God wanted to tell us, through His Word, through beauty, and through the splendor of His works, about Heaven and Earth. This is what a new book called Jesus in Art and in Literature by Pierre-Marie Dumont depicts so beautifully.
The book proposes an authentic look at the life of Jesus in a way that both Christians and non-believers can interact with. It includes a treasure of extraordinarily diverse works of art -- Fra Angelico, Chagall, La Hyre, Picasso, Goya, Rouault, and more -- with reflections that use Scripture and thoughtful comments by the author, as well as incorporating a diverse array of literary works by Pascal, Balzac, Dostoyevsky, Verlaine, Bernanos and Houellebecq. The book offers a beautiful testimony of the life, death and resurrection of the Incarnate Word -- a testimony through beauty.
Jesus in Art and in Literature is a book about the Incarnation, a mystery that so many have wanted to transmit to the world. The early Church Fathers wrote -- and it was later spoken of by John Paul II -- that the Son was first incarnated in a book: the Bible. For it is in the Holy Scriptures that the elusive, eternal God, Creator of the universe, puts Himself within reach of our grasp, so that we can meet him. Then the eternal Word came to meet us in person -- in flesh and blood. He wanted to make himself truly known, that is to say, to show us His love.
This enormous event, the work of God's love, is the most important in the history of the world: the Son of God became incarnate, lived with us, died and rose again. This is the only absolutely "new" news ever announced to men: He did not stay in the grave. He overcame the slavery of death. Seized by this unheard-of truth, as well as by the promise of endless happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven, women and men have been witnesses to this ever since. First by their lives, then by their written words. They wanted to transmit this Jesus to us.
And in the centuries that followed, up until today, in spite of so many events, and so much suffering, the Church has not ceased to bear witness. Everything in Christianity is ordered towards love. Works of art and beautiful texts have always served to reveal the Savior to us all.
Through his knowledge of the Bible, and of art and of literature, Pierre-Marie Dumont has made a contribution to this ongoing witness to the eternal Word made flesh and his books will help put the reader on the path of contemplation.
Jesus in Art and Literature, published by Magnificat, can be found here.
