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:
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.
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
rather quiet confidence in what’s to come.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
