The Saints: Participation in the Greater Reality
For Halloween, I am sure the kiddies had their Captain America, Black Panther, and Iron Man costumes. For a small child, and for many adults, myself, the Fictional world of the Avengers, or sometimes even the fantasy world of the Lord of the Rings, is a much more exciting and desirable reality than the mundane everyday. Perhaps another critic would be willing to demonstrate how shallow big budget special effects-laden sensationalist movies are today. Whether some, or most of what pop-culture presents as the Greater Reality, it still offers some sort of identification and inspiration to many people.
Were I not in Religious Life, as a mid-thirties white guy, I would probably have been so-overly identified with Star Wars that my life would have been ruined right now. The Greater Reality of many adults, what somewhat affirms our perspective of the world, sometimes providing an escape, but also firing the heart with emotion and inspiration, are the multi-faceted stories of Harry Potter, the Avengers, Star Wars, Justice League.
In our modern age, without a cohesive narrative of our underlying reality, or an art media that can creatively and accessibly describe that narrative, we have pop-culture to fill. The Greater Reality, the overarching narrative of human history and drama of the medieval Christian Mind, was expressed imaginatively in the alterpieces, frescoes, mosaics, statues and reliefs in the Churches. It was not because the medieval Christian could express or communicate what that Greater Reality was, but because they could sensually experience the suspended icons and the vaulted frescoes.
The Drama of this Greater Reality of the medieval Christian Imagination, included the timeless stories of the Scriptures, but even the great holy men and women. The Medeival Saints now participated in the Greater Reality despite being generational contemporaries. The mosaics and frescoes of Christ and the Apostles of Peter, James, John, and Paul, as described in the Gospels, accompanied by the Great Martyrs Agatha, Lucy, and Catherine of Alexandria, who were supplemented by the mosaics and frescoes of Saints Benedict, Francis, Dominic, Scholastica.
The early medieval art, dominated by Icon-styled Alterpieces and Illuminated prayer books, would begin to give way detailed realism and soft naturalism in painted pieces from the likes of Jan Van Eyck, Rogier Van Der Weyden, Albrecht Durer, and Hans Memling. Although the Church was the primary patron of Art, increasingly many lay faithful began to finance artists. There was an organic and enthusiastic synergy of Church Leadership, Lay Faithful, and the Artists. Many artists began to sneak their self portraits into the works, or patrons had their visage included. The drive of medieval women and men to model for the Magdalene or Francesco d’Assis, the desire to have a tangible and lasting participation in the Greater Reality!
Realizing the power of art, the Church would utilize Art in the Counter Reformation. I think of the post-war Church boom, resulted in many new and growing Los Angeles Area Churches seeking out new artists to give the people something to talk about. With few Catholics in the business of captivating the Imagination of the Modern Restless Heart, while many young beauty-starved Catholics lament this state. What do you think your local Pastors reaction would be if many young Catholics notifying their pastors that they would donate more money to that parish if they would patronize the arts? Perhaps this is a request more timely than ever? Young People in the Post-Christian West couldn’t be any unhappier, despite their greater freedom to select from a wider array of choices. Perhaps they are craving to Participate in a Greater Reality? Could there be a new movement of art
This Greater Reality, of the Medieval Imagination, captivated Christians who desired to be saints. The Greater Reality, expressed and described in the art of the Sacred Buildings, and sometimes on safe display in secular museums, stunningly showcases the participants in this Greater Reality: The Apostles, the Martyrs, the Holy Men and Women throughout the Ages. Would more exposure to these brilliant displays of ordinary holiness depicted in enthralling beauty be the right invitation to the modern restless heart?
Photo Taken at the Huntington Library Art Collections, a nameless Saint. Could this Saint meant to be you?
