A Retired Rector's Reflections

The Times published this iconic painting in Glasgow by the street artist Smug On St Mungo’s Day (January 13th). The painting honours the patron saint and alleged founder of the city, St Mungo. It portrays the saint in modern dress and illustrates a legend told of him in his youth.

According to the simple story a robin was tamed by St Serf, a mentor of Mungo. Sadly it died – some versions of the story say at the hands of some of Mungo’s jealous cruel peers. Keen to comfort his mentor and friend Mungo took the dead bird, prayed over it and brought it back to life.

Since I moved into my retirement house a robin has been a regular and very welcome companion in my garden, and seeing him always makes me smile ans has often lightened my spirits. I can understand Serf’s upset at the death of his robin, and Mungo’s sensitivity for his friend.

Clearly the simple often told story has inspired Smug. So often it is a homely story of a saint that comes through the centuries and inspires listeners today, often more so, than historical facts about the saint. Smug’s painting is lovely, it is an icon – a window into heaven. No doubt it is seen by thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, and so it strengthens the identity of the city. How lovely to see an inspiring story of a saint depicted in this way.

Many places of worship have lovely paintings and icons in them. How lovely it would be to find churches sponsoring street art like Smug’s painting of Mungo in Glasgow, or even churches having such work on the outside walls. It could be one way of opening a window on the spiritual world for many people – more indeed than may ever cross the threshold of a church.

The day following posting the post above I saw this painting in a friend’s house. Painted by Gillian Bell-Richards, who has painted many Gospel scenes, this represents the feeding of the 5,000. Its a striking painting, and reminded me of my prison work – many of the prisoners wore blue jeans and white tee shirts, and were of about the age of the men in the painted here. It helped me imagine the story in a modern setting on the margins of society. This kind of painting displayed outside a church, in a chaplaincy, or in a public place – perhaps with a small interpretive sign – would, I think, lead many to pause and reflect.