Christ’s Knowing Gaze

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 12:00 pm EST

Emmanuel Ufio ’24, Master of Science in Finance candidate with the Mendoza College of Business, shares the portrait of Madonna and Child painted by Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli in the 16th century, Bedoli was an Italian painter active in the Mannerist style. The Mannerist style is known for its emphasis on exaggerated and elegant style over realistic depiction.

What do we see in this depiction of Madonna and Child? Rather than a snapshot into the world of this ancient mother and child, we are struck by the delicacy and the beauty of the child’s gaze towards us. Christ’s piercing eyes draw us into the scene.

Notice that Mary holds a delicate flower that the Christ child gently reaches towards. Parents of toddlers might expect a more chaotic grabbing and lunging by a child that age, but the artist has chosen to portray Jesus and Mary with very calm demeanors.

Truly, we all experience moments of chaos and brokenness in our lives that we seek to heal during this Lenten season, and we ask Jesus and Mary to help and intercede for us as only they can. The Lord desires to look deeply into our souls to identify what most ails us and then to bring forgiveness and healing.

Of course, this process can be painful and embarrassing. Jesus sees all of the wounds caused by others and those we bring upon ourselves. Nevertheless, today’s painting encourages us to be confident that, once we let the Lord fully into our hearts, a peace beyond all understanding will envelop us.

This Lent, ThinkND invites you to join FaithND and the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art for a journey of Lenten discovery through some of the most significant liturgical paintings in the Raclin Murphy collection, challenging you to contemplate prayer, fasting, sinfulness, mercy, grace, and God’s infinite love from the perspectives of the artist’s gaze. To subscribe to the FaithND Daily Gospel Reflection visit faith.nd.edu/signup.