Today, August 15th, is the Feast Day of Saint Mary the Virgin, Mother of Jesus. The Greeks call her Theotokos, God-Bearer. We learn a great deal about Mary through the eyes of artists, who often serve as our best guides to see and connect with God. I share a traditional view of the Annunciation by Fra Angelico, featuring Mary, at San Marco in Florence. I see a peaceful Mary surrendering to God’s call. A modern painting of the Annunciation by John Collier reminds us of Mary’s youth.
The Pieta by Michelangelo, located at St. Peter’s Basilica, depicts the depths of a mother’s love for her deceased son. There are no words to express the sorrow in this statue as it is in real life. Kelly Latimore’s wood print reminds us that the members of the holy family became refugees, hastily journeying to Egypt with King Herod at their heels. We must never forget that all of us in this country were refugees, except for the Indigenous People.
The image of Mary and Jesus from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is a traditional icon that allows us to learn to see God through the eyes of Mary, as we look through the icon to see God. My favorite image of Mary is with her relative Elizabeth, one in early pregnancy and the other near term, at the Church of the Visitation in Jerusalem. Two women see God in each other, and Mary explodes with joy and prophecy with the Magnificat. Mary is calling us to do the same. Pray that we may have eyes to see God, the Christ, in ourselves and one another. Joanna Seibert joannaseibert.com https://www.joannaseibert.com/
