With the concrete work behind me, I stood a distance from wall to simply admire the 80’ bas relief mural. Then, and only then did I count the grape clusters. After being filled with pride, I realized there were 11 clusters of grapes. Horrors! That’s what no planning produces. Remember, I had not drawn the grape clusters but simply added them wherever I thought they looked good. How could I present a mural with only 11 clusters when church liturgy is full of references to 12. For starters 12 is mentioned 189 times in King James…. 114 times in the Old Testament and 75 times in the New Testament. Internet information given about the biblical use of 12 will knock your socks off. Look see, you’ll be amazed!
The Bisbee Vine at St. Patrick Church
Pride gives way . . . to love . . .
Of course, the 12th, or last, cluster was “snugged” in and added to the vine.
Can you tell where?
Enter the challenging task of erecting the scaffolding needed to paint sepia drawings of the Seven Sacraments above the completed grape vine. It was about this time I had an epiphany! It had taken me years of work to finally recognize that the message was not about the Seven Sacraments at all, but rather something more universal…. LOVE! On the night prior to his crucifixion, during His Farewell Address given at the Last Supper, Jesus commanded us to "love one another" ... John 15:1-17.
Again, I asked, “But how, Lord, can 17 verses of scripture be produced on a concrete wall and still be readable?” I was at an utter loss.
