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At Holy Hermits Online this Lent we have observed a call to reflect on Art together in our spaces. Our growing Digital Faith Artists | Ministries, using AI to create artworks by plugging in words, describing what we imagine, has been a source of great joy for many in our space for some time, but it was surprising to me just how strong this call to an art-full Lent was.

Not only did we focus on Art in our mid-week study but we also enjoyed a reflection evening on Passion Sunday where spiritual director Dilys led us alongside her artist friend Charlotte. Dilys and Charlotte’s invitation was to put our hearts into picture, which is a deep form of meditation and prayer and the Reflection Evening recording is available to view at any time.

Now why am I telling you all this? I promise it is not just to celebrate our online space and the work we are doing together in pioneering digital outreach, which I could talk about all day, but because there was something profound about the first of our study sessions which I would like to share with you.

We reflected on Rembrandts “Return of the prodigal son” painted sometime between 1661 and 1669 (The Return of the Prodigal Son (Rembrandt) - Wikipedia) and there is so much in this artwork which speaks to the heart of today’s Gospel passage.

Using The Art of Lent – a book written by one of our beloved Holy Hermits Sister Wendy Beckett, and a visio divina practice, there were some amazing insights that our people noticed and shared together as we allowed God to speak to us through the art.

Now don’t worry, you don’t have to be an artist, or really even like art to glean something from this work. Sister Wendy assures us that "Looking at art is one way of listening to God." Something we are all called to do.

And she also said, "We know great art by its effect on us. If we are prepared to look without preconceptions, without defenses, without haste, then art will change us." 

So I invite you to slowly encounter the scene – to consider, without defenses – the art that might be held before you on the cover – or the art that comes into your mind as you remember the parable, and originally told by Jesus to his listeners who likely had a vision of the parable as he painted it with his words.   

Luke 15:11-32 NRSVA - The Parable of the Prodigal and his Brother

What do you notice? About all the characters in this scene that Jesus creates for us?

The first thing we might notice is that it is not a private moment - there are many onlookers. There are older people off to the side – is that a grandfather figure sitting with the dark velvet cap on his head? What does he think of the young man’s return, and the way the father is embracing him?

Is that the caretaker or steward who holds the fathers walking stick as he bends towards his son? Is it he who needs to go and issue all the orders for a feast to be made and the best of everything to be brought to clothe and cherish the prodigal child?

The other brother, is that him in the shadows slightly bemused, and looking not at his father and brother, but at the viewer – as if to say – what do you think of this?

What is going through his heart as he encounters the brother who rejected him? After all, it wasn’t just the father who lost a family member when the young upstart demanded his share and went off with his fortune into the world. This is the brother who had all the responsibilities left to him to take care of alone. And here is Dad being all gushy and emotional welcoming his brother back without a word about their grief and feelings of betrayal his leaving wrought, or any discipline offered as a form of justice.

And in Rembrandts painting there’s another figure – very hard to detect in the top left corner – standing in a door frame – it seems like a woman who is looking on, either exiting or entering the room. Is she a family member? Is she a servant? We don’t know. But what did the whole household think of the father’s behaviour? Were they baffled? Were they impressed? Were they worried that he has gone soft and isn’t acting rationally?

And then there are the two at the forefront – the prodigal and the parent. The prodigals feet were noted, one shoe on and one shoe off, both in rough condition – a pilgrims feet. What a journey of self-discovery as well as suffering this young person has undergone. To have hit rock bottom and found a way to overcome pride, to ask for help and return home. That’s quite a change and transformation for this character! Hope for us all, when we go wrong.

And the father. Offering gentle embrace and forgiveness without questions asked. Not needing to hear the whole story before issuing welcome and hospitality.

Notice that Rembrandt chose to paint the father’s hands different to each other. The left hand is masculine and the right hand is more feminine. Is this a reflection on the motherhood of God, as well as being a father figure in the story?

Maybe we can celebrate the femininity of God too today? The nurture and gentleness of our creator who offers forgiveness to all. We have a new short on our YouTube channel which offers a A prayer to God our mother.

Whatever you notice about the scene, I invite you to keep reflecting on it, and see what God is saying to you through the art – Rembrandt’s, or your own.

Sister Wendy also said, "All great art is a visual form of prayer." So maybe take this to your prayer time this week… have a go at making your own version of the prodigals return as we did at HHO study. Using digital art or by trying some other creative expressions. Crayons can be very liberating.

In this blog post you can see one of the artworks we created together using AI program Padlet at HHO. We called it “The Prodigal’s feast” and it features all women at the table, celebrating that Jesus’ story could easily have been told about a prodigal daughter, mother and sister too – and that everyone is invited to God’s heavenly feast.

You can visit The Art of Lent with Holy Hermit Sr Wendy | Seasonal Study Program page to see the full gallery of the images we created while reflecting with Sr Wendy on the great art works each week, if you are curious.

I’ll end with Sister Wendy’s reflection offering a beautiful summary of the effect that Rembrandt’s art had on her, and can have on us if we allow it:

“If we had nothing of Jesus’ teaching, except this one parable, we would still understand his message of love. It is his supreme example of the immensity, almost the folly, of God’s love for us. Rembrandt, most tender of painters, is sensitive to every nuance of the prodigals return.

This is the bad son, the wilful spendthrift, who cared nothing for his father or his adult responsibilities while the money lasted. It is only when he is starving and homeless that he returns home. Rembrandt shows him in his ragged humiliation. It is not just that his father receives him back with such compassion: it is the father’s eagerness that astonishes us. He is watching out always for his lost child, abundantly ready to lavish upon him the good clothes, the feasting and cherishing, that have been so wilfully disregarded.

The other son (is that him on the right?), the good, prim, self-righteous son, cannot understand the fathers attitude.

Perhaps we cannot understand it either, but this is what it means to love and forgive.”

 ~ The Art of Lent – A Painting a Day from Ash Wednesday to Easter ~ Sister Wendy Beckett. 2017. p4. Forgiveness.