Sunday, April 8, 2007

And I Love Her

We call Friday Good because of where it leads ... to the Good News of the Resurrection. When you consider life and all the events therein, the same principle applies: we are all created Good and (hopefully) headed for Good because the source of our lives and our final destination are the same: Jesus Christ, Who is nothing but Good. Sacred art tries to convey the goodness of God through the creative talent of those so inspired. I like this rendition of the Resurrection by Rogier van der Weyden. It is part of an altarpiece in Berlin, and you can see that it depicts a Resurrection event most Christians have never heard of: the appearance of the Risen Christ to Mary. The Gospels don't tell of this "event," but the long tradition of Christian writers (including Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises) hold the opinion due to the great love of Christ for His Mother. My guess is, if the Lord loves each of us as much as he does His own Mother, then how quickly will he run to be with us at the hour of death -- so to make it the start of new life? Maybe you'd like to browse the link below to see if there are other renditions of Resurection art that stir your heart. Happy Easter season.

http://www.joyfulheart.com/easter/resurrection_artwork.htm

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Good Friday

I wonder why they call this day "good." If they asked for a new name, I am sure people might suggest "Holy Friday" or "Passion Friday" or even "Sad Friday." Those are more apt to the feelings and senitments of the events we recall. Still ... Good is good. I'd like to say a little bit about Good Friday and a little something about this painting by Nicholas Tournier which I saw in the Louvre last year. Included here at the foot of the Cross are Mary, John, the Magdalene, and St. Vincent de Paul. Are you somewhere in the scene as well? Where?