In Honor of Easter

I am 100% certain that if I were not a Mormon, I would be a Catholic.
(I quite enjoy the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the Catholic Church). There is something wonderful about being Christian.

I love knowing of the divinity of Christ, of His Earthly mission, and the knowledge I have of His resurrection and the hope that it brings to mankind.

Sandro Boticelli-Annunciation

The gift of God-His son, a sacrifice for all of the Earth! A woman-willing, blessed, and worthy; A Son: obedient, hopeful, and strong; A Father: loving, gracious and merciful.

I feel very, very fortunate that I grew up in a home where I know how my parents feel about the gospel of Jesus Christ, but also where I wasn't sheltered from other faiths and ideas. My mom and dad always did a great job of helping me know that other people believed differently, but that they were good, their beliefs were good, and that they had truth in their lives.

My dad would always visit religious sites in his travels and bring home pictures. I remember seeing pictures of him in Buddhist and Hindu temples- shoes off, respectful. As I grew up, I wanted to know what they thought, what they believed, what they hoped for in life. The more I studied art history and humanities and came home with a fresh perspective on religious history the more my mom would say little gems of wisdom to me, encouraging my learnings, but grounding me in truthfulness and her testimony of the gospel.

(I wonder if they knew they were teaching me these things as they explored and lived curious lives?)

Because of that upbringing-and because of the COUNTLESS churches and museums my parents dragged me to in Europe as a child ( yay!) I grew up knowing that art could be religious, and loving it. I remember feeling something special about art-a special spirit that lives inside each painting-a story, a testimony, a moral.


I get to my point, I promise. Because of this, I love any religious painting-they hold such a special place in my heart. I see a painting of a religious scene-it's a story, a testimony, a moral frozen in time. But more than that-it connects! I get it in such a different way than in words. Most especially I love paintings that have to deal with the life of Christ; from the Annunciation to Mary, the Adoration of the Magi, anyways, any of them. ( I also really love stories from the lives of the Saints, and stories from the Apocrypha-especially those still revolving around Christ-Anna and Joachim etc.) here are some of my favorites.

Rogier van der Weyden-Deposition

Okay, how beautiful is this? Besides the compositional harmony, again it just catches my emotions! I love to learn the stories behind the characters-like Veronica over in the corner.

Isn't she wonderful? Look at her beautiful tear-she weeps. Oh, it just reaches out from the canvas and grabs my heart.

Giotto-Lamentation

Oh look! They don't understand that although He is dead, He will rise again. They're so sad-grieved-distraught actually. Yet, look how lovingly the Mary's cradle his body.

(Plus, Giotto puts someones back against the viewer-how very risky!)

I guess I love these stories because they show the mortality of Christ, but in showing his mortality, hint at his immortal divinity. He OVERCAME death! He is risen!Caravaggio-Doubting Thomas

And although it may be difficult to believe at times, that such a blessing as gracious as the atonement can be a part of our lives, I am grateful and hopeful that I can, and will have it as a part of mine, everyday.