The angel came down from Heaven and became one of the first unearthly beings to gaze into the eyes of the virgin. He has come to ask if she would accept a difficult life. She would bear for God and for all men a child. No ordinary child, he would come to suffer the worst of deaths. But his life would be a beautiful one.
It would become the subject of a whole universe of text. It would be recorded and written about. It would become motive of countless art ranging from most orthodox to most surprising. And all these would start precisely with this scene. The angel coming from Heaven and walking up to the girl-child to ask if she would bear for God and for all men their Saviour. And of course she would say, yes. It might not even have been a true question of choice. Young as she was and given the predispositions planted into her by her religion and divine forces, what could move her to say no to God? Especially, if He has sent this angel to act in His behalf.
And the angel himself, must have taken on a form more human than real. He would have to be dressed in finery of gold and silver as would befit a heavenly and kingly being. Would he wear the armor of salvation and faith? Would he carry with him a sword? Would he come in a cloud? That would be the more traditional depictions of him.
Still, the artist must be free to improvise. Wings are rudimentary. Not a bad idea. Feathers are always beautiful devises whether in painting or in sculpture. And it would be an appropriate device of flight. But perhaps its presence should be more symbolic than functional. For as angels fly, we might as well put in a cloud of smoke to improve buoyancy so that even little wings will do.
And what would his face look like? The more traditional pictures have him looking as a Caucasian with the straightest and finest nose. But a dark African might make for an interesting contemporary revision. Let’s have him looking Asian instead. Why not a Filipino mestizo with the finest features.
Roundish Chinese eyes are always beautiful. The nose would be a central concern. They have to be strong in a biggish, widish sort of way. The lips must be full. Let’s give him a classical archaic smile to remind us of gentle wisdom. This angel will after all be the virgin’s friend and companion for the rest of time. And so he must match the virgin’s beauty.
And the virgin herself would have to be humbly dressed. She is not a child of the elite of the time. Indeed, she must have been a commoner even if her family line could be traced to King David. And what could she have been doing when the angel came. Washing clothes? Doing the cooking? Let’s have her resting from play.
She might have been running about in the streets with the rest of the kids. After which she might have gone thirsty. And so she enters the house and goes for the earthen pitcher which holds water she might have earlier fetched from the well. She pours this into a cup. But she does not drink without washing her hands and wiping these with her veil. She wipes also the sweat from her brows. And sighs, as children often do before they rest. She is drinking as the angel glides down and marks the start of their long acquaintance which would stretch all the way to the end after her coming child would have been nailed to the cross, placed into his burial cave only to rise again. And He would rise in glory. But that would not be till much later.
The next time they meet is the occasion of the Savior’s birth. There he would be flying over shepherd and kings arranged in a neat row with animals. They would become the traditional characters of this fateful night. Which stands for us as the beginning of our salvation.
Mary, Joseph and Jesus would have to be arranged with Mary to the left. Joseph is standing close by with his staff. In between them, a baby in a crib of hay and wrapped in swaddling clothes. Above them, our beautiful angel lifting a banner to proclaim the beauty and glory of our God. Gloria in excelsis deo.