each of us have been given gifts to realize that calling. There are no exceptions, and there are no unimportant gifts. Everyday we are faced with a choice. Will we be obedient to God’s will and to use our gifts and fulfill our call, or will we turn from Him and go our own way? Everyday we are faced with the same choice Adam faced in the garden. When we tire or our roles and responsibilities, it may help to recall that God has placed us in the present moment and called us to be a good teacher, or mother, or father, or artist. Christ expects us to be faithful in the role He has placed us. It is for us to choose to be obedient or disobedient.
This choice is made more difficult by our fallen nature, the pull of the secular world, and the workings of the devil. Due to Original Sin, we are attracted to both good and evil, often at the same time. Theologians calls this concupiscence. In addition, the secular world is convinced that we can get along just fine without God. And finally, the Devil plays upon both these elements to drive a wedge between us and God urging us further into the wrong choices.
Artists and creatives are perhaps particularly susceptible to this disordered trinity. As we struggle to fulfill our vocation and support our families we are often faced with the choice of accepting a commission that does not reflect our values, in order to feed our families and pay our bills; or reject the commission and run the risk of imposing suffering on our loved ones. It does not help that the secular world seems to value work that celebrates the demonic and pornographic and sinful over work that celebrates virtue and humility, and charity.
But answering God’s call to fulfill our vocation often involves sacrifice. We are all given gifts to enlarge the kingdom of God. To serve our brother and sisters by bringing them back to Him. Sometimes this means we sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom. But whether we choose to do so is always up to each if us.
And as Advent draws to a close, our time to make that choice grows shorter.
During this time we celebrate the coming of the Lord in may ways. We celebrate His incarnation in Bethlehem, the Word of God taking on human flesh. We celebrate His coming into the hearts of everyone who accepts Him. And we celebrate His coming at the end of time when He will make all things new. At that time He will judge the choices we have made. Are we ready? Have we prepared? Have we followed the example of our Blessed Mother and the divine Son, and said yes to our calling? Or have we neglected our calling by indulging in our own selfish whims and desires?
Advent is out time of testing. It is our time of preparation. It is our time of joy. And it is our time to choose.
