Brian’s Reflection: Wednesday, November 14, 2007


People discuss my art and pretend to
understand as if it were necessary to
understand, when it's simply necessary
to love.

- Claude Monet, artist, born on
this day, 1840

Well, here I am again, “borrowing” paintings from the Internet. Claude Monet’s “Row of Poplars” and “A Meadow at Giverny”. Beautiful, yes??

I’ve been a “preacher” for 40 years. I’ve never “used” a sermon twice. Life changes, the World changes, ideas change - so no matter the Scripture, Life makes its demands, and no sermon written years ago can be in any way adequate to this new day. But that has made it easy! New wineskins, new wine! You just need to be alive, with some imagination.

If I had to say what the biggest preacher-ly mistake I’ve made, it’s that I’ve spent too much time trying to get people (including myself) to “understand”. As if understanding would really come from wrestling with the words. Oh, certainly we get somewhere. But, as Monet points out, “understanding” is not critical for any art, including the art of Life.

It is “simply necessary to love”. That’s where the understanding of Life is found. Monet also said, “No one is an artist unless he carries his picture in his head before painting it, and is sure of his method and composition.” The “picture in the head” is Faith informed by heart, mind, spirit. And the surety of method and composition is what Religion is at its best - that which shows us how to structure and nurture Faith.

“Understand”? This is an unexpected gift of Love. Be it Monet’s paintings, the World, Self, Another, all Mystery. Jesus said, in the end, “Love”. It is the only Path to comprehension.

Brian+