Sacred and Less-Sacred Art

The art-world is re-embracing sacred art, as evidenced by recent sales at the major auction houses and art fairs. Even the “bad thief” (bottom photo) has a following.

Top photo: St. Barbara, 16th Century

Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, “Sir, will there be only a few saved?” He said to them, “Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’ but he will answer, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will find yourself saying, ‘We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets’ but he will reply, ‘I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men! Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast of the kingdom of God. Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those first who will be last.” Luke 13: 22-30

Today, many Christians are being taught that we are saved by faith—and faith is a gift, therefore, we don’t have to do anything because Jesus did it all on the cross. In fact we are saved by faith (properly understood as our response to grace). Yes, we have been redeemed, but we still need to consciously work out our salvation, with our Lord. “Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but ‘in body’ not ‘in heart.’ CCC #837

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Baptism of the Lord

“I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right; I have taken you by the hand and formed you. I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations, to open the eyes from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.” Isaiah 42: 6

“Whatever may be the historical and prophetic periods within which Isaih’s vision is set, we can well say that his words are fully fulfilled in Christ, in the Word who is his own but also ‘of the Father who sent him’ (Jn 5:37); in his Gospel which renews, completes and vivifies the law; and in the Holy Spirit who is sent by virtue of Christ’s redemption through his cross and resurrection, thus fully what God had already announced through the prophets in the old covenant. With Christ and in the Holy Spirit there is a new covenant, of which the prophet Ezekiel had prophesied as the mouthpiece of God: ‘I will give you a new heart and a new spirit: I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances…and you will be my people, and I will be your God'(Ez 36: 26-28).” Saint John Paul II, The Spirit – Giver of Life and Love, 1996

‘That All May Be Saved’

“All men are called to belong to the new people of God.” (Lumen Gentium 13, Vatican II)

What does it mean to be a believing member of the Church? The Council states that it means being convinced of the truth of revelation and at the same time capable of maintaining a dialogue. The dialogue in question is with those who are not convinced or have a different conviction concerning revealed truth. St. John Paul II, Sources of Renewal, 1972

A recently promulgated Vatican document seems to abandon concern for the “sick” Jews (lost sheep of the House of Israel), on the part of the Catholic Church:

“In concrete terms this means that the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any institutional mission work toward Jews.” The Gifts and Calling of God are Irrevocable, 2015

Could it be that abandoning the Jews (under pressure from perfidious popes and Jews) is subverting the Church — and in effect the greatest antisemitism of all? Pope Benedict XVI wrote in 2008, “Christianity must not concern herself with the conversion of the Jews.”

Saint John Paul II reminded us in “Crossing the Threshold of Hope” (1993): The New Covenant has its roots in the Old. The time when the people of the Old Covenant will be able to see themselves as part of the New, is naturally, a question left to the Holy Spirit. We, as human beings, try only not to put obstacles in the way. The form this “not putting obstacles” takes is certainly dialogue between Christians and Jews…The New Covenant serves to fulfill all that is rooted in the vocation of Abraham, in God’s covenant with Israel at Sinai, and in the whole rich heritage of the inspired Prophets who, hundreds of years before that fulfillment, pointed in the Sacred Scriptures to the One whom God would send in the fullness of time.” (cf. Gal 4:4).

The Church’s missionary activity is based on deep-seated theological premises, on an understanding of the very essence of the Church, and on its universality and catholicity, corresponding to the eternal design that all should be saved by God’s action and redeemed through Christ. In the light of this truth of faith, ‘The Church, which has been sent by Christ to reveal and communicate the love of God to all men and to all peoples, is aware that for her a tremendous missionary work still remains to be done.’ St. John Paul II, Sources of Renewal, 1972