"our primary work then is to preach the Gospel, if we do this well, the rest will follow."
Emanuel Leutze, Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851, Leutz / public domain
What is this time of Advent truly about?
A Revolutionary War Lesson
During the revolutionary war, a spy, loyal to the British cause, learned that Washington had crossed the Delaware River during the night and was marching on Trenton, New Jersey, where a force of Hessians were encamped.
The spy appeared at the headquarters of the Hessian commander, Colonel Johann Rall to warn him but the spy was refused entrance. The Colonel was busy, deeply engrossed in a poker game. In desperation the spy wrote his warning on a scrap of paper to be given to Rall but the Colonel stuffed the note into a pocket without reading it and continued his game.
When the Hessian soldiers began firing their muskets in a futile attempt to stop Washington's army, Rall was still playing cards. As a result the American colonists won their first major victory in the war for Independence.
Advent is a time for us to remember to be watchful and alert. The world around us swirls with holiday shopping, Black Friday deals, and non-stop advertising for pre-Christmas sales. They almost get it right. For Christians it is, paradoxically, a time for us to reduce our attachment to worldly things and to remember what it is we truly prepare for. Though the world around us would have us believe otherwise, this is a somber time, almost reminiscent of Lent. Advent is a time of preparation for the One who is to come. Advent is a time to reflect upon the beginning and the end of all things.
A Time of Spiritual Preparation
Advent is a time of spiritual preparation, and meditation. But with each passing day our anticipation grows and our joy increases. Think of it like a pregnancy. An expectant mother’s attitude is one of restrained joy. She prepares for the coming of her child into the world, but does not allow herself to fully experience the joy until her child is born. Advent is like that, we prepare and wait, celebration will come later.
Advent is about the coming of Jesus in the past, and the anticipation of His coming in the future. With the birth of Christ we enter into the Third Age of Man and celebrate the New Covenant. During Advent we prepare for the moment when eternity touches the earth, when God becomes man and comes to live among His people.
But the Master has travelled abroad and left us, His servants, in charge. We have each been given work to do while we wait for the Master's return. And so Advent is also a time to prepare for Christ's second coming at the end of all things. There will be a new Heaven and a new Earth for the old will have passed away and we will enter the Fourth Age of Man.
The Work of the Artist
What then is the work of the artist? What work have we been given to do while we await the Master's return? It is much the same as the work given to everyone else, artists have simply been given a different set of tools.
Before Jesus ascended to the Father, He instructed his followers to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15), make followers (disciples) of all nations, and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
These tasks build upon each other. First, we spread the Good News, we preach the Gospel. This is the role of every baptized Christian as members of the universal priesthood. Preaching the Gospel is not an activity reserved for the priest or deacon during the celebration of Mass, it is the work of all Christians.
When we preach the Gospel effectively, we create disciples, followers of Christ. It is these followers who will then seek baptism into the one mystical Body of Christ.
So our primary work then is to preach the Gospel, if we do this well, the rest will follow. Artists have been given a unique set of tools to do this.
We could of course retell the Gospel stories directly through images, songs, stories, plays, etc.. This touches upon the world of the sacred artist who paints liturgical art, icons and altar pieces, and illustrates scenes from the Bible and Christian history. But artists are endlessly creative and we can preach the Gospel in many more ways that are less obvious and arguably more attractive to the casual observer.
The Gospel contains timeless truths relating to our relationship with God, our love of neighbor, and our sense of justice or righteousness. If our work conveys and supports these messages of life, love, Beauty and communion, then we are preaching the Gospel. We can do this in a portrait just as easily as we can in a landscape or a still life. Every artist draws upon their own experience, training, talent, and calling to create new revelations of the divine. We need not be explicitly religious in our work but we should be intentional in the message our work conveys.
This is our work, the commission (the shared mission) of all Christians. And each of us have been given a unique set of tools to fulfill our part of the commission. This is the work we are to do while we await the Master's return.
Jesus told His disciples to be watchful and alert for we do not know when the Lord of the house is returning. When He returns, what will He find? Will He find us ready and prepared, having fulfilled the tasks we were given? Or will He find us busy playing cards?
Pax Vobiscum
1st Sunday in Advent
The Lion of Judah © Lawrence Klimecki
Pontifex University is an online university offering a Master’s Degree in Sacred Arts. For more information visit the website at www.pontifex.university
Lawrence Klimecki, MSA, is a deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento. He is a public speaker, writer, and artist, reflecting on the intersection of art and faith and the spiritual “hero’s journey” that is part of every person’s life. He maintains a blog at www.DeaconLawrence.org and can be reached at Lawrence@deaconlawrence.com
Lawrence draws on ancient Christian tradition to create new contemporary visions of sacred art. For more information on original art, prints and commissions, Please visit www.DeaconLawrence.org
Purchase fine art prints of Deacon Lawrence’s work here.
