CAPITAL VIRTUE 6 : KINDNESS “ALLEGORY OF THE LOST SON”
#Kindness@FA
The capital virtue of kindness, also known as charity or compassion ("humanitas" in Latin), is the quality of being considerate, generous, and empathetic towards others. It involves treating others with respect, kindness, and understanding, and seeking to alleviate their suffering or difficulties.
In many spiritual and philosophical traditions, kindness is seen as a central virtue that is essential for a meaningful and fulfilling life. It is often viewed as a way of cultivating positive relationships with others, and of contributing to the greater good of society.
The composition below is inspired by the Biblical Parable of the lost son. In the parable the son has returned home in a wretched state from travels in which he has wasted his inheritance and fallen into poverty and despair.
He kneels before his father in repentance, wishing for forgiveness and the position of a servant in his father's household, having realized that even his father's servants had a better station in life than he. His father receives him with a tender gesture and welcomes him as his own son.
The father's response to his son's return is a powerful example of unconditional love and forgiveness. He does not focus on the past mistakes of his son or try to make him feel guilty for what he has done. Instead, he chooses to focus on the present moment and the joy of being reunited with his son.
This act of kindness and forgiveness is a powerful reminder of the importance of letting go of past grievances and extending compassion and understanding towards others, even in the face of difficult circumstances.
The father explains, "But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:32). The woman at top left, barely visible, is likely the mother, while the seated man, whose dress implies wealth, may be an advisor to the estate or a tax collector.
Disclaimer: Although the creative and attentive viewer may see some resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, the events depicted in this work of fiction are entirely fictitious and should not be construed as fact. This work is solely the product of the author's imagination and is not intended to represent any actual occurrences or events.
With the words of Pieter Breughel de Oude :
Old Dutch : «Mensche gheboren om te sterven / Heeft hier een spieghel van sijn leven / Want die hem selven niet en can bederven / Die sal hem Godt die eere gheven / Die menschelijckheyt wilt hier naer streven / Want die den armen troost en laeft / Die sal Godt oock sijn rijcke gheven / Daer hy hem selven mede heeft ghestaft»
Latin : «HOMO NATVS AD MORIENDVM / HIC VITAE SVAE SPECVLVM HABET / QVI SE IPSVM NON POTEST PERDERE / EI DEVS HONOREM DABIT / HVMANITATI HVIC STVDEAT / QVI MISERIS CONSOLATVR ET ALIT / EI DEVS REGNVM SVVM DABIT / QVO SE IPSVM MVNIVIT»
In English, this translates as:
Man born to die / Has here a mirror of his life / For he who cannot ruin himself / To him God will give honour / To this humanity he should strive / For he who comforts and feeds the wretched / To him God will give his kingdom / With which he has endowed himself
For more information : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BZbodklWa7Q_k1cwv1Efjs9c-aRD_88r/view?usp=drive_link
