Jan 7 – “Christ the Student” © artwork by Br. Mickey McGrath, OSFS.
(posted on ELCA Facebook page)
This painting depicts Jesus as a student at the age of twelve. According to the gospel of Luke, He sat amidst the teachers in the Temple in Jerusalem, asking them questions and astounding them with His answers and the breadth of His knowledge. In the upper right corner, we see the tear-stained faces of Mary and Joseph, who have spent three days frantically looking for Him among the throngs of people who had come there for Passover. Their tears are the tears of relief and pride.
The elders of the Temple are shown not just as Rabbis, but also represent leaders and teachers from other faiths and cultures. They are all dressed in black and white to emphasize Jesus as the only source of color and light. He inspires us to think outside the boundaries of our black and white worlds, and to find in Him the encouragement we need to be ourselves, broaden our horizons, and deepen the faith that lives in our hearts. Following His example, we become students for life in “our father’s house”, always ready to learn something new about ourselves and about the love of God.
