Art for Advent 4: Visio Divina with Guayasamin's "Ternura"

My last post before Christmas as this week I'm trying to write the chapter on 'cries' for Broken Hallelujahs. This stunning painting has hung in our living room for a decade. It is titled, "Ternura" or "tenderness."  It is all the more stunning to me that an artist living is such close proximity to suffering and violence, to the evils we inflict on one another, could also find such a powerful vision of tenderness as well.  Perhaps they are deeply connected.  This picture connects to the Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79) and its vision of the 'tender mercy of our God' that will "shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the path of peace."  May it be so, dear God. 

 Anon, and +peace  Chris