August Prayer Theme
We can evangelize by appreciating beauty
The Michigan Catholic
Published August 3, 2007
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you" (Phillipians 4:8-9).
My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:
As I continue my monthly column on evangelization, preaching and living the Good News of Jesus Christ, for this month of August, I will reflect on the way God's Word is often "hidden" in the beauty of great works of religious art, music, literature and other cultural expressions. Our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, often spoke about the need to "evangelize our culture." By this he meant two things: first, discovering seeds of the Gospel already present in the positive aspects of our culture; second, raising critical questions about how our culture might need to be "purified" by the Gospel message.
In many ways, faith and culture are necessarily interwoven. For the Gospel to be meaningful and compelling, we need to express it in a way that people can understand it and take it to heart. When Jesus, the Son of God, came among us in human form, He adapted himself to a particular culture — the Aramaic language and the Hebrew faith tradition. He lived according to the rituals and customs of His Jewish ancestry, and when He preached the Gospel, He used images and stories that resonated with the life experience of the people of first century Palestine. As we bring the Gospel message to life in the 21st century, therefore, we, too, need to ask ourselves what God's Word is saying to us through the culture in which we live. The advice of St. Paul to the early Church in Rome still holds true today: We should transform our world and its values by the spiritual renewal of our own minds and hearts (see Romans 12:3-4).
Beauty as a form of "Gospel"
In his novel, "The Idiot," the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky proclaimed "The world will be saved by beauty." St. Thomas Aquinas wrote about the "transcendals" which naturally draw us to God; one of them is beauty. In our own lifetime, the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar made a lifetime study of how beauty — in all its cultural forms — can be a means for coming to know God, the source of all beauty.
Whether it be the experience of beauty in nature, through meeting another person, through works of art, music or literature, for one who is pure of heart and looking for the Lord, beauty can be a compelling means of encountering the Good News. Creating works of beauty can also be a means for expressing one's faith in the good news of our salvation in Christ. Beauty often draws people out of themselves, toward God and others. Contemplating beauty, we find peace. I should probably add a word of nuance here regarding what is meant by "beauty." Beauty in the theological and spiritual sense is not necessarily about things/people externally pleasing to the eye or what the media might claim as "beauty." For indeed, quite often God's beauty is very different from the worldly standards. Here, we are speaking of beauty as aligned with and in harmony with goodness and truth, the other "transcendentals" which draw us to God.
There is a certain ambiguity whenever we speak about beauty. And so it is that Dostoevsky's comment about beauty saving the world is followed by a question: "What kind of beauty will save the world?" In other words, some beauty leads us closer to God while other beauty might draw us away from God. The answer, in large part, has to do with our own attitude or perspective; if we are trying to possess someone or something that is perceived to be "beautiful," we are being lustful. But if our eyes and heart are pure, we will see people and things as God does. Secondly, it is important to remember that whatever beauty we encounter in this world is only partial and fragmentary; beauty is passing and transitory.
In the ideal world, the beauty of the human creature and the beauty of nature and the arts should naturally draw us to God, the source of all beauty. But because of original sin, our vision and desire can sometimes lead us astray. So when God sent His Son into the world, He showed us a new standard of beauty: He revealed His divine beauty through poverty and weakness, dependence and vulnerability, even the disfiguration of the cross. Theologically, we could say that Jesus "redeemed beauty" by depriving Himself of beauty. And so, we believe that anyone and anything of this world can truly radiate a spiritual beauty even if on that surface the person or circumstance might not seem to be attractive to the eye.
Furthermore, real beauty is meant to be a shared reality: When I appreciate the inner beauty or goodness of a person, I help them to recognize their truest and deepest dignity and relationship with God and I myself experience something of the joy of God and the beginning of His dream for creation. In this sense, evangelization and beauty work together: Both seek to manifest the often hidden but still powerful love of God present in creation, redeemed and renewed by Jesus Christ through His death-resurrection.
Literature as a window for God's Word
During the slower pace of summer, perhaps many of us have more opportunity to read. Good literature can inspire us and help us think about our Christian values and the story of Jesus in a fresh, compelling way. Some time-honored novels come to mind — "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky; "The Betrothed" by Alessandro Manzoni; Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables"; the many novels of Graham Greene, particularly, "The Power and the Glory"; "The Diary of a Country Priest" by Georges Bernanos and Remy Rougeau; or "Silence" by the Japanese author Shusaku Endo. I have mentioned just a few pieces of famous literature from various cultures that have implicit Christian themes and can help the reader come to a new appreciation of the Gospel. Sometimes, discussing great literature with others in book clubs can be a means for evangelizing and helping people come to the faith, rediscover or reactivate their faith.
Biographies of great people, particularly saints, can also be inspiring and motivating, opening doors for possible evangelization and reflection. For some people, short stories and poetry are helpful stimuli for reflection and, ultimately, for prayer. We all need ways to move beyond the immediacy of our own narrow preoccupations, prejudices, and fears so that we can marvel at the majesty of the Lord God. In monasteries, monks often listen to various non-Scriptural readings during their community meals precisely for the purpose of expanding their imagination. Many retreat houses do the same. Reading good literature hand-in-hand with the Scriptures can be a wonderful means for understanding God's Word and allowing it to take root in our minds and hearts.
Unleashing God's Word through music
For many of us, music is a great source of relaxation. Whether it be classical or jazz, rock or a chant, music can often have a spiritual effect on us — individually or as a group. Obviously, in today's culture, sad to say, not all music is good for the spirit. But happily, much music is good. In fact, we have access to so much music that, at times, we can feel overwhelmed and not really appreciate the marvel of music. Listening to Gregorian chant, or even singing it, can be a profound way of praying and can help us appreciate the words of the psalms with a fresh vitality. Classical music can also take us to another realm; it slows us down and sets the stage for us to be more contemplative, calm and serene and, therefore, attuned to the deeper realities of life. Did you ever stop to take the time to read the lyrics of many of our songs used in Church? Quite often, they are rather profound and meaningful, and sometimes they even have a story and background of their own. For example, think of the song, "Amazing Grace," and the circumstances of the author; the song expresses his major conversion experience. When we sing together, we can evangelize and encourage others in their faith. Through music, we are linked with people of every time and place, and we can celebrate the fidelity, creativity and dynamism of our God.
Film and theater as opportunities for grace
Live theater, dramatic presentations, operas and musicals, as well as films, can also be helpful ways for reflecting on what God's Word might be saying to us in today's culture. Obviously, we need to be discerning as we choose movies and plays; while not all of them are intrinsically good, we are blessed with a rich treasure house of inspiring plays and movies.
Consider, for example, the 1997 movie "Life Is Beautiful." Our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, had a private screening and found it to be a very compelling story, the love of a Jewish father for his son in the midst of their mutual suffering in a German concentration camp. Over the years, we have all had opportunities to see many great movies about our Lord, the Jewish people or the early Church, and the lives of saints.
The imagery and photography of film can bring to life for us the words of the Gospel and the way God's holiness often shines through very ordinary people in the midst of their daily challenges. Watching good movies together with other people can be a wonderful stimulus for discussions of faith. I, myself, have often found that some of my best conversations with good friends have been critiquing a play and discussing what the author had in mind and how its message might effect our lives.
Works of art: The invisible made visible
Do you ever take time to go to the museum and enjoy works of great artists? For many people, one of the most memorable moments of their visit to Rome was their visit to the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums where they encountered classic religious art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Great works of art continue to be created in every time and culture, expressing the faith, zeal and hunger of people for an encounter with God.
We struggle to understand the invisible God and so we need the visual arts; through them, we come to understand the power of God's Word made flesh. Evangelization can happen for both the artist and the viewer of the art. The artist expresses his faith or desire to believe, and we, for our part, can pick up on the hints and indications that he gives through his creative expression.
Human history: Cultures of faith
The study of history is also a wonderful means for contemplating how God's Word has been an energy within every culture. Consider the fact that North America and South America became settled and developed in large part because of the missionary zeal of Jesuits and Franciscans, Dominicans and other religious orders who felt impelled to proclaim the Good News to the ends of the Earth. The history of every culture includes the brave witness of such missionary activity, and we, at this point in time, have the privilege of hearing and proclaiming God's Word, helping to make our culture more Christian. May we find joy in allowing God's Word to come to life in and through the creative and imaginative power that God gives us! May we appreciate beauty as an expression of the Gospel and a means for bringing the Good News to life for our world today. Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
†Adam Cardinal Maida
Archbishop of Detroit
August Prayer Theme:
"Evangelization through Appreciating Beauty"
 As we continue to reflect on the privilege of being evangelizers, during this month of August, I invite us all to take the time to appreciate the beauty of human culture—be it art or music, literature or theater, or the study of human history. As our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, often said, faith must evangelize culture and a Gospel that has not permeated the culture is not yet fully evangelized.
Heavenly Father, as we contem–plate the beauty of your love made flesh in Jesus Christ, help us to understand the way you continue to speak your Word in and through the gift of art and culture. May we adore you, the invisible but powerful God, as we rejoice in the creative and imaginative expressions of your presence through human culture. May we lift our voices in praise of your beauty and use our talents for your glory so that all people might hear and believe in Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
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