What piece of art reflects my vocation?

It's been a little while since I last wrote because midterm week was crazy busy for me. Now I am writing from the Franciscan University library, I'm here visiting some friends for a few days. I just want to reflect a bit on Christ's body and our bodies. I was prompted a little while ago to reflect on what piece of art would reflect my vocation. While I initially thought Bernini's St. Theresa in Ecstasy would be the best fit I then thought I needed a piece of art that more clearly expressed the redemption of the body. (This is not to say St. Theresa in Ecstasy isn't a very relevant piece of art reflecting my vocation, this is an entry for another time). I thought that Michelangelo's Risen Christ was a rather suitable piece that effectively expressed what I particularly feel called to. Both the statue (excluding that detracting sculpted cloth covering Jesus' "manhood"), and this wonderfully expressive sketch which I love.



If this piece of art doesn't express the redemption of the body I don't know what does! Love it! I'm going to be writing a paper on Michelangelo focused on this so I'll have more relevant material later to share I'm sure. It's becoming clearer to me that Jesus has entrusted the mystery of His body...the incarnation...the redemption of our own bodies through His, in a particular way to me. What makes me say this? Well there are multiple reasons, many of which can't be adequately described in words though I'll list a few reasons.

The most important...He has revealed to me His presence in the Eucharist. My spirituality is intensely Eucharistic...it's all about His precious body and my union...body and soul..with Him. I won't get into explicit detail about how He has, and continues to reveal His Eucharistic presence to me here publicly on my blog because it is an intimate sort of thing but feel free to talk to me individually. I'm very open to and enthusiastic about sharing the way God has revealed Himself to me, to an extent. There are some things for now that are to stay between me and Jesus.

The second reason, which is naturally tied up into the first reason, is JPII's Theology of the Body. I'm utterly obsessed with Theology of the Body as about anyone who's talked to me in any depth can ascertain. The Theology of the Body is I believe as Fr. Thomas Loya described to me, the answer to all of life's problems. Essentially TOB is a presentation of the Gospel that is really accessible for me and for people of today. Of course the ideas of TOB are nothing new, just JPII really presented this Gospel message through the lenses of embodiment and sexuality in a way that really resonates with the "language" of people today. I could go on an on about TOB. Since TOB is essentially the Gospel, it is essentially about redemption of the body, (and the spirit expressed though the body). Jesus took on our flesh to redeem it!

Another reason is my talent for figurative art. My art is all about the human form. I hope to reveal through my art an authentic vision of the human person (through the body naturally). In a conversation I had with Fr. Thomas a while ago, he said that the way to redeem our pornofied culture is to help others see the human body as a true artist does...in its beauty and dignity which reveals God...who has imprinted His very image in us. I was in open figure drawing a few weeks ago, drawing a young man. I had just come back from adoring Jesus in the Eucharist. I couldn't help but think...I'm drawing Jesus. This man images Jesus.

So there you have it. My relationship with Jesus is very physical...He has given me this awareness, entrusting this to me so I can proclaim that He calls everyone to this communion with Himself. For me it's all about His body.