Diplomatic Angels

Last updated on: December 13, 2016 at 10:11 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

Diplomatic Angels 2016-12-13T10:11:37-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Angels by Ambassador Edward Djerejian

Beautiful messengers of peace: that is the role of angels and that was what our fifth graders thought when they took a look at a painting entitled “Angels” by artist Chatout donated by a Houston ambassador and public servant. They also get to travel and eat great food . . . Or so kids decided.

Ambassador Edward Djerejian has served our nation as a peacemaker in Syria and Israel. Starting with Kennedy, he served most of our Presidents. He is man of country and not of party. Presidents come and go, but these patriots are the ones who have kept the peace. Read his work and you discover a steady man sent to an unsteady region. He could serve both parties, because he was an American and not a partisan.

The strength of the United States of America is that we bring such men to our nation and then they become not just Americans, but a bulwark for the Republic. If you are discouraged, remember that our diplomats have for generations worked without much attention to keep the peace. If our politicians may not know much, these civil servants know a great deal and they use what they know to help the politicians.

Men like Edward Djerejian keep the peace, negotiate, educate, and when any given job is done, create beauty in some new way. There was a generation where such men were common and could be expected to be civilized. So the painting that now hangs in our Common Room is no surprise, given the man, but not so common given our present times.

The intense colors show the battle for peace on Earth that angels face. They once proclaimed “glory to God in the highest” and “peace on earth” when a baby was born, but in those very lines there is no peace on earth. The artist Chatout goes and attempts to actulize the vision of the angel. He shows the incompletion, the twisting, turning . . .the almost peace, yet too often war of our broken world. We have been given the idea of angels, but the work of such artists is spoilt by devils.

Now every day our students look at this painting and can learn something new. The kindergarten liked the colors and getting to draw angels! I see it and see a mix of darkness and light. Some of the motion in the painting is upward, but not all. There is darkness, fire and light: just like the Middle East. The artist Chatout captures the motion of angels, some looking to God, some ministering to us on the horizontal plane, and a few reaching down to hades.

For centuries Christianity has remained true to herself in the places where she was born: lands like Lebanon and Syria. America has been enriched by those who came from those lands to live here, serve here, and create beauty here. Now in our Common Room, we are given the gift of angels.

Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.

Art

Culture

Previous Post

December 12, 2016

Christmas around the World and in Our House

Next Post

December 14, 2016 Aspire to be Fezziwig: Isn't It Time to Grow Up?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: The feast of Purim commemorates the Jewish people's deliverance from Haman's plot.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »