eikon

John 13:31-14:14

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life”. This is one of the most widely known “I am” sayings in which Jesus is often seen as the way to Heaven by most believers. And although he is the way to eternal life, we often focus on the end of the way and not on the way per se.

Last week, hundreds of Anglican bishops marched in witness to the church’s commitment to the realization of the Millenium Development Goals. This walk of witness was not a mere political statement: they were leading their flocks to walk the way of the One who fed the hungry, healed the sick and taught us to love the poor as if they were Christ. This brings us, perhaps, to the thought that by following the One who is the Way, we are in fact following a way which takes us to everlasting life.

Our mission as Christians is to show all the Way (Jesus), not only in words, but also through coherent actions. Let us walk the Way of Jesus. Let Jesus be in each of our steps. Let us guide the world according to His loving principles, showing the One who truly is the way to fullness of life.

Painting dimensions: 40 X 50 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 11:1-44

This texts tells us one of the most famous stories in the Gospels: The raising of Lazarus form the tomb by Jesus, who brings him back ti life again after having been dead for four days.

Certainly, Lazarus’ family were overjoyed to have their beloved brother restored to life again, and in such a context, it is extremely easy to understand that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

However, Jesus’ Resurrection and the Life that he offers goes far beyond a mere recusitation. The Resurrection Life Jesus offers is a more profound resurrection: Jesus proclaims that all who believe in him will never die. This life is given to us in baptism, and all of us who believe in him have the hope of eternal life with God after our deaths; and, we have the promise of abundant and joyful life now. This hope is not for a few elite ones; Christ invites all humankind to eternal life, through his own Life, which brings Resurrection to all.

As Christians, we have possibly experienced the Risen Christ in so many ways in our lives. This triptych is composed of geometric designs representing death, grief and resurrection. The colors get more intense and some can even see a sun rising in one of the corners. Many of us have experienced times of despair and hopelessness, but through the Risen Christ, we experience victory and wholeness.

Painting dimensions (each one): 15 X 20 cm
Reserved

John 10:11-18

In this Gospel passage Jesus is presented as the Good Shepherd who cares for all of His sheep. He defends them against their predators, and leads them to verdent pastures where they may graze in saftey. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, in contrary to the false shepherd who abandons the sheep in times of danger in order to save his own life.

The image of the shepherd is one that has also been traditionally applied to bishops. As Christ, they are called to offer selfless love to each sheep in their flock (which, in this case, means all of us) and to provide them spiritual care and pastoral support. It is a very difficult, yet sacred mission, entrusted to bishops by God, to lead us towards the paths that guide us to union with Christ and one another.

Part of the mission of the Lambeth Conference has been to equip bishops for the mission of the Church. As chief pastors of the Church, they are called by God to conform their lives and ministries to the example of the One who is the model of a true Good Shepherd

Drawing dimensions (each one): 25 X 30 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 10:1-10

Here, Jesus presents himself as the gate – a gate through which the sheep safely enter into the sheepfold and back out to find pasture.

The Church of Christ also needs to act as a gate, showing Jesus to the world, and inviting all to experience His love and mercy.

This painting shows a simple church building, like many in Latin America. Its irregular and stained walls proclaim the simplicity and humility of the church. Yet, on the altar the Sacrament shines and casts shadows on the other objects. It is Jesus – the Son of the Living God- whose real presence we experience every Sunday at the Eucharist. The Church must show people the One who is the gate and provides eternal life to all.

Finally, the church name is a very typical one among Anglicans: Christ Church. It reminds us that as Anglicans we are part of the Church of Christ, and that all are called to join us as living members of His Body.

Painting dimensions: 40 X 50 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 9:1-41

Jesus, more than an itinerant preacher, was a healer, bringing bodily and spiritual comfort to many people who sought wholeness, acceptance, and relief from their sufferings.

As the Church of Christ, we carry on His ministry among humankind. By caring for the sick and the poor, praying for God’s blessings upon us all, and breaking the Bread of Life with the faithful, we continue the fruitful work first begun by our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are the people of the Living God. God is truly manifested among us Christians. Jesus, the one who says “I am the man”, has fully embodied His humanity, without diminishing His divinity. Let us remember that as his followers, it is our duty to pray – using words, gestures and actions –for the healing and transformation of this broken world.

Painting dimensions: 30 X 50 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 8:31-59

“Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am”

These astonishing words synthetize this reading. By making such a bold statement, Jesus reached a moment of climax among His followers. He was not merely a prophet; He is the eternal Being of God.

The Church Catholic teaches us that Jesus was begotten of the Father before all worlds and not made. This poses several questions, since such statements are not always understandable most of the time, because we cannot fully comprehend the concept of eternity and the wonder of God made human.

However, having as Lord the One who was before all of us is above all a blessing. It means our faith is set upon a much more solid foundation than we could ever conceive. It means that our Lord is also the Lord of the Universe, and his greatness has no limitations, not even the limitations of time and space. It gives us hope and grace to follow the path of holiness that takes us to the everlasting embrace of God Almighty, the source of all love.

Painting dimensions: 60 X 45 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 8:1-20

Since the beginning of Christendom, Jesus has been associated with the imagery of light. As light in the darkness, several faithful proclaim the Good News of the One who is Light from Light.

This work shows an explosion of light which contrasts with the black background, reaching all the corners of the Earth. Christ, announced to the Nations, is this light that reaches every single place, people and nation.

As Anglicans, we acknowledge Canterbury as our “mother-see”. Christ, from this city in England, was also announced to the ends of the world, and, as a wave of light shining in the darkness, Anglicanism has helped take Christ and shape Christianity in several locations, countries and to several peoples.

Painting dimensions: 45 X 60 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 6:1-14;25-59

Every Sunday, the people of God approach the altar to receive the “Bread of Heaven” and the “Cup of Salvation”. As Anglicans, we believe that Jesus is truly present in the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

The Body and the Blood of Jesus Christ are a spiritual and faith-supporting food. When one takes part of the Holy Communion, s/he is making a statement of faith and declaring that Jesus Christ is his/her Lord and Savior.

The pastel painting above shows how bread and wine, the product of human labor, is offered to God so that the Holy Spirit will transform them into the Body and Blood of Christ. Each quadrant on the background is a different color and reflects the diversity of the human family and the members of Christ’s Body, unified by the Bread of Heaven. As we gather around the Altar to celebrate this celestial banquet daily, let us remember that all of us, despite our differences, are unified in Christ and nourished by the self-giving love of God expressed in the Eucharist.

Painting dimensions: 45 X 60 cm
Reserved

John 6:14-21

This passage, in my opinion, is central to the understanding of the situation our beloved Anglican Communion has been going through. Here, Jesus shows to his disciples that, even despite the tempest, those who walk with God are always safe.

Our Communion is going through what many call the final tempest. However, if we put our trust in Jesus, and choose him as our Lord and God, nothing will be able to destroy our unity in Christ.

This piece shows a sign of hope in the colors of the rainbow, God’s covenant of love and hope, which comes at the end of the storm. All shall be well for the people of God.

Drawing dimensions: 30 X 30 cm
Reserved

John 4:6-42

The Samaritan woman described in this passage is the stereotypical portrait of the outcasts of society. She was a woman, a Samaritan, and apparently living in sin (given the amount of husbands she had had).

Nonetheless, Jesus swept away all those barriers and conventions of what is pure and what is impure. He welcomed her to the Kingdom of God, where all his children are equal. He showed a way of forgiveness, reconciliation and truth.

In our world, sadly, several woman continue to be exploited and treated as inferior beings. Crimes such as sexual trafficking, forced prostitution, rape and genital mutilation continue to exist all over the world (including in western societies – many of which claim to be civilized). Many women often refer to this passage as an example of God’s liberating love towards them. They, like the Samaritan woman, have seen God’s wonderful face in Jesus, and seek in him a source of hope for their lives. We, as Christians, have to follow the example of our Master, and be God’s hands in this world, restoring lives through his redeeming love. We ought to struggle for all humiliated minorities so that all may one day have the same rights, as it should be.

Painting dimensions: 45 X 60 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 1:19-34

St. John the Baptist says very firmly in this passage: “I am not the Messiah”. He rejects all versions of messianic identity with one single, strong statement: “the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal”.

In our daily lives, we often “elect” our own messiahs: politicians, religious leaders, and people in important positions in general. We expect them to be problem-solvers. We deposit our trust and hope in them, and act according to their guidance and leadership.

John the Baptist’s witness,however, is emphatically the opposite. He is not the Messiah, and he does not pretend he is. He is one of us, putting his trust in someone who is much wiser than any of us.

This passage also reminds us of the Second Coming of Jesus. It encourages us to set our hope in Christ, and prayerfully join the crowd of witnesses – all of God’s children – who are waiting for the coming of their King.

The text under the collage is Hb 12:1-2a , according to the Vulgata.

Artwork dimensions: 25 X 108 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

John 1:1-18

The Synoptic Gospels shape the beginnings of Jesus’ Story around moments in human history. The Evangelist John, however, begins his account of Jesus’ Story at a moment outside of time and space, and then brings the Strory into a moment in human history. This mystery of the Incarnation – so fundamental to Anglican theology – is represented by him in a much more transcendent way as the beginning of a new creation.

How does one represent the Incarnation in this context? Nativity scenes have been portrayed several times throughout Church history. And yet, one still struggles to visually represent the Word made flesh? How does one bring the logos into the realm of imagery?

As I contemplated this passage, the phrase “grace upon grace” continued to echo in my mind and lead me to a visual symbol for John’s view of Incarnation. God’s grace is so overwhelming that it is impossible to explain it in words. This painting is an attempt to portray this overwhelming grace, as spirals of many colors and eventually become flesh, represented here as a hand- the hand that healed so many; the hand which took bread, blessed it and brake it; the hand which was nailed to the cross for our salvation; the hand of the Christ; the hand of the Word made flesh, bestowing grace upon grace to us all.

Painting dimensions: 40 X 50 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00

This simple, but powerful statement, is the central theme of the 2008 Lambeth Conference Bible studies. In the gospel of John, Jesus says “I am” several times. It is impossible to deny the impact that each one of those statements had on so many people throughout the ages.

Yet, it is as important to acknowledge the impact that those statements have on us. Who is Jesus Christ to you? Saviour, Hope, King? As we examine each day’s appointed Bible study, consider taking some time to stand before this painting and reflect upon the role of our Lord has in your life. If you feel so inclined, please find a free white spot on the paper and write in your own language who Jesus is to you. This can be done as many times as you desire.

Hopefully, by the end of the conference, these three letters will be surrounded by simple testimonies of the redeeming power of the One who says “I am” in all of our lives. The letters themselves bear witness to the all encompassing redemption of the Saviour. In order to relfect the diversity of Christians present in this gathering, the letters have been painted according to traditional fabric and tile patterns that represent cultures from different nations of the world (French, Zulu, Persian, Navajo, Indian and West African). The pieces are all unique, each one with its own peculiarity, woven together by the transforming power of Christ- with many others- to compose a beautiful quilt of Christian faith.

Painting dimensions: 45 X 60 cm
Suggested donation: £ 200.00 or US$ 400.00