Embrace I (Luke 1:39-56)

This painting is based on the encounter between Mary and her relative Elizabeth, both pregnant. The Holy Spirit elicits this declaration from Elizabeth:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Here, I picture them meeting each other at Elizabeth’s doorstep, uniting in an iconic embrace. Jesus and his cousin John meet for the first time. The text of the scripture surrounds them, and they are silhouetted by the light pouring into the room—a metaphor for the ministry of their soon to be born children, who would, 30 years hence, bring light to a world darkened by sin.