Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain was a great Catholic philosopher of art. Here is a good quote from his work titled “Art and Scholasticism.” You can find the whole document online, and if you like philosophy you should read it:
If you want to make a Christian work, then be Christian, and simply try to make a beautiful work, into [...]
The Four Types of Prayer
There are four types of prayer. These will be your greatest sources of inspiration:
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING : Be appreciative - every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving.
PRAYER OF PETITION : Ask for forgiveness and search for the Kingdom to come.
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION : Jesus came to us to show us the will [...]
Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists
A must-read for all Christian artists. Pope John Paul II wrote beautifully about the role of the artist in the world.
Feeling vs. Thinking
What is the difference between feeling and thinking? The answer is not always so clear. You hear people trying to express their opinion saying, “I feel…” or “I feel as though….” when they are really trying to express a thought, not a feeling.
So what is the difference? Feelings are things like happiness, sadness, and anger [...]
How long…to sing this song?
Do you ever wonder why all of the new songs on the radio are between 2.5 and 4 minutes long? It’s because we, as a culture, can’t pay attention any longer than that. Perhaps we can, but no radio station is willing to try playing longer songs while also trying to sell advertising space.
Do You Understand Meaning?
When I use the word, “Meaning.” you might not understand what I mean. Meaning is not always agreed upon (as in: the meaning of a story), and futhermore many people today deny that there is any meaning to anything at all.
But humans do, apparently, find meaning in lots of things: stories and gifts and a smile can [...]
The Conversion of St. Paul
Today the Catholic Church celebrates the conversion of St. Paul. Originally named Saul, he was one of the worst persecutors of Christians in the first century. Christians feared him. Saul was one of the people who killed St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.
His conversion story is familiar: On the road to Damascus, he was knocked [...]
What is Beauty?
Can you imaging a couple of cows walking through a museum, enjoying art? What about a horse, a kangaroo, or a cat sitting and staring at a painting for five minutes. It’s a rediculous thought. You might have seen such a thing on an animated television cartoon, but that’s not reality.
If only human beings have an appreciation [...]
Tell Stories With Your Songs
The Sermon on the Mount was a very direct way in which Jesus taught his followers:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit
Blessed are they that mourn
Blessed are the meek” etc
But Jesus also knew that telling stories was also a way to teach his followers. We tend to call them “parables,” but they were really just stories [...]