Description

As a Jewish family, the Holy Family would have celebrated Passover year after year. We read about it in the Gospels, for instance in the passage of loosing the Child Jesus in the Temple: he remained in Jerusalem after the Passover.

I have always loved the passage in Exodus when God describes how His people are to celebrate Passover: “When your children ask you, ‘What does this rite of yours mean?’ you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice for the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt; when he struck down the Egyptians, he delivered our houses.’” (Exodus 12: 26-17)

Jesus, as the youngest child in the family, sits on Joseph’s knee and, pointing to the roasted lamb, poses that question to his father: “why do we do this?”

Joseph draws Jesus near and, holding a piece of the unleavened bread, explains the story of how God saved the Israelites.

But as Catholics, every Jewish tradition is fulfilled through the coming of Christ. The lamb, young and perfect, is sacrificed and roasted whole without a bone broken. Jesus, the Lamb of God, young and perfect without sin, is sacrificed on the Cross without a bone of His ever being broken.

The unleavened bread, taken and shared and eaten, is the unleavened bread of the Eucharist. Joseph holds the bread up much as images of the Last Supper have depicted the Eucharist.

Both the bread and the lamb are eaten, just as the Eucharistic Host, which has transubstantiated into Jesus’s heart muscle (as all Eucharistic miracles keep attesting) is also taken and eaten. The Host is mystically both visibly still bread and substantially Jesus’ flesh.

Zechariah stands ready with his staff in hand, ready to eat as prescribed: ready to go. Joseph’s staff leans against the door, and John the Baptist sits ready and waiting to begin, attentively holding his staff with both hands.

All the action circles and points to the dynamic of Jesus and Joseph and the lamb and the bread. Eyes glance down at the table or across to the father and son. The staves frame the action while light from the stove spills into the room.  Even Joseph’s tools and lilies on the shelf point down towards the father and son talking.

—–

This is my first official multi-figure work created primarily from imagination. I’m so excited for this turning point in my works to depict stories and saints with a more narrative style without needing perfect references. Even if Mary’s face took about 15 tries, oh man does this get me excited to keep working and practicing! I hope you love the painting and the symbolism behind it!

_______________________

Have an idea you want me to paint? Feel free to reach out at outpouringoftrust@gmail.com with your idea!

____________________

Purchase does not include frame.

Staging photos are not necessarily accurate representations of the size of the image, but simply give an idea of the image in a room. Please measure your actual wall before deciding.

Images subject to copyright, copyright Monica Skrzypczak. Do not reproduce without explicit written permission. To use the image in print at your parish, or any other use, feel free to email me with the project and number of copies estimated for a quote on a temporary license.

_______________________

Have an idea you want me to paint? Feel free to reach out at outpouringoftrust@gmail.com with your idea!

____________________

Purchase does not include frame.

Staging photos are not necessarily accurate representations of the size of the image, but simply give an idea of the image in a room. Please measure your actual wall before deciding.

Images subject to copyright, copyright Monica Skrzypczak. Do not reproduce without explicit written permission. To use the image in print at your parish, or any other use, feel free to email me with the project and number of copies estimated for a quote on a temporary license.