Advent 4: Immanuel, God With Us

Therefore Adonai himself

will give you people a sign:

the young woman will become pregnant,

bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us]

Isaiah 7:14 (Complete Jewish Bible)

My search for culturally sensitive and diverse depictions of the nativity of Christ has been successful even though the images are few and far between. William Kurelek, who I introduced in my last post, wrote a story-art book called A Northern Nativity: Christmas Dreams of a Prairie Boy. (1976) It is not available in bookstores but I found a hardcover second edition on eBay for a very reasonable price and received it a couple of days ago. It is destined for inclusion in my personal library of favourite Christmas books!

Kurelek writes as his 12-year-old self and says, 

"William knew that Jesus was born to a Jewish family 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, but supposing, what if... he was born as an Eskimo* baby, an Indian* baby, a Black baby? What if he was born in a fisherman's hut, a railway freight car, a garage, a cowboy's farm, an abandoned shed?"

The artist went on to paint twenty pictures of the nativity, using Canadian locations from Newfoundland to British Columbia and the northern territories. Here are a few of the paintings. I photographed portions of complete pictures from my book. Quotes from the book are in italics.

(*The labels "Eskimo" and "Indian" have gone out of favour but I kept the author's wording in a historical way.)

Cattle country in Alberta and British Columbia

William, aged 12, peeks through a hole in the feeding stall in cattle country in Alberta and sees Mary with baby Jesus. He tries to tell the cowboys about them, but they do not see his vision. 

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  

Matthew 18:3-4

Country Mission at St. Benedict's Acres Farm, Cobermore, Ontario.

The sign above the door says

"Receive every visitor as Christ Himself"

Indian trapper's encampment in Northern Quebec.

"William doubts these people will accept the Christ Child. Many cruel things have been done to native peoples by men who had His name on their lips but not in their hearts. Will that be forgiven now? Then William realizes there is nothing to forgive, for the Holy Family standing at the door are Indians* just as the family inside."

Jesous Ahatonhia

Fish-drying hut near Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland

"Boatloads of fishermen carry small gifts of fish as they kneel in adoration...

A deep-sea fisherman faces death each time he goes out to sea. Perhaps this is why he is more in tune than others with the Source of life."

Horse and buggy of Old Order Mennonites near Kitchener, Ontario

"An angel told Joseph to flee to a far country. They have been given a horse and buggy by a community of devout farming families. William called after them in panic, " Please don't go!"

They replied, "We will return one day when you are ready to receive Christ with undivided love."

Twenty years would pass, and William would grow to be a man, travel far, see many things and suffer much before he was ready for that promised day."

‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you?

Or thirsty and give you something to drink?

Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?

When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’“And the King will say,

‘I tell you the truth when you did it to one of the least of these,

my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!

Matthew 25:37-40

May we find Christ in unexpected places this Christmas.