Even Caravaggio had his flops.
The first time
he painted the “Inspiration of St. Matthew,” he struck out big time. Dirty feet, wrinkled brow, empty stare—the
inspired author wasn’t very inspiring. He didn’t even know how to trace Hebrew letters with his pen, let alone
compose a Gospel. The angel was doing
all the work, and Christians were scandalized. This wasn’t what “inspiration” meant.
Thankfully,
Caravaggio was given another try, and he crafted the masterpiece we now know
and love. The new Matthew stood at his
desk, weathered but dignified and self-aware; he listened to God’s voice but
moved his own pen.
To compose the sacred books, God
chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in their task, made full
use of their powers and faculties so that, though he acted in and by them, it
was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written
and no more (Dei Verbum 11).
Matthew used his freedom to write a
book which had God as its principle author. And we, by our deeds, should write only God’s biddings on the pages
of history. Caravaggio’s canvas images what
our lives should be: an inspiration!
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