ARTISTS AND THE WORK OF BEAUTY

“He gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God.”
~ St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 4:11-13

In addition to all the specific callings and gifts referenced by St. Paul, which were given by God to the various members of the Church, the Lord also gave some as artists for the building up of the body of Christ. What a wonderful fact, that artists are recognized by the Church as those having a true vocation and heavenly calling! Their engagement in the apostolate of beauty is consequential and lifegiving for the Church. Their artistic skills are not only directed to the glory of God but they also edify Christ’s body through the encouragement, edification and necessarily deep reflection about the meaning of existence and the truths that matter most.

I am thrilled that this weekend we once again give space within our parish to host a group of artists of various types in a wonderful art show during the larger NE Minneapolis ART-A-WHIRL going on this weekend throughout our neighborhood. It is my sincere hope that many—parishioners, neighbors and guests alike—will visit St. Clement Church and Hall and be touched by what they see and encounter there. I offer a special word of welcome to all of the displaying artists, in gratitude for their courage to share the gifts that they have been given from above. Their various art forms reflect the many faceted call of God to artists to help reflect the splendor of His glory. I also thank those who have organized the weekend and who are volunteering to offer delightful hospitality, make-it and take-it art experiences, church tours, musical offerings and more. Additionally, St. Clement Church is home to some of the most vibrant stained-glass windows in the Twin Cities area and a historic vestment display that showcases some of the incredible handiwork of generations.

As the Lord ascends to heaven, our hearts follow Him in His upward call and we in turn realize that we must follow Him through the contemplation of various facets of beauty which cause us to say, as we do in the Liturgy, “We lift up our hearts to the Lord!”

Please stop by St. Clement this weekend to meet and support our artists. Be encouraged by their work and encourage them to keep going. Our world and our Church need artists. I am so glad our parish continues to be engaged in the patronage of the arts in solidarity with this great NE Minneapolis Arts District which we call home.

Grace and peace in these final days of Eastertide, 

~Fr. Howe