The Annunciation

The ANNUNCIATION

Luke 1:26-38

Advent is a now and not yet time—
waiting for the Christ Child,
 knowing he is here among us already,
 and believing he will come again. 
Mary’s willingness, anticipation and celebration 
of Gabriel’s announcement 
create the pregnancy of Advent.
 I feel like she envelops the whole cosmic picture
 even as she sees the immediate needs of her calling.
 I love the way theologian Richard Rohr 
paraphrases Mary’s response to Gabriel’s news:

 “I’m in. Let’s do it.”

Artists have loved to depict the Annunciation, 
and these three images show 
imaginative treatments of it,
 each capturing kairos
or Spirit time in a unique way.

Henry Tanner’s 1898 painting shows Mary

 calmly encountering the magnificent, 

glowing presence of Gabriel.

 No fear;
 rather quiet confidence in what’s to come. 

Contemporary artist John Collier paints Mary
 in socks and saddle shoes, 
engrossed in reading Scripture, 
while Gabriel respectfully waits for her
 to accept his astonishing message. 
Time is suspended as classic Roman columns

 sit next to a mid-Century suburban tract home. 

Seventeenth Century Italian artist Guercino’s 

(full name-Giovanni Francesco Barber)
 airy use of brown washes 
creates a sense of space and light. 

The sketch was probably a 
preliminary drawing for a painting,
 since Gabriel has five hands. 

A print of this drawing hangs in our living room,

 and I like to think that all the hands,

 as Gabriel excitedly relates God’s news to Mary,

 show how human anatomy
 is supplanted by God’s plans.

 Kind of like the incarnation.

To do: What would your kitchen look
 like with Mary and Gabriel sitting at the table talking? 
Coffee and bagels, too?
 Try a sketch. 
And Here is a something to print and color too.

Creative Communications for the Parish- Sally Beck

The pdf of the this post is available for printing here:
Annunciation Devotion 
The pdf for coloring the Annunciation is available here:
Annunciation Coloring page

Thank you to artist Sally Beck 
for her contribution of this post.