“Every genuine inspiration contains some tremor of that ‘breath’ with which the Creator Spirit suffused the work of creation from the very beginning. Overseeing the mysterious laws governing the universe, the divine breath of the Creator Spirit reaches out to human genius and stirs its creative power. He touches it with a kind of inner illumination which brings together the sense of the good and the beautiful, and he awakens energies of mind and heart which enable it to conceive an idea and give it form in a work of art” (John Paul II, Letter to Artists).
Study Audio
LOVE the Word™ is a Bible study method based on Mary’s own practice: lectio without the Latin. This week’s LOVE the Word™ exercise is according to a Franciscan* personality approach.
Listen (Receive the Word)
What is your favorite piece of art or music? What does it say to you? What does God say to you through it?
Observe (Connect the passage to recent events.)
Which of these works of art speaks to you most? What thoughts and emotions arise as you study this painting? What do you think the artist wants to say about himself? What do you think he is expressing about God through his work? What do you want to express about Him through your own work?
Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)
Talk to God about your feelings about your work and what you desire to express about yourself and Him.
Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)
Maybe you want to offer thanksgiving for the gift of co-creating with Him.
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*LOVE the Word™ exercises vary weekly according to the four personalities, or “prayer forms,” explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Ignatian, Augustinian, Franciscan, and Thomistic. These prayer forms correspond to the Myers-Briggs personality types.
Episode Resources
Madeline L’Engle – Walking on Water, Reflections on Faith & Art
John Paul the Great’s Letter to Artists
My newest book with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers: Ignite, Read the Bible Like Never Before, available for pre-order with a 30% discount using code SPARK here.
Ignite will be out August 17. Get a preview of the introduction and first chapter here.
Read the Transcript
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Courtesy of Kristie Hynniman, who does our transcriptions for you.
Ask Me Anything, (Most) Wednesdays, now on YouTube
Sonja I really loved this weeks show. I am in the final stages of pulling a thesis together and I am finding the ‘creating and visualising’ really tough right now. The Lord and Our Blessed Mother have walked, taught, helped and lifted me through every second; so todays show really resonated in my heart. Thank you
I know that feeling! Fearless was very hard for me. Memorare up for your thesis <3
Forgot to say I was delighted to to get ‘Ignite’ for my kindle on Amazon.co.uk. So I am working my way through slowly at the moment. I find with Unleashed and Fearless I return over and over, so I am sure I will do the same with Ignite. I have to say though I love listening to you best of all.
As always I love receiving “bible-study Evangelista” especially the study “V”. I studied art in High School and college and practiced it both in drawing and landscaping. I so appreciate hearing what you had to say about the application of our God given talents. It seemed, over the years, that the impression was made that talent was limited and it the application had to be in a church setting. I particularly like landscaping because of the texture of it all. That being said, where and how does “Authority” come into play with average everyday Catholic Christians or non-Catholic Christians? I came back to the Catholic Church after a 40-year absence and was involved with the so called “prosperity message”. In that frame of thinking it was taught that the believer has the authority redirected weather events, such as Tornado’s, and any severe weather associated with a thunderstorm. What is the Catholic Catholic teaching on the authority of the believer? Maybe you could have a study on authority some time.Thanks_Bob
I surely do have one coming out shortly. Writing it now. But this is a great topic for a video. I’ll do this next, how about it? I post them on Facebook and include them in the weekly emails, when I get them done!