This painting is “The Visitation” by Henry Ossawa Tanner. It depicts Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth while both are miraculously pregnant with Jesus and John the Baptist, respectively. We are used to depictions of biblical figures, especially Jesus’ mother, where the subject is outstanding in some way. Plenty of artists depicting biblical scenes will give Jesus or other prominent figures (such as “saints”) a halo or some such thing in order to distinguish them from other, more common, folk. Occasionally, someone like Mary will be engaged in some very pious activity like studying scripture or praying. I guess it would not do to have Gabriel visit her while she is eating or tending a fire or sitting there doing nothing. While it makes for an interesting piece of art, I think it also puts a bit of distance between us and the biblical character when we see them as somehow holier or more pious than we are or could ever be. We see the picture and think that that person must live a life that is completely different than mine and I cannot relate to it at all.
In “The Visitation,” we have a scene that depicts clothing and architecture that we may be unfamiliar with but everything else seems relatable enough. Elizabeth looks like she is sitting down to a meal or a snack or something (she’s 6 months pregnant so maybe Zechariah just got back from the store with those oranges and pickled beets Liz was craving). In comes cousin Mary to greet Elizabeth and the scene we have is the expression on her face. Luke records it this way, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:41)
Tanner was born in Pennsylvania in the mid 1800s so, he’s not painting this from memory. This is his depiction of what things might have looked like when an extraordinary set of circumstances come upon otherwise normal people. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, calls Mary’s child her Lord and unborn John leaps for joy in His presence. This is the first time Jesus, God in the flesh, is called ‘Lord’ by mankind and is worshiped as such.
There is a lot going on this time of year. As I write this it is the eve of Christmas. Soon it will be the start of a new year. We may pause to think about the gifts God has given us in the past year and the gifts God has given us through His Son. Mary and Elizabeth, I’m sure, paused to reflect on the things that God had given them and what God was going to do in the future. Yet, all the while, they had no choice but to do these things as normal everyday people who had to eat and sleep and live their lives.
As you live your life, as you eat and sleep and do whatever you do, you may think of yourself as an ordinary person. When you see pictures of yourself there may not be a halo around your head but just the same, God has given you extraordinary gifts. He has and is doing extraordinary things to you, and through you. Those pictures of you without a halo do not mean that you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. You are. God is with you when you sit down to eat, when you lay down to sleep and when you open your mouth to give Him praise. This coming year, live your ordinary looking life with the knowledge that God has made you extraordinary by giving his Son and His Spirit to Mary, to Elizabeth and to you. Happy New Year.
~ Pastor Mehl