Director's Christmas message

Featured on the cover of the 2012 Columban Calendar is the beautiful painting of Virgin and Child with Angels that was painted in the 15th century. The colours remain rich, even lush and they are pleasing to the eye. The pale faces of mother and child are cool and remote but beautiful in repose. What a far cry from the stable in Bethlehem!

It is natural to take any important event and soften it, make it pleasing to the eye, fade the tension, the fear, the fright and the dirt. The Incarnation is a great example of this human tendency. So many of the paintings of Mary at Bethlehem gloss over the rough circumstances and the extraordinary events. Who wanted shepherds barging in? It seems like a series of unexpected events, certainly one surprise after another.

Our lives  are never 'together' like a beautiful painting where every detail is in harmony and unity. The mission of the Church is messy, but missionaries keep doing what they can and benefactors keep supporting the work. The history of the Church shows successes and failures and it would appear that we are in a tough time now. But does it matter? Let us do what we can just as we are.

Thank you for being part of Columban Mission.

Fr Gary Walker SSC
director@columban.org.au


Read more from The Far East, November/December 2011

or

Subscribe to The Far East magazine