Before His Ascension into heaven, Jesus gave His followers a
new commandment, to love one another as He has loved us. No longer are we
called to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, now we are to love each other
as Christ loves us. This is the defining mark of the Christian, the love we
have for one another.
Christ-like love always involves a cross, a sacrifice,
that’s what makes it Christ-like. So one characteristic of a Christian Artist
is his love for God which motivates him to put his gifts and talents at the
service of the community. The Christian artist does not engage in “Art for
art’s sake,” his art serves his community. This may involve sacrifice. The
Christian Artist does not indulge in bizarre whims that are unintelligible to
the viewer, under the pretext that all art is subjective; it is not. He may be
forced to turn away from certain subjects or turn down profitable opportunities
because they do not reflect that Christ-like love.
The Christian Artist uses his gifts to lift the hearts and
minds of people to God, whether his subject is a landscape, a still life, or a
saint. Love for God is the defining characteristic of all Christians and shapes
all that we do.
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