"According to the Burial Custom,"
Jan Richardson, 2012.
Jan Richardson, 2012.
April 3, 2015
In his painting, "The Erection
of the Cross," the Dutch master Rembrandt portrays the final moments of
preparation before the condemned Jesus is hoisted upon the cross.
In the painting, the man raising the cross is
dressed in contemporary clothing of the artist's time.
Though he never spoke about it or offered any
explanation, those who knew Rembrandt recognized the man in the painting
immediately:
the man raising up the cross is Rembrandt
himself.
Rembrandt's making himself one of the actors
in Jesus' passion is more than just a clever conceit or artist's eccentricity:
it is an act of humble faith;
-a recognition that each one of us plays a
role in the crucifixion of Christ that is repeated all around us in acts of
violence, injustice and hatred.
As we relive the story of Jesus' final hours
and death during this Holy Week, consider the role you have played in the
agonies, betrayals, condemnations and crucifixions around you.
May our prayer this week be that God will give
us the grace to overcome the inclination to be judging Pilates
and become, instead, Josephs of Arimathea,
making Christ's body our own;
that we not seek to melt into the crowd of
onlookers but become Simons of Cyrene, helping Jesus take up his cross,
or become one of the women of Jerusalem who
offers Jesus a cloth to wipe his face, a sponge of wine, the support of loving
tears;
that we may possess more courage than the
disciples and be one of the
compassionate
women who come early in the morning to complete the burial of Christ.
May we not be builders of crosses but
angels who roll back the stone
and proclaim the good news of Christ's
resurrection.
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