Artistic Renderings of The Annunciation
Last week we revisited the two Gospel stories, in Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25, where the angel of God comes to speak to Mary and Joseph about God's plan. In Mary's case, the angel reveals that young Mary will be the bearer of God's new life for the world, carrying and giving birth to the Son of God. In Joseph's case, the angel intervenes when Joseph is temtped to quietly abandon Mary and the unborn child. Joseph is en-couraged, and the two humble (and initially overwhelmed) people dedicate their lives in a remarkable faithfulness that can encourage us and stimulate our imaginations. The renderings of the angel and Mary are from Collier, DaVinci, Nesterov, and Caravaggio. The one of the angel and Jospeh is unattributed. Are there any of them that really engage your attention?

I love this picture of someone breaking free! It reminds me that the love of God gives us strength to break free from the things that keep us in our boxes. Jesus showed us how to live in a way that no one was to be put in a box. Death didn't have the last word. Love did and still does!
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