The Beauty of Sacred Scripture
A Work of Living Art
What is the greatest work of art ever produced? Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel with its monumental figures and vibrant colors? The harmonious perfection of Mozart's symphonies? The mysterious beauty of the Mona Lisa's smile? For the priest Don Dolindo Ruotolo, the answer lies not in the museums and concert halls of Florence or Vienna but rather in the sacred pages of Scripture.Â
"No literary work ever reached the heights of Scripture, no sculpture reached the expression of biblical characters, no painting copied their colors," declares Don Dolindo with passion in his insightful commentary on Deuteronomy chapter 4. He argues that the Bible stands alone as an artistic masterpiece infused with divine inspiration - a fountain of beauty, meaning, and revelation unmatched in human history.
Yet in modern times, many dismiss the Bible as irrelevant, outdated, or even barbaric. Its stories of prophets, kings, and miracles offend 21st century sensibilities. Consequently, even believers often neglect mining the artistic riches within Scripture. As Don Dolindo laments, "If it were studied and meditated upon by artists, we would see a true and wonderful renaissance of all the fine arts."
So how can we rediscover the dazzling artistry found in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures? By exploring the Bible not just as a historical document but as a vibrant, living work which sheds light on the full drama of human experience. In its pages we encounter ecstatic poetry, rich symbolism, elegant wisdom - and most of all, revelatory visions of faith. Like our artistic ancestors, we must learn to treasure Scripture as an infinite wellspring of imagination, meaning, and inspiration.
Join us as we unpack Don Dolindo's compelling vision of the Bible as the ultimate artistic achievement. By gazing deeply into the masterpiece of Sacred Scripture, we too may be transformed by its beauty and truth. The renaissance awaits.
"It is said that the Hebrews did not produce the masterpieces of art that were produced by the Greeks and Romans, therefore judging the Hebrew civilization as an inferior civilization. This is a gross mistake." So writes Don Dolindo Ruotolo in one of his spiritual reflections on Deuteronomy chapter 4. Don Dolindo goes on to explain that the Hebrew people did in fact create astonishing works of art - not sculptures or paintings made of marble or canvas, but living works of supernatural art that infused their daily lives. As he eloquently states: "When an entire people is scientist and artist, when every act of their supernatural life is a masterpiece of life, thought, and feeling, works of art can be said to be useless; they all flow back into life. This is a very important truth."
For the ancient Hebrews, the centerpiece of their civilization was Sacred Scripture. These sacred texts were not just books to be read, but an integral part of their spiritual and communal identity. Don Dolindo describes Sacred Scripture as "a wonderful flowering of magnificent expressions" that served as the Hebrew people's greatest artistic legacy: "The people who believe in God and love Him are a wonderful flowering of magnificent expressions, and their art does not lie in marble, but in the soul. Therefore the Hebrew people left no other monument than Sacred Scripture, a wonderful work that is all transfused with living and supernatural art."
What makes Scripture such a unique work of art? For Don Dolindo, it lies in the vivid expressions of faith, vision, and divine inspiration embodied in biblical figures and stories: "No literary work ever reached the heights of Scripture, no sculpture reached the expression of biblical characters, no painting copied their colors, which instead all the arts, in the most civilized eras, reached their peak when they managed to fix on marble or canvas some of the wonderful biblical pictures. Scripture is a source of art, and if it were studied and meditated upon by artists, we would see a true and wonderful renaissance of all the fine arts."
The narratives and poetry of Scripture throb with life and revelation. From the majestic vision of Moses meeting God on Mount Sinai, to the tender words of the Song of Songs, the Bible overflows with sublime beauty and artistry: "Michelangelo's Moses is a work of art not so much for the material perfection of the sculpture, but for the expression of the statue. The art lies in that thought that shines through the face of Moses; in that powerful attitude of strength, energy and majesty, which not all are capable of. But if men in their totality had that trait and that robustness, the work of art would be superfluous; that attitude so unique would be continually before everyone's eyes."
Unlike a painting or statue which offers but a glimpse, Sacred Scripture provides an endless fountain of artistic wonder and imagination. Its accounts of prophets, kings, and everyday men and women are infused with divine poetry and revelation.
As Don Dolindo recognizes, the Bible achieves artistic heights unmatched in any other literary work. It is a masterpiece not made of ink or paint, but of experiences, revelations, and the all-too-human struggle to live the precepts of God. Truly studying Scripture is a pathway into the vibrant, sacred artistry of our ancestors in faith.
In an age of skepticism and distraction, Don Dolindo calls us to re-engage with Sacred Scripture as a source of beauty, meaning, and inspiration. By meditating on the living art within its pages, we too can experience the flowering of faith and vision embodied in God's Word.
O Immaculate Mother Mary, Masterpiece of God's creation, your beauty shines forth from the sacred pages of Scripture. The words of Genesis foretell your triumph over the serpent (Gen 3:15), the poetry of the Song of Songs echoes your splendor (Song 4:7), and the vision of Revelation culminates in your glory as the Queen of Heaven (Rev 12:1). Through you, the prophets' dreams are fulfilled (Is 7:14), the psalmists' songs resound (Ps 45), and the fullness of time unfolds according to God's promise (Gal 4:4). Mother most pure, first among the saints, teach us to treasure the living art of Sacred Scripture. May we follow your example in pondering the marvels God has done (Lk 1:29), so that His Word may blossom within our hearts and minds as a tree of life (Prov 3:18). Lead us deeper into the beauty of biblical truth, that our every word and deed may become an offering of praise to the Holy Trinity! Amen.