Four Calling Birds

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
–Isaiah 11:1

This verse by Isaiah is a prophecy about Jesus. Here, Jesus is the Branch, meaning that out of something seemingly dead comes new life and that life bears fruit.

In this depiction, the fruit is shown in the elements of Holy Communion. On the sides are four birds. One may remember the verse from the Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, about the four calling birds. In this artwork, the four calling birds remind us of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which call out the Good News of Jesus.