Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Flight to Egypt


Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod.

This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

Matthew 2:13-18


















11 comments:

Byzantine, TX said...

Interesting how 18th century writings (and some a little earlier) affected the depiction of St. Joseph the Betrothed from an older man with all white hair and a beard to a younger man not much older than Mary.

Anonymous said...

Two such very different art styles, Micki, and yet they both portray the flight so well. It is interesting to see Joseph pictured as both an older and younger man too.
My Best Regards, Lynneda

Sanctus Belle said...

Beautiful holy cards! I'll post a link to one of them if you don't mind, giving you credit of course!

Anonymous said...

I think that the French words mean:
"The road of the exile -- or, the painful steps of the Infant Jesus."

I like both of these cards very much, Micki. I enjoyed comparing and contrasting them.

The newer one shows the Holy Family leaving the Holy Land, traveling over hard ground; the older one shows them entering the pagan land with its pyramids (tombs of mortal kings, being passed by the eternal King), traveling through fields of wheat (symbols of the Eucharist?).

The newer one shows the moon in the night sky of danger (in keeping with the gospel passage); the older one shows angels in the daytime sky. [Unlike His parents, Jesus doesn't need a guardian angel!]

In both works of art, Jesus is serene, and Mary gives Him a concerned glance.

In the older painting, St. Joseph is shown with a halo over his bare head; in the newer one, St. Joseph is shown (very unusually) with a hat, but with no halo! [The little Baby has a huge halo. I think that He got His own plus St. Joseph's!]

John

Anonymous said...

Beautiful holy cards Micki.
Imagin, the Christ child had to flee. Christ who created Herod and gave him life had to flee from him.
Christ who loved Herod like he loves all of us came to give Herod salvation and eternal life and Herod wanted only to kill him.
Imagin.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you posted the wonderful lace card of "The Flight to Egypt." Maybe that's why I could not find mine:-)

It's hard to believe that Jesus was already marked for death by temporal rulers while still an infant. How traumatic that must have been for Mary and Joseph.

Thanks for sharing.

Sheep 1

X said...

I like the angels keeping watch over the Holy Family!

Marie said...

"Out of Egypt I have called my son."

God calls us all to go out of our safety zone, but do we heed Him?

Great reflection Thanks Micki:)

Peace & JOY to you:)

Marie

Micki said...

Josephus - Welcome and thank you for your first post here. I was impressed with your post about the Friars.

Lynneda - I guess I picture the younger Joseph when I pray to him. He was my blogging patron last year. This year it's St. Isidore....guess I just love the men. :-)

Sanctus Belle - Thank you...help yourself.

John - And I like reading what you write. I copy it and place it behind the plastic sleeve I store each holy card. Thank you.

Ed - Yes, "imagine" His sorrow. Let's bring Him joy today ok?

Kay - Oh how sad to look at the young Christ with those realizations...but oh so true. Thanks.

Angela - Me too....I like knowing they watch over me also.

Marie - What a wonderful hint for us to be reminded that we too must "go out." I love that.

Sanctus Belle said...

Anonymous: If Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich is correct - in vision she relates that the Blessed Mother's guardian angel was no none other than St. Michael and Jesus' was St. Gabriel. He remained with Jesus His entire life and until His death. She saw that when Jesus' soul left His body, St. Gabriel and Jesus went like fireballs into the earth which then split into a chasm in front of the cross.

Micki said...

Sanctus Belle - I'm not familiar with the writings of Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich .... but I absolutely love the picture painted with her words. How wonderful. I must look into this.