Not to express an opinion, but to seek a presence and pray for a spirit

A snippet from mass today that resonated with my feelings on the creation process and the duties of the artist... ..................................................................................................................... "For we come to this sacred table, not because we must but because we may; not to testify that we are righteous, but that we sincerely love and desire; not because we are strong but because we are weak; not because we have claim on heaven's rewards but because we, in our frailty, stand in need of constant mercy and help; not to express an opinion, but to seek a presence and pray for a spirit" ........................................................................................................................ As a composer and performer I have often been urged to "tell my story". Well meaning professors have urged me to discover "what it is I have to say" and deliver said message via music/art/etc... This never sat well with me. The strong desire to create and engage has always been strong in me-consumed me even-but the impetus was never, ever related to expressing opinions... Opinions are far too weak of a force to ever contend with the magnitude that is creative life. Neither have I ever felt I have "something to say". ever. I dont experience this as a negative statement. My life is experiential. I have felt desire. I have used art to invoke experiences that the spark of desire suggest exist just beyond what I currently understand. The process of creating and performing is much more an invocation to new experience, more rarely an expression of my current experience, and NEVER an opinion... Anyway, "We come to this sacred table not to express an opinion, but to seek a presence and pray for a spirit" sums up what I believe my duty as an artist to be. thought I'd share. Would love to hear your thoughts on this - feel free to prove me wrong n stuff.