While looking for possible paintings of the biblico-liturgical theme of yesterday's gospel (Jn 14,1-12) -- Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life --I chanced on this painting by the Christian Artist Spencer Williams. With his permission, I'm posting his painting here. I don't know if my reflection on it would be in harmony at all with the inspiration that the Artist had in creating this art piece. I just trust that an art piece always takes a "life of its own" once the artist takes the courage to show it to the public.
The painting evokes in me the different themes connected to the identity and life of our Lord: "Judah, like a lion's whelp, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches like a lion recumbent, the king of beasts--who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, While tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people's homage" (cf Gen 49:9-10); then there is Jn 1: 35-36 - "The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God."
The painting evokes in me the different themes connected to the identity and life of our Lord: "Judah, like a lion's whelp, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches like a lion recumbent, the king of beasts--who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, While tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people's homage" (cf Gen 49:9-10); then there is Jn 1: 35-36 - "The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God."
What has this to do with Jesus as Way, Truth and Life?
Let me begin with Jesus as Truth. Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise to the Jews. Truth as a Judaic concept (symbolized by the Lion here) means fidelity -- the "amen" of God to his people, to the effect of saying, 'I will do what I promise.' And Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise (cf 2 Cor 1:19-20). Ironically (or providentially), the rejection of the Jews brought forth the "missioning" to the pagans like us! Who could ever understand God's design?!?
Jesus as the Way is the direct response of Jesus himself to the question - what is the way from here (this life) to the Father in heaven (cf. Jn 14:1-5). He answers, "I am the true and life-giving way. The Way is not so much "a road" or a direction where to head to, but a Person -- a lifestyle of pardon, reconciliation, unconditional love. Jesus is this Way. In fact, the "early Christian movement" was called "the Way" (cf Acts 9:1).
Jesus is the Life -- evident in the figure of the Lamb: Jesus is the lamb of God -- life offered selflessly, and offering lovingly accepted by the Father for the reconciliation of the world. There's a lot of atonement theology here that is so difficult to expound because it stimulates a series of "why's," etc. so I opt not to delve into that.
Let me conclude by simply quoting St. Paul how he lives in Jesus, the Life: "I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." (cf. Gal 2:20)
