Our Seat at the Supper at Emmaus
“Supper at Emmaus” | oil painting by Blair Gordy Piras | commissioned work
I was recently commissioned by the Diocese of Baton Rouge to paint a work for the National Eucharistic Revival. I chose to represent “The Supper at Emmaus,” an integral mystery of our faith, which I hoped to present to the faithful of Baton Rouge in a new way. I find it grounding to return to my roots here in Louisiana after ten years away. It was here that I received my early formation as a teenager as a Diocesan Youth Board member. Creating for my native region and its people has given new meaning to my work, as each project is made for people I love. This painting gave me another fresh opportunity to examine what it means to be Catholic in Louisiana.
When we study scripture in light of tradition, we can understand the Supper at Emmaus as an early mass, and we can recognize the “breaking of the bread” as the consecration. It is written that within this mass the disciples’ eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, who was previously indiscernible to them. My depiction of this moment of revelation combines our Louisiana setting with integral historical aspects. This oscillation between the biblical historical time and our own is meant to illustrate the transcendental phenomenon that occurs at each holy sacrifice of the mass.
There are several features within the painting that elucidate this reality for us. One is our characteristic cypress trees, which can be seen through the window framing the disciple seated on the left. Another is the people themselves—the disciples and the attending woman of the house are not historical figures, though they bear the garments of Jesus’ time. Rather, they represent the people of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. This is meant to show how we as a diverse people are all one within the sacrifice of the mass; we are all part of the body of Christ! Jesus reveals himself to us now whenever we participate in the mass. Other local features include symbols incorporated within the baldacchino rising above the meal scene. Carved within the canopy is a familiar emblem to us Louisianans. We see our state bird, the mighty pelican, striking its breast to feed its own blood to its young. This symbol is drawn from folk understanding of the animal’s behavior and creates a beautiful image of Jesus’ Eucharistic offering to us. The baldacchino is crowned in a fleur de lis, another symbol popular in our region; the three petals bound together point to the Trinity.
As we examine the painting further, we can note that Jesus wears priestly garments and elevates the broken flatbread host over a golden chalice. The vessels on the table are a mixture of those we use now and such as were used in the first century. A clay oil lamp provides the spark of light on the altar. But it is in Jesus that we find the main source of light and truth in the work. Radiating from the Lord, the light of God illumines the disciples’ minds, revealing the truth of the person of Jesus to them. May we remember that the person of Christ is made present to us in the here and now through our participation in the paschal mystery. The fullness of the person of Christ, body, blood, soul and divinity, is as present to us as he was to the disciples at the Supper of Emmaus. May our eyes be opened, and he made known to us in a profound way during this Eucharistic Revival in our land!
Blair Piras is a Louisiana artist devoted to making sacred art rooted in Catholic tradition. To learn more about Blair and her art visit www.blairbarlowart.com
