In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples that whenever they feed or clothe or do any kindness to those in need, they are really feeding and clothing and doing that kindness to him. Inspired by this passage, Canadian artist Timothy P. Schmalz got to working on a life-size bronze sculpture that depicts Jesus lying on a bench, covered with a blanket, identifiable only by the nail prints in his feet.
Schmalz experienced a double setback last summer when two prominent churches—St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York—that had initially expressed interest in the work ultimately decided not to pursue it. Schmalz attributes their backing out in part to their fear that the sculpture may be too controversial or vague, but St. Patrick’s has said that on the contrary they think the sculpture is lovely but that extensive renovations prevent them from installing the piece at this time.
But at last, there is a taker. Last week Regis College at the University of Toronto, a Jesuit school of theology, bought (the first cast of) the sculpture, and it is now a permanent fixture on the campus.
