Tuesday 20 September 2011

A world of Bible Illustration


Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist - Feast
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew9:9-13.

The preamble to the dignified title, Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist – Feast, leads from less to more.
Mt. 9:9 gives the brief mention, ‘Jesus saw Matthew and Matthew followed him.’
That was all to it – except from the Harmony of the Gospels.
Mark. 2:14 gives a link, ‘Jesus saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus.’
Then Luke gave the opener to the story, Lk. 5:25., ‘Levi made a great feast.
The plot thickens.
Matthew is the apostle and evangelist.
Was he the Gospeler, the writer of his Gospel?
It cannot be proved that Matthew was the author, but it figures from all that comes together.
For this morning we are given the best indicator of Matthew/Levi character and role, ‘he mad a great feast.’ He expresses the life of communion.
And at this man we are united in the communion of Matthew and the Apostles. . . 
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Jesus calls Levi (27) - artist William Hole "The Life of Jesus Nazareth"

27. S. LUKE V. 27,28. Passing the Receipt of Custom, Jesus commandeth Matthew, the Publican, to follow him.  Threceipt of custom, which odiouoccupation Matthew quitted witalacritathe summons oJesus, doubtless refers to the "octroi" duty levied at the gates upon all goods brought intthe city. The water-gate, leading from thharbour, itherefore selected for illustration. (Note of artist)


Around 1900, William Hole travelled to Palestine in order to study the background for biblical painting. There he began working on the 80 watercolours that would eventually appear as illustrations in his book "The Life of Jesus of Nazareth."[3] In April to May 1906 these pictures were shown at an exhibition at the Fine Art Society in London.[4] He also painted scenes from the Old Testament.  

These Links lead into a world of Bible Illustration
http://bibleillustration.blogspot.com/2008/05/my-favorite-bible-artist-7.html

William Hole OnLine    -   http://www.williamhole.co.uk/ This website is dedicated to celebrating the life and work of accomplished nineteenth century painter, etcher and muralist, William Hole (1846-1917).
Welcome to the Online Home of William Hole.
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Wednesday, 21 September 2011



SAINT MATTHEW
Apostle and Evangelist
Feast
]
Commentary of the day : 
Pope Benedict XVI 
Homily (from Osservatore Romano) 




"You too go into my vineyard" (Mt 20,4)   

  • It is Saint Matthew, the apostle and evangelist whose feast we are celebrating today, who tells the parable of the owner of the vineyard who calls laborers to work in in his vineyard (20.1f.). I like to emphasize that Matthew had personally had this experience. Before Jesus called him, he exercised the function of publican and, as a result, was thought of as a sinner, excluded from «the Lord's vineyard». However, it all changes when Jesus, passing by his tax-collector's table, looks at him and says: «Follow me». Matthew stood up and followed him. The publican had changed immediately into a disciple of Christ. He was one of the «last» who found himself to be «first» (Mt 20,16) thanks to God's way of thinking, which – happily for us! - is different from the world's. «Your thoughts are not my thoughts,» as the Lord says through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, «nor are my ways your ways» (55,8).
  • Saint Paul, too, experienced the joy of feeling himself called by our Lord to work in his vineyard. And what a great work he accomplished! But, as he himself testifies, it was the grace of God working in him, that grace which transforms the persecutor of the Church into the apostle of the gentiles (1Cor 15,9-10).

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