May we all rise to Heaven with our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to the clip art on the my parish’s program this morning, has four digits on his hands and three on his feet, no wounds, and was accompanied by midget crab-angels with claws instead of hands. I think the anatomically incorrect illustration of Christ is standing on cloud, but that could be a puddle or a hairless bear skin rug.
I wish someone out there with some talent would produce better art for liturgical supplements. It doesn’t have to be complex or colorful, but make Jesus look like Jesus for goodness sake! This piece looks like Marty Haugen’s music sounds. I think they are both published by OCP.
Pardon me if you find the above representation uplifting, thought-provoking, spiritually fulfilling or otherwise excellent. I think it is meritless. Of all the challenges we have in the Church and in ministry today I know this is small beans, but man this stuff really fries my ham and the rest of my luncheon meat.
UPDATE: Gerard Serafin posted a wonderful icon on his site today that is much more appealing than the Catholic throw-away art I posted above.
The same graphic was in my bulletin. However, for all we know, that’s the glorified body! Perhaps useless digits are subtracted and four fingers & three toes may be all that’s left. Apparently there’s a heavenly purpose for a beard, though. And of course claws for midget angels.
With crabs and lobsters around, no wonder there’s water on the floor; you can’t pick those boys out of the tank without making a little mess. Maybe Our Lord’s inviting everybody to a Down-East clambake.
the beard looks kind of like a bandanna tied around the bottom half of the face, like a train robber in a Western.
Whatever it is, it looks like a scene from a musical — Jesus is standing in a spotlight and the crab-angels are singing harmony.
To be fair, many parishes publish their bulletins on simple black and white photocopiers that would not have the resolution to do justice to a more complex piece of art. That being said, I’m sure that there are better examples of simple line art than “J.C. and the Crabs”. The look like a 60’s doo-wop group. I think Gerard’s example would be a much better choice. I guess it depends on how much of an eye for detail and quality the compilers of the bulletins have. You can do a lot with a little if you are energetic and creative.