There has been an exhibition of Ian McKillop’s paintings ‘Stations of the
Resurrection’ at Leicester Cathedral.
I could include them all in this blog, they are powerful paintings, but I’ll include two
that particularly arrested me. If you’d like to see more, they are in this book:  https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/books/9781781404539/stations-of-the-resurrection#:~:text=Stations%20of%20the,%2C%20Malcolm%20Guite

The first is of Mary Magdelene discovering the empty tomb (John 20:1-2).

Mary is shown curled up by the tomb, her face hidden, her hand on the stone that
had covered the entrance to the tomb. Inside the tomb, we can glimpse the grave
clothes. Jesus is not there.
On her way to the tomb, Mary had worried about how she would move the stone
(Mark 16). The stone would stop her from anointing Jesus’ body. It was in the way.
Arriving at the tomb, the stone had moved. It wasn’t in the way. And yet, in our
painting, it is the stone Mary stays with. In her grief, she turns to the obstruction.
Do we do the same? Do we turn to obstructions, rather than turning to Jesus?
Mary did find Jesus in the end (John 20).
May the same be true for us.

The second picture I’d like to share with you is of Jesus’ Ascension.

The Bible tells us that, as Jesus was taken up into heaven, the disciples looked ‘intently up into the sky as he was going’ (Acts 1:19).
I’ve never thought before that perhaps Jesus looked back at them.
In this painting, we have Jesus’ View.
Through the clouds, He’s watching.
He knows where the disciples are.
They are in His view.
He knows where we are.
We are in His view.
The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:7,8)

The final picture, and words beneath, in the exhibition was the coming of the Holy
Spirit.
Pentecost.
The birthday of the Church.

To Christ we reach, still tentative in faith,
aware that every day sees many deaths.
Our questions still leave much to understand,
yet faith calls us to trust and take the hand
of One who reveals truth and urges growth.
His Spirit opens up abundant life.
He is that Life…..
Christ’s Light, Christ’s Truth, Christ’s Love!’

[Jesus said] I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you
will always have someone with you.

This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it
doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him
already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back.

In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me
because I am alive and you’re about to come alive.  John 14:16-19 (MSG)

[Jesus said] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age.  Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you
may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.   Romans 13:15 (NIV)