Jesus Gives a Mission

“‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’”

Timothy P. Schmalz (Canadian, b. 1969), Homeless Jesus, 2012, life-size bronze sculpture (Jesus identifiable only by the nail prints in his feet), installed at Regis College at the University of Toronto, a Jesuit school of theology.

“Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

He Qi (Chinese, b. 1950), The Great Commission , 2017, oil on canvas.

Bible Passage: Matthew 25:34-40 & Matthew 28:16-20

My Big Story Bible: Pages 274

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Reconciliation with Peter

“When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. …

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’”

Samuel Thomas (British, b. 1987), Electric Embrace, 2022, digitally finished hand drawn sketch, limited edition giclee print.

Bible Passage: John 21:1-25

My Big Story Bible: Pages 226

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Jesus Appears to the Disciples

“But Thomas one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’”

Claire Curneen (Irish, b. 1968), Empty Tomb (detail), 2018, porcelain.

Bible Passage: John 20:19-29

My Big Story Bible: Pages 224

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The Road to Emmaus

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognised him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’”

Emmanuel Garibay (Filipino b. 1962), Emmaus, 2012, oil on canvas.

Bible Passage: Luke 24:13-35

My Big Story Bible: Pages 222

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The Empty Tomb

“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher).”

Helen Sherriff (Australian, b. 1951), (She thought he was) The Gardener, 2013, acrylic and oil on found medium-density fiberboard tabletop with parquetry veneer and bark insert.

Bible Passage: John 20:1-18

My Big Story Bible: Pages 220

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In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene.

The tomb, the tomb, that

Was her core and care, her one sore.

The light had hardly scarleted the dark

Or the first bird sung when Mary came in sight

With eager feet. Grief, like last night’s frost,

Whitened her face and tightened all her tears.

It was there, then, there at the blinding turn

Of the bare future that she met her past.

She only heard his Angel tell her how

The holding stone broke open and gave birth

To her dear Lord, and how his shadow ran

To meet him like a dog. And as the sun

Burns through the simmering muslins of the mist,

Slowly his darkened voice, that seemed like doubt,

Morninged into noon; the summering bees

Mounted and boiled over in the bell-flowers.

‘Come out of your jail, Mary,’ he said, ‘the doors are open

And joy has its ear cocked for your coming.

Earth now is no place to mope in.

So throw away Your doubt, cast every clout of care,

Hang all your hallelujahs out

This airy day.’

This is the last of fourteen untitled, epigraphed poems from “Resurrection: An Easter Sequence” by W. R. Rodgers (Ireland, 1909–1969), originally published in Europa and the Bull and Other Poems (Farrar, Straus and Young, 1952) and compiled posthumously in Collected Poems (Oxford University Press, 1971) and later Poems, ed. Michael Longley (The Gallery Press, 1993).

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