After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.”
~John 21:1-3a

Image: Peter Koenig, "Breakfast on the Beach," late 20th century, Parish of St. Edward, Kettering, United Kingdom. Courtesy of the Peter Winifried (Canisius) Koenig website, copyright 2020. https://www.pwkoenig.co.uk/Portfolio/breakfast-on-the-beach

But Thomas (who was called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
~John 20:24-25

Image: Christ shows himself to Thomas, Mosaic Resurrection Chapel, Washington National Cathedral, artists Rowan and Irene LeCompte. Courtesy of Art in the Christian Tradition, Vanderbilt University Divinity Library.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
~John 20:1-2

Image: Copyright Kate Bowler, 2025

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
~ Luke 23:34

Image: Icon of Crucifixion, painted in a Christian community of Syria or Egypt, ca. 1560; Courtesy of Art in the Christian Tradition,Vanderbilt University Divinity Library

When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
~Luke 22:14-16

Image: Swanson, John August. Last Supper (2009), from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56552 [retrieved April 13, 2025]. Original source: Estate of John August Swanson, https://www.johnaugustswanson.com/.

Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be handed over to the gentiles, and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.” But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
~Luke 19:31-34

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

Do not remember the former things
    or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
    now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?
~Isaiah 43:17-18

Image: Copyright P. Raube 2025

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
~John 12:1-3

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
~Psalm 32:1-2

Image: Copyright P. Raube 2025.

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region…
Luke 15:11-13

Image: Copyright P. Raube 2025, All Rights Reserved.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we no longer know him in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!
2 Corinthians 5:16-17

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

Hear, everyone who thirsts;
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
~Isaiah 55:1

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the man working the vineyard, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’
~Luke 13:6-78

Image: Copyright P. Raube 2025

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”
~Luke 13:31

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

“When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
~Matthew 6:7-8

Image: Copyright P. Raube, 2025

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over he was famished.
~Luke 4:1-2

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

As we work together with Christ, we entreat you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.  For he says,

“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
    and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!
~ 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Image: Copyright © 2025 Kate Bowler, All rights reserved.

And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory…
~Luke 9:29-31a

Image: Hochhalter, Cara B.. Transfiguration, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=59300 [retrieved January 24, 2025]. Original source: Cara B. Hochhalter.

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
~ Luke 6:27-31

Image: Love Your Enemies, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54226 [retrieved January 21, 2025]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/2929823056/.

Love Your Enemies: Part of a street art initiative in an Ithaca, NY, seen during a community Green Buildings open house. The Ithaca Green Building Alliance describes its mission as follows:

"We are a non-profit membership organization based in Ithaca, NY, whose mission is advancing environmental and community sustainability through building design, development, and construction. Members of the Ithaca Green Building Alliance include people from the building/design and related trades who are interested in learning about, sharing, and practicing or using greener building techniques and products." [from: http://www.ithacagreenbuilding.org/about-igba/]

“But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have received your consolation.
“Woe to you who are full now,
    for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
    for you will mourn and weep.”
~Luke 6:24-25

Image: JESUS MAFA. The Sermon on the Mount, Cameroon, painting, 1973, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48284 [retrieved January 21, 2025]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
~Luke 5:1-2

Image: Koenig, Peter. Draft of Fishes,  20th century painting, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=58852 [retrieved January 21, 2025]. Original source: Peter Winfried (Canisius) Koenig, https://www.pwkoenig.co.uk/.

Love is patient, love is kind…
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4a

Image: P. Raube, Canva.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

Image: Leonardo da Vinci, Uomo Vitruviano (The Vitruvian Man), ink on paper 1492, Milan, Italy. Public Domain, courtesy of Wikiart.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Image: Anonymous. Spirit with Sevenfold Gifts, 19th Century stained glass, St. Mary’s Iffley, Oxford, UK, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55828[retrieved January 17, 2025]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/5827717752/.

Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
~Luke 3:21-22

Image: Lauren Wright Pittman, Beloved, Inspired by Luke 3:21-22, Digital Painting and Collage, A Sanctified Art | @sanctifiedart.org

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.”
~Matthew 2:1-2

Image: "Journey of the Magi," from an illuminated manuscript, 1120-1145, Church of St. Godehard, Hildesheim, Germany; from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56279 [retrieved December 31, 2024]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albanipsalter_DreiKoenige.jpg.

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom God favors!”
~Luke 2:14

Image: Rainbow Nova

Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.
~Luke 2:4-7

Image: "Angels Worship the Christ Child," detail from a carved retable, Artist Unknown
St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Courtesy of Art in the Christian Tradition, Vanderbilt University

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name…
~Luke 1:46-49

Image: “How Does a Weary World Rejoice? Copyright A Sanctified Art, 2023

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
~Psalm 126:1-3

Image: “How Does a Weary World Rejoice?” copyright A Sanctified Art, 2023.