Tabernacle

 

8"x10" Oil on Panel

For Rejoice! Advent Meditations with the Holy Family

Click Here to Purchase

Welcome to the final week of Advent. It has been a long year and an especially unique Advent season of longing for Christmas. Many of us are worshiping from home—isolated from our church communities. Thankfully, we worship a God who acts and moves in all places. And we have the gift of Emmanuel—"God with us"—to be very present with us.

 

This painting depicts a scene described by Fr. Toups during one of his wonderful imaginative prayer sessions in the Rejoice! Advent series.  He describes a scene where Mary and Joseph meet in their local synagogue to discus the implications of the child growing into their relationship. The reality that this child is the Messiah brings them both to a powerful moment of worship. Joseph realizes that Mary is a living tabernacle — a temporary dwelling-place for God when the hebrews were homeless during 40 years in the desert. This realization brings him to his knees and he adores the baby messiah. Mary opens her heart to God in praise. They both pray for each other as well. This creates a circle of prayer among the Holy Family. And God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all present in this space. 

 

May you experience the gift of Emmanuel this season. May God's Advent come into your home and make a dwelling-place in your heart.

 

Shine

Oil on Panel

For Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Joseph

by Ascension Press

Available for purchase here:

https://www.mikemoyersfineart.com/product-page/shine

Have you ever beamed with joy? Have you ever had a time when you were so filled with happiness that it felt as if you were full of an uncontainable energy that radiated from you?
I have had experiences like that as a parent when I look at my children and marvel at the miracle of who they are and who they are becoming. Even now as my children are entering adulthood, they make my heart swell with pride, joy and love. That feeling motivates me to be a better parent and a more loving person to my neighbors. 

I imagine Mary and Joseph may have had those moments of beaming joy as well. In this painting for Ascension Press, I imagined a moment where the Holy Family is just spending a moment together. Joseph holds Jesus and gazes into the his incarnate eyes. Mary reclines, relaxed and content, next to Joseph as she watches Joseph and Jesus bond. And Jesus reaches out to Joseph the way babies do—full of love, trust, and curiosity. The whole family is in a moment of beaming joy together—illustrated by the flood of light surrounding them.

Advent is over. The baby, Emmanuel, (which means "God with us") is here. Now is the time to bond with Him. Let us make time to get to know Him. Let us marvel at who Jesus was, is, and is becoming. May our time with Him swell our hearts with so much uncontainable joy and love that it radiates out to the world. May that love make us lights to the world with Him. May it make us shine.

Merry Christmas to you all.

The Annunciation

8x10 Oil on Panel

Interior Illustration for Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary

The Angel Gabriel Visits Mary.

“Do not be afraid.” The angel said to Mary. This painting meditates on the intimate conversation between the angel and the virgin after those words were spoken. In this painting, the angel, Gabriel, interrupts Mary in her daily chores to announce that she will give birth to Jesus. Gabriel’s glow not only reveals his glory, but also, like a candle’s light, brings a comforting glow of grace to Mary. Although appearing small and modest, Mary stands comfortably in the angel’s presence—listening to his every word. The painting is a balance of miraculous wonder and prayer-like peace.

This painting is also about vessels. The two vases on the floor represent the Law and the Prophets. Mary, a vessel herself for Christ, holds a basket representing our Savior, Jesus—God poured out for the entire world.

Rejoice! Advent Meditations with Mary is a devotional journal and video series published by Ascension Press. To purchase the journal and art prints of this painting, visit: shop.ascensionpress.com/collections/rejoice