I have had privilege of having many conversations about Jesus these past several weeks … with the youth group, the confirmation class, folks that came to the lunch and living word sessions this week, and in the weekly faith study.
Yesterday, was Maundy Thursday, the day when many Christians around the world remember the night before Jesus died, when he washed his disciples feet and shared a last meal with them.
Yesterday this image appeared on the United Church of Canada website. You can read the story about how this picture came to be, and about the United Church members across the country who came together to recreate Da Vinci’s Last Supper here:
A Place at The Table | The United Church of Canada
You can also find a link to a video about the project on youtube. “Through deep faith and a sense of belonging, we explore the fullness of humanity and the divine reflected in each person. Join us in this journey of vulnerability, curiosity, and authentic self-expression, as we celebrate inclusivity, diversity, and the joy of relationships formed in challenging times.”
In my first conversations about Jesus with a group I usually start with either my Jesus ABCs poster, or my huge file of images of Jesus that I have collected over the years. I ask folks to choose an image and tell us why you chose it. Here are a couple of my favourites.
Laughing Jesus – which you can see and read about at
Who was Canadian behind iconic image of "Laughing Jesus?" | Vancouver Sun
Christ of the Breadlines
Fritz Eichenberg — Relief: A Journal of Art and Faith
The Crucified Woman statue at Emmanual College in Toronto.
Joan Wyatt: The Cruciform Woman Image Then and Now - The Educated Imagination
You can read lots about the story of the statue online, and I actually have a book that I have used as a faith study about her story. The statue depicts a naked female figure in a cruciform position. It was commissioned by some folks at Bloor Street United Church in Toronto to be at the back of the Sanctuary throughout Lent. As I heard Rev. Clifford Elliot tell the story many years ago, it was fine until they brought the statue to the front of the church on Good Friday. Then, to put it bluntly, all hell broke loose. He said he got calls from around the world, had many media interviews, and was eventually charged with heresy, and investigated by Presbytery. Eventually the statue found a new home at the University of Toronto.
Whenever I am in Toronto and near Emmanuel College, I make a point of walking by and taking a moment to reflect … on how she continues reach out and speak to the suffering of women in our communities, our country, and around the world.
