The Manger

The Manger

Oil on Panel for 

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Journal

by Ascension Press

Christ is born! In this painting, we see the newborn Jesus on a bed of hay wrapped in cloths. Mary and Joseph create a protective space for Jesus with their bodies as they rest on the hay. Jesus, the light of the world, illuminates the Holy Family against the world’s surrounding darkness. It is a touching, intimate scene of family love.

Interestingly enough, this painting has no manger—no wooden structure of hay like we are accustomed to seeing.  That is because, to God, the entire world is a manger. Our entire world is that dusty, hay-filled box with creatures and animals of all kinds. And yet, God loves us so much, that He humbled himself into our messy existence in order to bring us salvation.

I hope you have enjoyed these meditations over the past few days. May you be blessed by Emmanuel this day and in the year to come.

Merry Christmas!

Advent Unborn

Jesus Hears Mary's Song

Digital Illustration For

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

Companion Video

By Ascension Press

Advent is a time of waiting. But we don't wait for just abstract ideas, hopes and dreams. We wait for a person, Jesus. We wait for "God with Us," the Word made Flesh who will laugh with us, cry with us, hold our hands, guide us, and ultimately, save us.

This is a follow-up image from yesterday where Mary sings to Jesus. This image shows Jesus hearing Mary's song. I am so thankful that Ascension Press asked for this image to be rendered. It was a real challenge and I have never really seen anyone attempt to portray the Christ Child BEFORE his birth. Most importantly, working on this picture reminded me of the humanity of Jesus and his total dependency on his family. 

God humbled and poured out in such a way is hard to imagine. I hope this uncommon portrait of Jesus helps you to ponder in that mystery in your own heart—if even for just a little while.

Advent Song

Mary Sings to Jesus

Digital Illustration For

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary 

By Ascension Press

The holiday season is a rich time of singing. Through Advent, I relish the ancient hymns of promise and enjoy the singing of carrols. Even the radio offers channels overflowing with holiday classics new and old to get us all in the Christmas Spirit.

What kinds of songs would expectant Mary have sung to Jesus? Perhaps some of the ancient psalms and songs from scripture. Perhaps inspired original compositions like the Magnificat. I find it helpful to think of Mary singing as I sing the songs of the season. Imagining Mary helps me remember that I am singing to a person, Emmanuel, "God with Us."

During this season, we all sing of hope not yet fully realized and promises not yet fulfilled. But we also sing to Jesus—the Messiah who was and is and is yet to come. Let us raise our voices to Him in hope and joy.

O Key of David

2.5"x3.5" Oil on Board

with Palette Knife

ACEO

O come, O Key of David, come

and open wide our heavenly home.

Make safe the way that leads on high
and close the path of misery. 

"O" Antiphons series.

The Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.

There are many different texts for the O Antiphons. For this series, I'm using the verses to they hymn "O Come Emmanuel" which lyrically contains all of the O Antiphons.

Nativity: Emmanuel

5"x5" Oil on Canvas

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

Today we celebrate the incarnation of the Word of God. In a rank stable, lying in a food trough, wrapped in whatever was available to keep him warm, our Lord was born into our lives. The mystery of mysteries rests in a manger, dependent on human faith and love for survival. What a paradox. What wondrous love. 

One of the finest Christmas sermons I have ever heard came from the Rev. Jay Earheart-Brown. At the time of his message, he was a new father. He shared his feelings as a father to help us grasp the mystery of the incarnation. The most memorable moment was when he said, "Now I understand how love can become flesh." It was the love of Jay and his wife that brought their child into the world. 

And so... love, joy, hope, peace, righteousness, faithfulness, sacrifice and fulfilled promise all became flesh in Mary and Joseph's little baby boy. Jesus—Emmanuel—God with us—was delivered into our hands. And our lives have been forever changed.

Happy Birthday, Jesus.

Merry Christmas, everyone.


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The Nativity

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

Nativity: Gabriel

5"x7" Oil on Canvas

"Do not be afraid."

Those are the words from the angel, Gabriel, every time he appears to people in the Nativity stories. Being visited by one of God's messengers can be a frightening event indeed. When we realize we are in the middle of a God-moment, our shortcomings become abundantly clear. We are faced with the reality that God is God and we are not. This reality stirs us at our core and brings us to our knees in humility.

"God is coming!" That is the essence of Gabriel's message. That message swells up in us both great excitement and great fear. God is coming to interrupt our plans—to stir us from our comfort zones—to call us to a life of faith. We are afraid. Afraid of change. Afraid of what people will think. Afraid of our inadequacies. Afraid of failure. 

But Gabriel says, "Do not be afraid." Those words can embolden our faith today, much like it did for Joseph and Mary. Gabriel's words comfort us by reminding us that this is Good News. The God that calls us is Emmanuel—"God with us." The God who is coming into our lives is GRACE and LOVE.  In his song "Emmanuel," Michael Card blends two very different scriptures into a common truth:

"Emmanuel—our God is with us. And if God is with us, who can stand against us?"

This painting of Gabriel is the most abstract of the pieces in this Nativity project. Gabriel bears the star of bethlehem like a torch of enlightenment. His wings are transparent—for angels (human or not) live among us unseen unless we are looking with eyes of faith. He kneels in the presence of "God with us." In this series, Mary and Joseph are a mix of bewilderment and wonder. Gabriel knows the reality of this God-moment all too well. It is a reality that brings even angels humbly to their knees.

If you look and listen with your heart, 
you might just discover the angel's message speaking to you today:

"Ready or not, God is here—calling you to be a person of faith. Don't be afraid."

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Here is a link to a video featuring "Emmanuel" by Michael Card. The song is performed by the Choirs of school children from Cheshire and the Wirral. It is a wonderful reminder that we are not alone in our calling. Rather, we are a community living out our response to God's calling.