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| The Star of Bethlehem Click picture to enlarge |
Edward Burne-Jones’ The Star of Bethlehem commissioned in 1887 and first viewed publicly in 1891 remains a captivating interpretation of The Nativity more than one hundred twenty years after its first viewing. The lovingly detailed large scale watercolor painting offers Christians and non-Christians alike a bold but meditative image capturing God among us through His Son, The Son’s final suffering on the cross and our salvation through The Son in the time of The Holy Spirit. How wonderful a time as Advent to reflect on The Star of Bethlehem.
Looking past the striking colors and near countless fine details of The Star of Bethlehem, the unusual woodland location and one of the Travelers From the East raise immediate questions. This does not appear to be Bethlehem and The Son of God is receiving a gift from a visitor clothed in armor wearing a warrior's helmet. Edward Burne-Jones drew inspiration from religious, mythical and medieval subject matter. It is less surprising then to see this vision of The Nativity bringing together The Holy Family and more secular images of medieval England. In the time of Advent preparation The Star of Bethlehem may remind us God gave us His Son to give life and save All on Earth
Mary's stare looking past or through the visitors and their gifts along with The Christ Child's recoiled posture clinging to his mother’s dress tell us beyond doubt Jesus’s last days on Earth are spent suffering with the final hours of The Son of Our God on a cross suspended by his limbs and fastened to the cross by metal spikes as a public spectacle. His mother knows inevitably she can do no more than be near and suffer with her son.
Lastly, the artist and his work, The Star of Bethlehem, remind us the story does not end with The Cross. For us as Christians, death on a cross is a beginning. Christ's resurrection and life filled with The Holy Spirit for us today is The Good News. The beauty and the love invoked by the artist to create the painting and the beauty of the painting itself may represent a New Beginning and might be seen as the products of The Holy Spirit, as revealed to us by Christ and present in us today, working mysteriously through the human hands of Edward Burne-Jones. God gave us His Son and offers life for eternity. God is with us through The Holy Spirit still today and reveals His Love through human vessels.
How blessed we are to be alive. How blessed we are to know something of God. How blessed we are this Advent season as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Christmas season.
Peace and a joyful Advent preparation to All.
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This article was written by Benedictine oblate James J. Janicki. He is an oblate at Saint Leo Abbey, Florida.
High Resolution of The Star of Bethlehem
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