ORIGINAL CHRISTIAN OIL PAINTINGS

Interpretation of the painting: This painting is correctly viewed from the view point that I have spiritually died to this world and am born again to a new reality, which is a life in Jesus Christ. The painting is a meditative reflection on the scripture of ‘finding of the child Jesus in the temple’ Luke2 vs. 46-49.

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Background: This is one of the meditations in the Rosary. It is the 5th mystery in the Joyful mysteries. It is also the first place for many things that Jesus’ hearers did not understand as referred to in vs. 50 of the same reading. So during my prayers my meditations are brought to this subject at least twice a week.

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The journey: When I first read this reading the deeper meaning seemed to elude me. I simply put it down to the idea that he was discussing scripture with the teachers and they were really amazed at how clever he was. During my prayers I had this overwhelming feeling that there was something more to this story. So I spent more and more time meditating and studying previous writings about what was going on in this time of the early years of Our Lord.

It was during a quiet contemplative moment that I realised that this was the first time that Jesus called God his ‘Father’. So as my meditations continued I felt sure that his mother, Mary, had told him of the circumstances surround his miraculous conception and the other events that surrounded his birth. I know that Jesus is fully God and fully man. I knew that his mission that he was called to complete was to be a response of a man. This was the only way that he could be the new Adam just as Mary is the new Eve. So it was out of his humanity that his calling was accepted. This moment is reasoned by others to be a gradual realisation of who he truly was. But when I looked at the scriptures I felt that it was definitely an epiphany. This is why his parents were astonished. They had no idea that he had identified himself in all the scriptures. This is why the teachers were so astonished at his ability to interpret the scriptures and to connect one scripture to another. I can only begin to imagine the elation that he must have experienced. But what really astounded me during this contemplative time was the willingness that he must have responded with, I am willing Father, knowing what lay in store for him. This is also at about the time when he would have been considered an adult and celebrated his Bah Mitzvah. Jesus was 12 years old and the celebration of the Bah mitzvah for boys is when they reach the age of 13. 

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The meaning of the painting: This painting has many levels of interpretation. The first is the elation of a young boy having an epiphany of what he born to do. Hence the title of the painting ‘For this I was born’. In his hand he holds a hyssop branch. This refers the flight of Israel out of Egypt where all Israelites had to mark the door with the blood of the lamb that they had just slain. In the New Testament it was the hyssop branch that they attached the sponge to, and gave him something to drink.

 The heavenly background is to signify his acceptance of his divinity. The angels on the steps are surprised and delighted about his acceptance as this was a unique once off event. Gods plan was in motion and reaching a cosmic climax.

The musical stairs refer to the rejoicing in heaven and of all creation. The music is from the song:

 Give me joy in heart, keep me praising.

 Give me joy in my heart, I pray.

Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,

Keep me praising till the break of day.

Sing Hosanna, sing hosanna, sing hosanna,

 Sing hosanna to the king of kings

This is a very joyous moment for us all when Jesus accepted as a man to do what Adam had failed to do. It was the moment when he accepted that he would die for us.