Tea With the Deacon Continues & Pentecost Message

The Pentecost, 1596-1600, Oil on canvas,
Museo del Prado, Madrid, El Greco, (b. 1541, Candia, d. 1614, Toledo)

Along my journey with the Fine Arts, I met El Greco (Doménikos Theotokópoulos) while attending a conference in Spain back in the summer of 2004. 

Just prior to the trip, I learned a little about Expressionism when I came across early 20th century works by Kandinsky and van Gogh.  Therefore, to my wonderment I was perplexed with the El Greco collection at The Museo del Prado in Madrid.  His works from the 17th century seemed ahead of its time.  I found out that most of his art in the Prado was from El Greco’s later years when he reflected a more edge of age style during the Spanish Renaissance: that explains my confusion. 

One example in particular is an Altarpiece he painted for an Augustinian seminary in Madrid, “The Pentecost.” El Greco’s view of the Pentecost is my favorite of all the art genres.  First, it is an excellent example of “Expressionism” before its time: an artist’s effort to project emotional intensity and inner feelings.  That said, I personally experienced all sorts of emotions when I first saw this painting in person.  It is huge!  The landscape with the figures seem extremely close as they look upward.

All the interaction drew me to into a desire to take a step myself into that mystical scene.  However, at the same time I had mixed emotions about the idea of taking part in such an overpowering experience.

Reading John’s Gospel (John 7:37-39) in the Lectionary for Pentecost can have that same effect for me.  There seems to be a paradoxical imagery set up with ‘rivers of living water’ while as ‘yet there was no Spirit’.  El Greco sets a magnificent view into the mystical nature of John’s writing and invites us into stark contrasts of thought: the spiritual and material, soul and flesh, light and darkness, personal and communal.  Actually, I believe all the stories in the Gospels can lead us into a host of mystical journeys.

This season after Pentecost, we will continue our journey into the Gospels.  I invite you to join us for ‘Tea with the Deacon’ on Sundays at 1 pm throughout the month of June via Zoom. 

So far, we have enjoyed our time of fellowship and intrigue into the Gospel of John.  We will continue our journey with the Gospel according to Matthew.  I hope to see you starting with Sunday, May 31, Pentecost Sunday.  The Zoom invitation link is listed below.

Grace and Peace
Rev. Arthur Villarreal
Deacon

ZOOM DETAILS:

Topic: Pentecost Tea with the Deacon

Time: May 31, 2020 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

        Every week on Sun, until Jun 28, 2020, 5 occurrence(s)

May 31, 2020 01:00 PM
        Jun 7, 2020 01:00 PM
        Jun 14, 2020 01:00 PM
        Jun 21, 2020 01:00 PM
        Jun 28, 2020 01:00 PM

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Weekly: https://us04web.zoom.us/meeting/upMpduqspj8pH9c6kLOtj3jCsnMPOTmiX3TZ/ics?icsToken=98tyKu6vqjopHtyRsxyER7YEBoj4b-jxiClegvpeyhTJLDRZMQnVJexvAp1LHdHo

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Meeting ID: 774 1348 4353

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