Wis 7, 17-20 Sound knowledge of existing things

(Wis 7, 17-20) Sound knowledge of existing things

[17] For he gave me sound knowledge of existing things, that I might know the organization of the universe and the force of its elements, [18] The beginning and the end and the midpoint of times, the changes in the sun's course and the variations of the seasons. [19] Cycles of years, positions of the stars, [20] natures of animals, tempers of beasts, Powers of the winds and thoughts of men, uses of plants and virtues of roots.

(CCC 2501) Created "in the image of God" (Gen 1:26), man also expresses the truth of his relationship with God the Creator by the beauty of his artistic works. Indeed, art is a distinctively human form of expression; beyond the search for the necessities of life which is common to all living creatures, art is a freely given superabundance of the human being's inner riches. Arising from talent given by the Creator and from man's own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill (Cf. Wis 7:16-17), to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God's activity in what he has created. Like any other human activity, art is not an absolute end in itself, but is ordered to and ennobled by the ultimate end of man (Cf. Pius XII, Musicae sacrae disciplina; Discourses of September 3 and December 25, 1950).