温馨夜读II PART4 11.The Brilliant Lessons of Michelangelo（在线收听）

[00:00.51]11.The Brilliant Lessons of Michelangelo

[00:04.22]The artist Michelangelo often stirred up the opposition of the contemporary artists of his day. 

[00:11.07]Many of them envied his magnificent abilities. 

[00:15.28]One example was the architect Bramante.

[00:18.54]Pope Julius retained Michelangelo to build him a splendid tomb. 

[00:24.32]Michelangelo gladly accepted the project and spent eight months in a marble pit personally cutting and selecting the most perfect stones. 

[00:34.22]When he returned, he found the pope had second thoughts. 

[00:40.22]Bramante had turned Pope Julius against the project. The Pope cancelled it.

[00:45.66]Later the idea for another special project entered the Pope’s mind. 

[00:50.67]Bramante saw the project as a time consuming trap for which there would be little public recognition. 

[00:57.09]Bramante recommended Michelangelo for the job.

[01:01.56]The great artist saw the trap. 

[01:04.61]He knew what Bramante was up to. 

[01:07.22]He wished to turn the project down but did not want to refuse the Pope’s request. 

[01:13.10]So Michelangelo went to work. 

[01:15.93]He spent many years doing the slow and tedious labor the project required. 

[01:21.48]It was the Sistine Chapel.

[01:24.75]The inspiration that flowed through Michelangelo can likewise flow through any human being. 

[01:30.96]That is what inspiration wants to do. It cannot be stopped. 

[01:35.85]It is a living, powerful river that easily circumvents all obstacles.

[01:41.52]Michelangelo collected his inner forces for a complete victory. 

[01:46.53]Likewise, we must not fear to face the trickery of some people and expose it for what it is. 

[01:53.28]This is not negative, but intelligent protection and spiritual perception.

[01:59.06]In his many books on inner development author Vernon Howard refers to Michelangelo several times. 

[02:06.28]He quotes him as saying, “The more the marble wastes, the more the statue grows.” 

[02:12.95]And, “I released the statue from the stone.” 

[02:17.33]He chiseled away all that was unnecessary, and David emerged.