SD-42: How about a little bit on the ceilings of those Italian church buildings.
From the flat paintings that had no depth to them to the one that would appear to be popping beyond the bounds of the painting to the ones that had sculptures alongside the painting to emphasize movement from ceiling to the space of the nave, being in these buildings are enough to rattle people. Their beauty is beyond words. Their presence is enough to draw you up into the dynamics of what is being portrayed. What is being portrayed, are scenes of scripture or characters of scripture and all the 'otherness' that is used to connect ordinary humanity with God and all that one might call the 'spiritual' world.
Much of the art not only displayed the gifts of the day, they also help us see how the people of certain time periods viewed life and death and what is called holy and mundane. It made we wonder about what ceilings would look like now if I was able to paint and was asked to 'do' a ceiling. Then I thought of how we are Redeemer asked for people to come up with ideas for three stained-glass windows that would give us a glimpse at the Trinity. We wrote a half page for each window (traditionally God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit) that offered some theological and biblical notion of each person of the Trinity. Then the artists acted. We now have windows that make you look beyond the windows. They invite you to let yourself into the 'painting' and come up with what you are seeing - even though we have a guided vision of what each one may comprise.
Connection: When we are followers of Jesus, we are tied to a old story. Over the years the story has been told from many perspectives. That retelling takes place today again and again. When we each retell the story what does it say about how we see ourselves as children of God in real, everyday life? That is what is so important. How do you and I see ourselves within the grand drama that has captured the imagination and wonder of artistic saints through the ages.
Blessed are you, Maker of all that is and all that will be. Open our eyes that we may see your living presence among us enter into that presence with life that continues to rest in you alone. Amen.
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