MEGHAN’S INTERCESSORS

Acrylic on museum quality masonite, 16x20”

A dear client who had seen my painting of St.’s Cosmas and Damian asked me if I would do a painting for her daughter, who is just graduating from med school in the U.S. to become a doctor. Her road has not been easy in this dark culture in which we live  and all that is taking place in these schools of medicine. My client told me that Meghan loved St. Joan of Arc and she has a horse that she is very fond of named Puck! So I had to pray about how to bring Cosmas and Damian and Joan ( and Puck) together in the work. Meghan now has three martyr saints to call on as intercessors in her vocation as a doctor.

Instead of a ‘mighty white steed” I gave Joan of Arc Puck as her mode of transportation to lead the soldiers into battle to free France from the British after a hundred years of war. ( Puck is not a young horse but I knew that Meghan would be delighted to see him depicted in the scene.) Once again, ( see the narrative of the previous painting of Cosmas and Damian ) Cosmas and Damian are guiding the hand of the doctor to remove the crown of thorns from Christ’s head. Jesus told his disciples that when they served others it was truly Christ who they were serving and “ whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, you do unto me.”

This is the supernatural reality that all Christians know and try to live out, however haltingly. It was in needing surgery for breast cancer that this became a stark and frightening reality for me. How consoling it was to have a good and kind doctor minister to me in my fragility and anxiety. His presence lifted much of that burden off my shoulders and restored my confidence in Christ and His love and care for me. 

When we are the one who is lifting the burden off another’s shoulders we are the compassionate Christ doing the lifting and when we are the burdened and fragile soul in need of compassion and care, we are the thorn crowned Christ in need of  consolation. Yes! Christ still needs consolation. What a mystery of love. This mystery continually restores everything in Christ who is the Alpha and the Omega. Cosmas and Damian are garbed in gowns with the Jasmine flower, which is the flower of Syria. Puck wears the Fleur de Lis of France. Please pray for Meghan’s vocation and the gift of fortitude that she will need on the road ahead. St’s Cosmas, Damian and Joan, 

watch over her.

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