This striking image is taken from the official “wallpaper” from “The Prisoner of Azkaban” film.
Severus protects the children from the werewolf, defending his students with his own body. You can see the concern on his beautiful face and his determination that the monster has to get past him before it can attack his charges.
It reminded me of this Medieval German statue of “Die Misericorde”; the Madonna shelters the people beneath her cloak.
Both images can be seen as symbols of how God in Christ cares for us.
He put Himself between us and danger (our enemies – the judgment for sin, the terrors of death, and the attacks of the evil one) at the cost of His own life, and shelters us now, as a mother-bird shelters her chicks under her wings.
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under
his wings
shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and
buckler.”
“ How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”
“Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”
“Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.”
And sadly, for those who refuse to come to Him:
“How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!“
Why would anyone choose to live without Him?
