A Living Prayer

To be seen by God “Do I believe in God? Yes! When I am at work I feel like I am assisted by someone who leads me to do things that are greater than myself, greater than what I have done before.” Henri Matisse Close to the end of his artistic career, Matisse embarked on creating “The Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence” (Chapel of the Rosary), a chapel in France. He considered it the most significant work of his career, and perhaps one could say that something outside himself caused him to create this masterpiece. As I read his thoughts, I am certain there was something more to why he created art of any kind. On the outside, his long-standing friendship with Monique Bourgeois, who he met as a young nurse, engaged and motivated him to take on this work. Their friendship developed over time and lasted for years. They remained friends as she became a Dominican nun, and his work took on life and breath when he began designing the chapel. But was it more than this friendship that moved h