Evangelization through Art

Light of all nations

The subdued hues of this painting create an atmosphere of reverence and worship as Mary and Joseph fulfill the law of Moses by bringing Jesaus to His Father's House to be consecrated.

...they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as is written in the law of the Lord,"Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,"
and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons..." Luke 2:23-24

This prophetic gesture announces that our "redemption is at hand," (Luke 21:28) and that the LIGHT of all nations has
appeared never to be overcome by the darkness of evil.

The gentle circles of light around Jesus show the ripple-effect of this light as it radiates upon "whoever lives the truth." (John 3:21) The mission of Mary and Joseph are also implied by their symbolic stance. Mary is shown presenting Jesus to humankind as Savior and Joseph stands in the background as vigilant protector and gentle provider.

Emmaus

A new biblical interpretation of the Emmaus event is that the two disciples were husband and wife. This theory is based upon Scripture: "One of them named Cleopas..." (Luke 24:18) "Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas... " (John 19:25).

Biblical scholars believe that "Cleopas" and Clopas" could refer to the same man. It was against Jewish law to return home on the Sabbath, so Clopas and Mary left on Sunday at which time Jesus accompanied them on the road to Emmaus. At the end of their journey, they invited Him into their home as it was evening.

"...while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them. With that their eyes opened and they recognized him." (Luke 24:30-31)

This painting attempts to recapture the moment when Christ's resurrected LIGHT pierced the DARKNESS of Good Friday's great tragedy with dazzling brilliance. As "their eyes opened", Clopas and Mary experienced GENTLE PEACE, true reward of faithful DISCIPLESHIP.

Pieta

What are Mary's thoughts as she gazes on her Son's Holy Face? Undoubtedly, memories of His Life flash in her mind as she recalls important events. She gently holds His broken body and covers Him reverently with her veil. This gesture reminds her of that wonder-filled night when she wrapped Him with swaddling clothes. It is also symbolic of her newly acquired role as MOTHER of broken humanity. In union with the FATHER, she offers her Son for the salvation of human kind.

God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...
that the world might be saved through Him. John 3 16,17

Not even she can fathom the depths of the CROSS, the mystery of unconditional ETERNAL LOVE. She knows that

Jesus is the true Paschal Lamb immolated for the sins of the world. In silence, she anticipates the fulfillment of the promise: The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days later he will rise. Mark 9:31

So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he (Pilate) said to them,

"Behold the Man"
John 19:5

The whole attitude of Jesus in this painting is one of humble submission and total surrender. Even in pain, His look is merciful and kind. Perhaps His greatest suffering is the knowledge that so many humans would never know or would never believe in his limitless and unconditional LOVE. Pilate's words, "Behold the man!" challenges the viewer to gaze upon Jesus' Holy Face and remain in silent contemplation

Blessed are the poor in spirit

How blest are the poor in spirit: the reign of God is theirs.  Matthew 5:3   

In this painting the young shepherdess represents one who is poor in spirit.  she is aware that being total gift from God, i.e., that she is totally "received" from God.  All she is and all she has comes freely from her Creator.  In her nothingness, she is completely dependent on the almighty for all her needs.  Her shabby cloak flying in the wind indicates that she follows the leadings of the Spirit with unwavering trust and meekness of heart as reflected on her serene countenance.  Her forward position accentuates that, in gentle surrender to God's holy will, she is thrust into the dynamic movement of Uncreated Love.  Her whole attitude is childlike and inner peace is conveyed by the soft light enveloping her.  The regal color of her dress reminds the viewer that she is "queen" in the Kingdom of God through baptism and the patches symbolize that she is already living in this Kingdom with her brothers and sisters here on earth.  She fully realizes that her "wealth" is in her poverty because she knows how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus is: though he is so rich, yet to help her he became so poor, so that by being poor, he could make her rich.  (paraphrase--II Cor. 8:9)  

"...a stormwind came from the North, a huge cloud with flashing fire (enveloped in brightness) from the midst of which something gleamed like electrum."  Ez. 1:4

WIND-SWEPT FIREFLIGHT

The Life Breath emanating from the Trinity, dynamic Source of uncreated Love, sweeps like a mystical Wind through space and time as the reverent Spirit Lord rests upon and invades the still center of one's being.  As one "stirs into flame the Gift" received (2 Tim. 1:6) a blaze is ignited (Lk. 12:49) that will burn brightly throughout one's earthly journey "for our God is a consuming FIRE" (Heb. 12:29) and "as gold in the furnace, God proves [the heart and soul]." (Wis. 3:6)  This outpouring of the Spirit transfigures one's sacred center and erupts into works of Love to return as glory and praise to the Eternal Breath from whence it came in a dance of indescribable JOY.

Nazareth - Holy Intimacy

NAZARETH: A small village in Israel where the Holy Family lived and bonded in intimate relationship for some twenty years. NAZARETH: A home where Jesus, Mary and Joseph shared solitude and prayer, silence and dialogue, joy and sorrow. NAZARETH: A place where Jesus, issuing from the mysterious Trinitarian relationship of the Godhead, gradually "came HOME" within himself in an ever-increasing awareness of who He was as Son of God and Son of Man. During the most productive and active years of His life, Jesus remained hidden in the company of Mary and Joseph to be schooled for His mission to redeem fallen humankind. For Mary, the period of Nazareth was a school of mutual love and true freedom because she lived in the constant Presence of the Son of God, her son, and shared His daily life in an unparalleled holy intimacy on earth.

This painting reminds the beholder that Nazareth is a school of awareness of the "HOLY" in everyday life and an internship of the kingdom of God. NAZARETH is also that sacrosanct inner space where one learns in profound silence, moment by moment, and year by year, how to "come HOME" to God and to self, how to be homebound together with others until DAY dawns when all of us will be gathered as ONE family in our eternal HOME to sing the glory of the HOLY ONE in an everlasting and harmonious melody.

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