Meditation on The Merciful Knight, by Edward Byrne-Jones, 1863

Based on the 11th-century story of Giovanni Gualberto (retold by Sir

Kenelm Digby in the 19th  century book, The Broadstone of Honour).

Meditation by John Irwin

Giovanni Gualberto (985 – 1073) was born into a noble family in Florence. He had a vain, egotistical early life, and was seeking revenge for the murder of his older brother, Ugo. One Good Friday, he was entering Florence with a small army when in a narrow lane he met the very man who had killed his brother. It was his long-sought-after opportunity. He was about to kill him in revenge, when the perpetrator fell upon his knees with arms outstretched in the form of a cross, and begged for mercy in the name of Christ, who had died on that day. Giovanni did not kill him.

As he went on his way, Giovanni stopped at the chapel in San Miniato. As he prayed before the cross of Jesus, Jesus acknowledged the mercy that he had showed.

This profound experience led to Giovanni joining the Benedictines and later founding his own Order. He became noted for his compassion to the poor and sick and was canonized in 1193.

Artist Edward Byrne-Jones enhances the intensity of the personal encounter between Christ and Giovanni by locating it in a rustic shrine. Jesus leaning down from the cross, bends all the way over, offering Giovanni a hug and a kiss.

Looking closer at the painting…

- There is such tenderness to the expression, the kiss, and the touch of Jesus embracing the knight

- The knight’s armored gauntlets now hang from his waist and his helmet is off – he surrenders his own protection and matches the vulnerability of Jesus and his pierced hands and crown of thorns

- The face and beard of Jesus have become his new helmet…his new protection and way of thinking and being in the world

- The enemy in the background is riding away on a white horse, free and forgiven. The knight himself in the embrace of Jesus is freed and forgiven.

What moves you in this painting?

As you think on it, is there anything that is stirred up from your life?

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. ~ I John 4:16-19