_-_Compassion_(1897).jpg)
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While at my job, I got to the point where I never minded working on Good Friday (or any other day during Holy Week) as I liked to imagine it was quite in keeping with what went on in Jerusalem during the Passion of Christ, not to mention that it is always the right penance for those who must work for a living - after all, it is the fulfillment of the duties of our state in life which constitutes the penance most pleasing to God. In Jerusalem it was probably business as usual for most of the residents, save for those interested in stirring things up and causing a riot. In our day, the situation seems to be much the same.
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Consider how roughly Jesus was treated, amid shouts and cries and accusations; slander, calumny, contempt, buffets and spitting. Simon was simply coming in from the field - coming into the city after his labors, only to be shouldered with the cross, to help Jesus on his way. Perhaps I simplify this too much, but I can't help but recall the Gospel passage from the episode wherein the townsfolk sought to throw Jesus over the brow of the hill, and Luke writes, "Christ walked in peace through the midst of them". Likewise, throughout all the chaos and jostling of his tormentors and the crowd, I believe Jesus carried his cross in peace - through the midst of them.
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I've calmed down now, after the sensationalized headlines across the globe, accusing the Holy Father of this and that as regards the sexual abuse scandal. This has been business as usual for the secular world, and those who hate the Church - and we ought not to be surprised, yet somehow we always are. I finally realize at least I do not have to explain anything, or defend any one. Instead, like the Cyrenean, I will simply shoulder the cross with Christ and his Vicar...
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For good informative posts on the false charges against the Holy Father, as well as background information of the major news stories, I'm providing a couple of links to some very good commentary:
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The Anchoress: Praying for the Pope and for All
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Idle Speculations: 'Calling Cardinal Newman' and 'NY Archbishop Defends Pope'
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Stella Borealis - Ray created a great index with other good articles on the issue.
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Art: William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - Compassion (1897)
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Great post!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of Bouguereau as I wrote my comments on the art appreciation discussion. I love his work!
Romans 8:35-39
ReplyDelete"Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Or distress? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or danger? Or persecution? Or the sword? 36 (As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.) 37 But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord".
At Terce today, we read: He was offered up, as he himself wished.
– He did not open his mouth.
I agree with Michael R; I, also, love Bouguereau. I became acquainted with his work when I taught a course at seminary on "Sacred Music and Art"' one of the seminarians brought my attention to his life and work.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I recognized the paintings as something familiar, I was really taken with him and the "corpus" of his work.
Great references, here, Terry.
We have to know what is going on with all of this.
Thanks!
THANK GOD someone is remembering the REAL priests, the ones who have molded and inspired us, the ones with whose help we move toward eternity… There is a really INSPRIATIONAL music video called “Our Priests” at the Archdiocese of Boston's CatholicTV.com – initiated for the Jubilee Year of the Priest. It pays fine tribute to “our priests” that you are speaking of -- GOD SEND US MORE, and bless and protect them. The video is at: http://www.catholictv.com/shows/default.aspx?seriesID=81&videoID=843
ReplyDeleteI actually have Good Friday off from work...first time in a LONG time..
ReplyDeleteA question for you long-time Catholics..I try my dangest to attend the First Friday and First Saturday Masses for the Sacred heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary..if they are not offered due to Holy Week does mean I have to restart the sequence??
Sara
Sara: No.
ReplyDeleteReceiving Holy Communion on both Friday (at the celebration of the Lord's Passion) and Saturday (the Mass of Easter Vigil)fulfill the requests of both devotions; attending Mass, per se, is not required (when these devotions were first promulgated, reception of Holy Communion outside of Holy Mass was pretty common.)
It's kind of strange for us to think in these terms today, when Mass and Holy Communion are commonly together.
But, as far as I know, attending Mass is not part of either request.
Holy Communion is.
And you may receive Holy Communion again on Easter Sunday, if you have also received at the Easter Vigil.
NP--Thank you..
ReplyDeleteI was told awhile back (perhaps incorrectly)when I was a baby Catholic that the Saturday Vigil Mass (any one, including the Easter Vigil Mass) and receiving communion parcitipating in that Mass did not count for the First Saturday as it actually a Sunday Mass. But your explaination makes more sense. I usually attend a Saturday morning Mass for the communion requirement.
Sara
What a fantastic painting -- Bouguereau represents exactly what I've been trying to say in the previous post on art (which I wasn't able to comment further on until this morning - sorry, Michael R.)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the link and the kind comment.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could also put up the link on the Vatican website (just on) to Cardinal Levada`s statement on the scurrilous stories and publicise the statement of the Cardinal. It is important that the word gets out.
http://www.vatican.va/resources/resources_card-levada2010_en.html
Thank you again