杏MAP导航: Artists help humanity 'not to lose its way'
By Joseph Tulloch
At Mass for the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture, the 杏MAP导航 called on creatives to be 鈥渨itnesses to the revolutionary vision of the Beatitudes鈥�.
As the 杏MAP导航 is currently undergoing treatment in hospital for bronchitis, his homily was read aloud by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Vatican鈥檚 Dicastery for Culture and Education.
Witnessing to the Beatitudes, the 杏MAP导航 said, means not only creating beauty, but also 鈥渞evealing the truth and goodness 鈥idden within the folds of history鈥�, and 鈥済iving voice to the voiceless鈥�.
Raising existential questions
杏MAP导航 Francis then went on to stress that artists have the task of asking questions about life's deeper meaning.
Although we live in a time of 鈥渇inancial and social crises鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 stressed, ours is 鈥渁bove all a spiritual crisis, a crisis of meaning鈥�.
We need artists, he said, to help us 鈥渁sk questions about time and about purpose. Are we pilgrims or wanderers? Does our journey have a destination, or are we directionless?鈥�
Artists have the task, the 杏MAP导航 said, of 鈥渉elping humanity not to lose its way鈥�.
Art and discernment
Another key role of art, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, is to help individuals distinguish the 鈥渆choes鈥� of good and evil.
Artists are 鈥渟ensitive鈥� to these echoes, the 杏MAP导航 said, and are therefore called to 鈥渆xplain them to us and to show us which path they lead us down: either they are seductive songs of sirens or authentic appeals to humanity.鈥�
Quoting Psalm 1, the 杏MAP导航 suggested that it is the role of artists to help those who engage with their work to distinguish 鈥渃haff scattered by the wind鈥� from what is solid 鈥渓ike trees planted by streams of water鈥�.
The Beatitudes: A 'revolution of perspective'
杏MAP导航 Francis brought his homily to a close by returning to the day鈥檚 Gospel, and Jesus鈥� proclamation of the Beatitudes.
In the Gospel passage, he said, 鈥淛esus proclaims as blessed those who are poor, afflicted, meek and persecuted鈥� - a 鈥渃hange of mentality鈥�, and a 鈥渞evolution of perspective鈥�.
Artists are called to take part in this revolution, the 杏MAP导航 said, exhorting his listeners to 鈥渘ever cease searching, questioning and taking risks鈥�.
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