MAES, Nicolaes - "Christ Blessing the Children" - 1652-53
National Gallery, London
Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you:
You are gentle with us as a mother with her children;
Often you weep over our sins and our pride:
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds:
in sickness you nurse us,
and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying we are born to new life:
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness:
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead:
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us:
in your love and tenderness remake us.
In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness:
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.
Anselm of Canterbury
From The Daily Office
Image from the Web Gallery of Art.
GM,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for image and prayer. We are seeking a vision for our board of Education (wh I chair), and this is certainly gong into the mix!
Bishop Alan, thank you for your kind words. I am honored to have my choices included in your mix for the board of Education. The prayer struck me as quite beautiful, and I searched for a suitable painting.
ReplyDeleteI learned that Maes was a pupil of Rembrandt, which didn't surprise me in the least, because his paintings have a Rembrandtish look about them, although his are a bit more more sentimental than those of the master. Still, I like the colors and the play of light and shade in the painting. Several of Maes paintings were, at one time, mistakenly attributed to Rembrandt.
One of the nicest sermons I've heard on Jesus as mother was in the 80s in Vienna after Barbara Harris was elected bishop. Our priest, the late Jeremey Peake, spoke of her election and the qualities she brought to the priesthood. The sermon included how our concept of God needs to include the feminine.
ReplyDeleteThe sermon included how our concept of God needs to include the feminine.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Amelia.