In All Uncertain Terms

Advent and the Christmas season is probably my favorite time of year. I love Christmas for all the normal reasons–the decorations and lights, the food (especially cookies and sweet, hot beverages), the giving and receiving of gifts, the time spent with loved ones, and the instinct to huddle up inside together to shield against the cold. I love Advent for the songs, which I still maintain should be sung year-round, the liturgies, and the reverence and solemnity that is palpable at the church services.

I think the biggest reason Advent is so dear to me, though, is the focus on waiting and longing. With every passing day, due to my inability and unwillingness to ignore the news, I feel more and more deeply the brokenness that penetrates every aspect of the world. I see the ways we each hurt one other, repeatedly and often, the way groups oppress other groups, and feel not entirely, but almost entirely helpless to fix it. My fight against despair is a daily one, and sometimes I fear, a losing one. So I yearn for someone to save us from ourselves, and Advent is the time when we collectively express that sentiment out loud.

Last year, I decided to look for some new (to me) Advent books. I like to have a daily reading during the four weeks, and I had been using the same two books for a few years. So I ordered three new ones, one of which was Scott Erickson’s Honest Advent. I’ll admit that I never finished it, though I did appreciate what I read. I plan to revisit it this year. It was through this book that I first heard about the work of art Eve and Mary by Sister Grace Remington. Erickson had created his own version of the piece (see below), and included it in his book.

If you want to purchase a print of this piece, you can do so here: https://scottericksonartshop.com/collections/prints/products/mary-eve

I found the concept so interesting and touching that I immediately looked up the original. Upon finding it, the picture made me cry, which I felt was an unusual response for me. I like visual art, but it rarely brings me to tears. Besides, the styles I find most appealing are impressionism and baroque, and this piece is far from either. My favorite medium is oil paint, but Sister Remington’s creation was made with simple crayon and pencil. Here it is:

Though simplistic compared to my usual taste, there are several reasons I find this work so moving. First, Eve’s facial expression and posture look to me as if she is ashamed, and even afraid to look at Mary and believe there might be hope. She is still clutching the apple which represents the sin that got her (and us all) into this mess in the first place, and is still constrained by the snake who first led her to it. I can relate. Nevertheless, Mary seems to look her in the eye with understanding, without judgment. Her smile seems to say, “Don’t worry. All will be made well.” She touches Eve’s face, a gesture her Son will do also, to break the divide between the holy and the sinful, the clean and unclean. She brings Eve’s hand close, to invite her to know, to touch the salvation that is to come to them both. Of course, Mary is also fulfilling the prophecy that Eve’s descendant would “bruise” the serpent’s head. The whole scene takes place in a garden, where Eve’s story began, and where all humanity’s story began anew at the resurrection.

You can purchase prints of this piece here: https://monasterycandy.com/products/mary-and-eve-print-unmatted

And here is an interview in which Sister Remington shares about her creation: https://www.plough.com/en/topics/culture/holidays/christmas-readings/mary-consoles-eve

Scott Erickson isn’t the only artist to have been inspired by this piece. In writing this post, I discovered others who had made their own renditions as well. Among my favorites are Margie Averill’s and Knoblearth’s. In addition to paintings, carvings, and even a stained glass window I saw, Sister Grace’s drawing inspired a song by Rain for Roots and Sandra McCracken. You can view the lyrics and listen to it here:

https://rainforroots.bandcamp.com/track/mary-consoles-eve

I hope to add my own version to the mix someday.