The Arts

Gathering: Now, as we gather, let’s pause to center ourselves, give thanks for the blessings that we have in our lives, and to be both present and mindful as we enter a time of thought and discussion.

Focus: As we sit cooped up in our homes, many of us are seeking and finding advice on what performances to watch online, what music to stream, what novels to read. We are looking to the arts, not just to fill empty hours, but to take us away from the anxieties of the here and now and offer us other worlds and other lives to inhabit.

For many, watching, listening, reading isn’t enough engagement in the arts. Social media has allowed the artist to practice their art on a new stage and to new audiences. Each evening local performers sing to unseen audiences on an “Berks County Open Mic.” Bloggers craft their written skills, sending their messages into the digital void without promise of a reader. Photographers share their art among the countless “selfies” and images of food on Instagram. In each case, it seems, that the expression of the art is more important than the reception of the piece.

The arts have transcendental capabilities, moving us from the “here and now” to the “there and then.” Good art has two qualities: form and spirit. We have all heard the child play an instrument with all of the notes played correctly but the sound lacks any spirit. Conversely, Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” is void of most form but the spirit leaps from the canvas. The arts seem to have the ability to move us into liminal space, that twilight between earth and heaven, physical and metaphysical, body and soul.

Sentences on the Subject: “If you want to really hurt you parents, and you don’t have the nerve to be gay, the least you can do is go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possible can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

“Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used to be. But a great artist-a master…..-can look at an old woman, portray her exactly as she is…and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be…and more than that, he can make anyone …., see that this lovely young girl is still alive, not old and ugly at all, but simply imprisoned inside her ruined body. He can make you feel the quiet, endless tragedy that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart…no matter what the merciless hours have done to her. ― Robert Heinlein

“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” —William Congreve

“The majesty of Notre Dame—the history, artistry, and spirituality—took our breath away, lifting us to a higher understanding of who we are and who we can be.” Michelle Obama

Below is some “food for thought”, a few probes that might kick start a conversation. Read over them and pick one (or more, or none) to discuss. Remember to hold space for others to share and share only what you feel comfortable sharing.

Probe 1. What have you been reading, watching, listening to, “playing with” recently?

Probe 2. What art form (sound, performance, visual) moves your spirit? What artist connects with you? What one piece inspires, moves, “rocks” you?

Probe 3. The world watched in shock as Notre Dame burned. To many people, it was Michele Obama said, the most famous blend of “history, artistry, and spirituality”. Have you experienced an architecture that seemed sacred, that inspired reverence and made you feel closer to “the holy”?

Probe 4.“Art atunes the soul to God”- Gregg Levey. Ancient worship drew upon all of the senses, using sounds, icons, body movement, and “smells and bells”, if you will. Does modem worship engage too few of the senses? What part of modern worship do you find most engages your spirit rather than your brain?

Commission: Hold on to what is good. Love deeply. Honor others. Stay excited about life and your faith. Be joyful. Be patient. If you pray, have faith. Share with people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes. Be loving to those who hurt you. Be present; be in the moment. Be agreeable, even with those with whom you disagree. Be humble. Be a friend of people who aren’t considered important. Do the right thing. If possible, live in peace with everyone. And remember, no matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey- you are welcome here.