Art in The Garden
March 24th-31st
1. Tent City Nativity
Jesus was born in a makeshift shelter too.
And she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7
It would be expected that a child born to be a king would have much finer accommodations.
What is this part of Jesus story communicating to you?
If Jesus were born today, where do you think the birth would take place?
“God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving. If He gives us the gift of Christmas, it is because we all have the ability to understand and receive it.”
Pope Francis
2. La Sagrada Familia
Like millions today, Jesus’ family also had to flee to another country under the threat of violence.
Now after they (Jesus family) had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt.
Matthew 2:13,14
What is this part of Jesus story communicating to you?
If Jesus was a child today, how would Jesus’ refugee journey play out today?
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each another.”
Mother Teresa
3. The Parable of the Mustard Seed
He (Jesus) put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Matthew 13:31,32
Jesus taught that his message (about the kingdom of heaven) is something that starts small and grows. How have you observed this hope filled pattern in life?
“Jesus parables…are prophetic instruments…used to get God’s people to stop, reconsider their way of viewing reality, and change there behavior.”
Klyne Snodgrass
4. Christ: The Mother Hen
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
Jesus quoted in Matthew 23:37
Here, Jesus passionately expresses a desire to nurture and protect his ‘children’ and compares this longing to that of a mother hen.
It is nearly impossible to understand the type of inequity that existed between men and women in Jesus’ time. Women could literally be divorced without contention and left destitute for burning a meal.
What does it communicate to you about Jesus’ that in his environment he comfortably ascribes a female characteristic to himself?
“Metaphor is the only possible language available to religion because it alone is honest about mystery.”
Father Richard Rohr
5. Christ Breaks the Rifle
He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples: they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore.
Isaiah 2:4
Through the author and prophet Isaiah the Israelites anticipated a Savior who would construct a world beyond violence and war.
As this is still not the case, what is necessary for humans to stop treating each other with violence?
“But what if we discovered that we are, in fact, already free?”
Thomas Merton
6. Christ: Consider the Lilies
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”
This segment is part of Jesus’ longest recorded teaching, The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. One of the issues Jesus gives the most attention to is worry as it has such an influential role in life.
What has you worried?
If you have not already, create some space this spring to consider the lilies.
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”
Anne Frank
7. Christ in the Wilderness
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ”
Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”
Then the devil led him to Jerusalem and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Luke 4:1-12
To be a human is to experience loneliness and temptation just as Jesus did in the wilderness.
When you are lonely or tempted, what prevents you from reaching out for help?
Who do you imagine may need your friendship now?
“Loneliness comes over us sometimes as a sudden tide. It is one of the terms of our humanness, and, in a sense, therefore, incurable. Yet I have found peace in my loneliest times not only through acceptance of the situation, but through making it an offering to God, who can transfigure it into something for the good of others.”
Elisabeth Elliot
8. The Crucifixion
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
Matthew 16:24-26
Of the multitude of things that Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished it also serves as the inescapable example for all those who desire to follow him.
Why do you suppose Jesus made it mandatory for his followers to ‘deny themselves and take up their cross’?
“Sacrifice is the essence of love, which is the essence of God.”
Rick Warren
9. Mama
Perhaps no one experienced more joy and sorrow over Jesus than his mother Mary. The mother son relationship serves as a beautiful portrait and example for the intimate nature of Christian faith.
Christian faith goes so far as to announce that humans can personally know and live in a relationship with God.
If you don’t agree with that statement, would you consider testing the claim that God can be known personally?
If you identify as a follower of Jesus, reflect upon the moments in your life where you have been most aware of the presence of God.
10. The Resurrection
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’
Matthew 28:1-10
By far the most audacious claim of the Christian faith is that Jesus rose from the dead and still lives with the Father in heaven.
If that is a difficult or impossible idea to accept, what makes it so?
If it is true, what are some of the implications?
11. The Two Freds
Jesus’ message was designed from the start to go beyond himself and stretch into other cultures and generations. Here we reflect on two shining examples from our own country of what a life lived following Jesus can look like.
Frederick Douglass 1817 (or 1818) – 1895. Escaped slave who became an abolitionist and arguably the most important leader of the movement for African American Civil Rights in the 19th century.
“I know there is a hope in religion; I know there is faith and I know there is prayer about religion and necessary to it, but God is most glorified when there is peace on earth and good will towards men.
Frederick Douglass
Fred Rogers 1928-2003. American Television host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, author, Presbyterian minister.
“I believe that appreciation is a holy thing, that when we look for what’s best in the person we happen to be with at the moment, we’re doing what God does; so, in appreciating our neighbor, we’re participating in something truly sacred.”
Fred Rogers
Who do you think are today’s best examples of people who carry out Jesus’ message?