Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Another Martha?


I was introduced to this painting, "Kitchen Maid with the Supper at Emmaus" by Diego Velazquez in the May 2011 issue of U.S. Catholic. I never thought of there being a servant at the Supper at Emmaus but it is quite likely that there was. This is a representation of an unknown woman, who like St. Martha before her, busied herself in the kitchen and served our Lord. She seems to have one ear listening to the miracle going on in the next room. She appears to want to long to take part, but her place is elsewhere. I would like to think if there was such a woman, the Lord would have reached out to her as well.

Nevertheless, this painting reminds us of the invisible ones who serve. Who has served you lately that you have failed to acknowledge or even notice?

2 comments:

מאיר עמור Meir Amor said...

Dear Spiritual woman: I'm also struck by this picture although from a different perspective. I see a young woman, listening, serving but also clearly not part of the conversation. However, she is not part of the conversation for reasons other than religion or religious. She has a different tone of skin - she seems to represent millions of women who became servants with colonialism and slavery. That what I see too.

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur said...

Thank you for your comments. It is always good to have a different perspective.

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