A Beautiful Creation
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle B
All he saw was a dark, formless blob. A blob that he knew would one day come alive with character. Its character he didn't know yet.
Whenever Matthew sculpted, he would consider his medium. Matthew worked this way for 43 years: making something beautiful from a shapeless blob after long consideration. He was known around the world for his sculptures, all carefully fashioned in their own time.
This time, it was clay. He didn't know what he would make of it, but he loved the warm color, the cool feeling, and the challenge. Clay dried relatively quickly, so whatever he would start would have to be finished in a timely manner. He couldn't wait to begin.
But first he looked at the mound of clay. He spent hours sitting in front of the mound, just waiting. Matthew had a theory that his mediums "talked" to him. The bronze had begged him to make it into a horse. The glass was blown into the shape of a ship. The wood had beckoned to him to become a bowl. What would the clay be? What was it telling him?
Matthew touched the clay often. It was wrapped in thick plastic, but he could feel the texture. It was pliable, yet strong. It was cool. And it could be smoothed.
The day came when Matthew felt ready. He prepared his tools and began to work. He worked non-stop, shaping, pulling, smoothing. A face emerged, upon which he added a lopsided smile. The eyes were not symmetrical: one drooped a tiny bit more than the other. The eyebrows were bushy and curly. The nose was large, but not too rounded.
The hair was a challenge. Matthew wanted a hat. He mixed more clay, shaped and pulled, and finally smoothed a hat onto the head. Some hair peeked out from under it.
Tiny instruments were used to make the final corrections and details. The eyes had a sparkle in them. The right cheek had a hint of a dimple. One ear had a tiny earring in it. A lock of hair curled into the ear.
Finally, Matthew was satisfied. He had stepped back often to consider his work, but now he stood back to observe it from every angle. He could put the finishing touches on it. It was no longer a blob. No, the woman was beautiful. She had a personality. Matthew had given her a personality, some order, and details. She was beautiful!
Whenever Matthew sculpted, he would consider his medium. Matthew worked this way for 43 years: making something beautiful from a shapeless blob after long consideration. He was known around the world for his sculptures, all carefully fashioned in their own time.
This time, it was clay. He didn't know what he would make of it, but he loved the warm color, the cool feeling, and the challenge. Clay dried relatively quickly, so whatever he would start would have to be finished in a timely manner. He couldn't wait to begin.
But first he looked at the mound of clay. He spent hours sitting in front of the mound, just waiting. Matthew had a theory that his mediums "talked" to him. The bronze had begged him to make it into a horse. The glass was blown into the shape of a ship. The wood had beckoned to him to become a bowl. What would the clay be? What was it telling him?
Matthew touched the clay often. It was wrapped in thick plastic, but he could feel the texture. It was pliable, yet strong. It was cool. And it could be smoothed.
The day came when Matthew felt ready. He prepared his tools and began to work. He worked non-stop, shaping, pulling, smoothing. A face emerged, upon which he added a lopsided smile. The eyes were not symmetrical: one drooped a tiny bit more than the other. The eyebrows were bushy and curly. The nose was large, but not too rounded.
The hair was a challenge. Matthew wanted a hat. He mixed more clay, shaped and pulled, and finally smoothed a hat onto the head. Some hair peeked out from under it.
Tiny instruments were used to make the final corrections and details. The eyes had a sparkle in them. The right cheek had a hint of a dimple. One ear had a tiny earring in it. A lock of hair curled into the ear.
Finally, Matthew was satisfied. He had stepped back often to consider his work, but now he stood back to observe it from every angle. He could put the finishing touches on it. It was no longer a blob. No, the woman was beautiful. She had a personality. Matthew had given her a personality, some order, and details. She was beautiful!
