Art Reading Scripture

Nativity Scene from Chile, St. Joseph's Oratory, Montreal

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room. Luke 2:7

This small nativity scene from the Nativity Museum at St. Joseph's Oratorio in Montreal includes only five characters. Most Nativity scenes include everyone connected to the Mary, Joseph, Jesus, an angel, shepherds, mage, sheep, donkey and cow. Three of these figures are easy to identify: Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus. They have halos. The man beside Joseph carries a staff indicating that he is most likely a shepherd. But who is the woman standing next to Mary? She is clearly different and unusual, not represented in typical Nativity displays. She is also the only character without bright blue, and rather vacant eyes. Her eyes are wide open. Her smile is full of wonder, amazement, and joy. Potentially, she represents everyone who comes to meet this story and wonder, an insertion of the viewer into the scene. Potentially, she is the midwife whose presence is included in the Infancy Gospel of James. (The significance of the objects being held by Mary and the woman, a bowl and spoon and (?) is uncertain.)

When Mary rather suddenly went into labor in the cave where they sheltered Joseph went out into the night in search of help. "Finding a midwife, he brought her. They came down from the mountain, and Joseph said to the midwife, 'Mary is the one who was betrothed to me, but she, having been brought up in the Temple of the Lord, has conceived by the Holy Spirit.' She went with him. They stood in the place of the cave, and a dark cloud was overshadowing the cave. The midwife said, 'My soul is magnified today, for my eyes have seen a mystery: a Savior has been born to Israel! And immediately the cloud withdrew from the cave, and a great light appeared in the cave so that their eyes could not bear it. After a while the light withdrew, until the baby appeared. It came and took the breast of its mother Mary; and the midwife cried out, "How great a day, for I have seen this new wonder." The midwife's name was Salome. She also did a post birth examination to confirm Mary's virginity. Her hand felt like it was on fire and she prayed to the Lord for healing. An angel told her to hold the child and she would be saved and healed. Maybe that's too much information.

I loved this Nativity partly because of the cuteness of the infant Jesus. He is adorable with his little halo, black bangs, big blue eyes, folded hands, little white tunic, blue shorts and little black shoes as he lies serenely in his cradle. He, like the midwife, is smiling with joy. No description of Jesus as an infant or as an adult was ever given. Plenty have imagined his looks settling on an adult image of brown hair, often bearded and dressed in a robe. You know Jesus when you see him. Images of baby Jesus are more diverse, though usually very white, often naked to show his humanity or swaddled in a blanket per the story. This one makes me smile so I guess its how I will imagine him each Christmas season.

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.

Pastor Tim Bauer