I am indebted to my friend and artist, Cheryl Harrison, whose painting above has captured on canvass an image of the baby Jesus in a manger. At first glance this Jesus seems to be much like all children ever born. He sleeps.......quietly.......There are no furrowed facial expressions.... no evidence of discomfort or even of worry. But if we allow our gaze to move from the center of the painting toward the edges of the blanket there is the faintest hint of something else taking shape. Joining Jesus in his sleep of, "heavenly peace" is a silent, but ominous partner..........a shadow. If you look closely you'll notice it is the shadow of a cross. To some this sort of interpretation may be offensive. - at best it seems non-PC. After all, why would anyone insert the shadow of a cross into the innocent Jesus' rest? Can't this wait until Easter? The poet, Luci Shaw, inserts her opinion for our consideration.It Is As If Infancy.......
This time of the year the new-born child is everywhere
This time of the year the new-born child is everywhere
planted in madonnas’ arms, hay mows, stables, in palaces or farms,
or quaintly, under snowed gables, gothic angular or baroque plump,
naked or elaborately swathed, encircled by Della Robbia wreaths,
garnished with whimsical partridges and pears, drummers and drums,
lit by oversize stars, partnered with lambs, peace doves, sugar plums,bells,
plastic camels in sets of three as if these were what we needed for eternity.
But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.
But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.
There are some who are wary, these days, of beards and sandalled feet.
Yet if we celebrate, let it be that He has invaded our lives with purpose,
Yet if we celebrate, let it be that He has invaded our lives with purpose,
striding over our picturesque traditions, our shallow sentiment,
overturning our cash registers, wielding His peace like a sword,
rescuing us into reality, demanding much more than the milk and the softness
and the mother warmth of the baby in the storefront creche,
(only the Man would ask all, of each of us) reaching out always, urgently,
with strong effective love(only the man would give His life and live again for love of us).
Oh come, let us adore Him–Christ–the Lord.
Oh come, let us adore Him–Christ–the Lord.
-Luci Shaw
I an gratedful for artists as gifted as Cheryl, and poets as eloquent as Luci Shaw. Both have captured in differing ways what I believe to be true. John Wade echoes the GOOD NEWS in his famous Christmas hymn of 1743.
Child, for us sinners
poor and in the manger,
we would embrace thee
with love and awe.
Who would not love thee,
loving us so dearly?
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Still In ONE Peace,
Jon(the methodist)
**Note: To view more of Cheryl's wonderful visual art go to:
The image above is used with the permission of the artist
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1 comment:
This image of the cross hovering over the Christ Child has always held deep meaning for me. When I have been bold enough to preach it - at a Christmas Eve service - I have received various responses. It seems many want to keep Christmas pure. After all, one reasons, the straw in the manger was pristine and the strips of cloth covering the Baby were freshly washed and definitely clean! The birth cannot be messy, one continues to ponder, because that's what the crucifixion was. Of course, if any of us think long enough about the birth of Christ, and the reason for it - we must consider the cruel death of Jesus.
Jesus came into the world to save it; that would be acomplished through His death and resurrection.
When we think of it this way, maybe the shadow of the Cross over the manger in Bethlehem begins to not only make sense but add a new layer of meaning to the Nativity story. Christmas blessings to all!
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