It is a wonderful painting. The narrative posted here, written by Nico Peeters, was sent to me by a friend of his.
“ Matt was a common laborer, working most of his life at a timber factory on the quay of Liffey River in Dublin, where ships used to discharge their cargo of timber. What makes his life special and at the same time very recognizable, is his struggle to get rid of his addiction to alcohol. He regularly fell back, but strengthened by the grace of God, he at last conquered himself. He attended Holy Mass whenever he could and nurtured by the Holy Eucharist, he grew in living a decent life and self denial. He has always been loyal to his patron and kept working until he died at the age of 77 in 1925.
This painting depicts, at the left, the always latent present temptation of reaching out to alcohol again, when things become difficult. Liquor may provide some relief, but at the end it always leaves one in darkness and loneliness. From the right the light of Christ illuminates life and gives strength to withstand temptations. The log in Matt’s hands symbolizes Christ’s cross, which acts as a barrier between him and temptation. We are not able to redeem ourselves, only Christ delivers us from evil.
At the quay a typical timber ship from the twenties and a lorry. The fellow laborer behind Matt shows the solidarity by his colleagues, who relieved him, when he became older, from too heavy labor and provided him a small burlap sack to prevent logs sliding off his slightly sloping shoulders. Still Matt accepted all hardships from life in a cheerful mood, being aware of the glory awaiting all those, who are not afraid to surrender to Christ, Who is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and end of all times.” - Nico Peters
Thank you for sharing this splendid image!
ReplyDeleteMatt Talbot has always inspired me, as a Franciscan and as a Catholic. All of us have weaknesses, pain, and trouble - some visible and some not. Matt fully knew this, and realized he could never be at peace and free of it all without the grace of God. As an adult, he went from being indifferent to being a devout Catholic. For most of his life, he attended daily Mass, wore chains around his waist under his clothing, and prayed as if his life depended on it (and it did) - all to remain free of sin and to be close to God. When he died of heart failure in 1925, no one could identify him until later. He was just another very poor street person (which is a lesson to us not to assume street people are not part of our Catholic family, or that they brought their destitution on themselves - we may be in the presence of a saint!) He died without the interest of his fellow humans, but surely was cared for by his Guardian Angel.
What's more, he is a man of holy virtue for our time. I think sometimes people think of saints as a feature of a bygone time, who do not really exist for Catholics of modern times, and who cannot understand the challenges we face. Holy men and women of the last 100 years of so, such as Matt Talbot, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Edith Stein, Blessed Carlo Acutis, St. Gianna Molla, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. John Paul II, and St. John XXIII are only a few examples of modern Catholics of our time who overcame troubles and tragedies by their unflinching Faith in God and their defense of the Church. Venerable Matt Talbot, pray for us!
Love it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting Terry! Would like to print this on canvas. Only issue was that Matt died at the age of 69, having been born 2 May 1856 and passing on 7 June 1925. His parents married in 1853.
ReplyDeleteKen Johnston, OFS
PS if others are interested visit our new website for a new shrine to Matt Talbot in Philadelphia, www.matttalbotshrine.org . One of Terry’s originals is part of the shrine!