The Annunciation: God is Coming Close!

 








 
Take time to read two important Advent texts:  Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25.  The first is the story of the angel Gabriel's visit to the startled Mary of Nazareth; the second is of the angelic visit to the frightened Joseph in a dream.  The artwork above conveys imagination about these scenes.  The first depicts (likely) teenage Mary as someone of high school age.  It is meant to convey the disruptive, shocking nature of this hopeful event.   In your discussions of Mary in Christian Nurture, have you thought about her this way?  Chinese-American artist He Qi's rendering of the Annunciation feels more intimate and personal.  The next two are from classic Italian painters, Caravaggio (16th-17th century) and Da Vinci (15th-16 century).  The last one (artist unknown) pictures the hovering angel speaking to  the fitfully sleeping Joseph in a dream, telling him not to fear.

After reading the stories, what are some of your thoughts and impressions?  Can we get in touch with the overwhelming nature of these events:  from Mary's initial response of "How can this be?" to Joseph's inclination to leave quietly?  Why do you think God comes to humanity this way?    What does it tell us about God?

Looking at the images above, what are some of your thoughts about the artwork?  If you were to put yourself in Mary or Joseph's place, how would you imagine the scene to look and feel?  If you were producing the artistic representation, what might your art look like?  

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