"You shall love the Lord your God with
your whole heart, with your whole soul, and with all
your mind, (and) you shall love your neighbor as
yourself." (Jesus's words as recorded in Matthew
22:37-38)
Archives: San Damiano
Crucifix Reflections 2012 - 2013
ARCHIVES:
SAN DAMIANO CRUCIFIX
REFLECTIONS
FROM
CONFRATERNITY OF PENITENTS
NEWSLETTERS
(2012 - 2013)
(The Confraternity of
Penitents is available to conduct retreats, days
of recollection, or missions on the symbolism of
the San Damiano Crucifix. Please contact us for
information. Other reflections on the San
Damiano Crucifix can be found through this
link.)
PLEASE CLICK ON THE
FOLLOWING BLUE LINKS TO ACCESS THE REFLECTIONS
2012 Reflections
New Beginnings (January
2012)
Delicate Scrolling
(February 2012)
Hope (March 2012)
Faith (April 2012)
Fingers (May 2012)
Accepting the Gift of
Salvation (June 2012)
Accepting the Gift of Salvation
Saint Bernard
observed that salvation is a free gift of God
that has to be accepted by the soul. The San
Damiano Crucifix portrays several people, many
of whom accepted Christ's saving act on the
cross and some who refused it. The Crucifix
portrays in a stunning fashion that Christ's
sacrifice, observed by all, was nevertheless
rejected by some. A close look at the figures on
the Crucifix will reveal those who accepted and
those who rejected. If many who witnessed
Christ's life and death nevertheless rejected
His teaching and His grace, why are we surprised
when so many today, who have never seen or heard
Christ in the flesh, do the same? Faith is a
gift. God be praised if we have it. Let us pray
for those who do not have it and ask the Holy
Spirit to open their hearts to receive it.
FINGERS
Christ on the San Damiano Crucifix has long,
slender fingers, the sensitive fingers of an
artist. For surely Christ, in His creative work,
is the Master Artist, painting creation's beauty
and color. "All things were made by Him, and
without Him nothing has been made," wrote Saint
John the Evangelist. From those relaxed and
beautiful fingers came molecules and suns,
elephants and eagles, earth browns and floral
pinks. We look at the San Damiano Crucifix and
grieve that our sins have pinned to the cross
the Hands that made us. And we are grateful that
God's love and mercy surpasses His justice, for
the fingers that could have pointed at us in
judgment instead beckon us to come close in our
repentance. Jesus, we praise You for all You are
and all doing in our lives.
FAITH
The entire
crucifix speaks to the faith of the iconographer
who created it and to the faith of the people
who venerated it. Faith is a gift from God which
can be nurtured by meditation on sacred objects
like the San Damiano Crucifix. The six main
figures clustered around the cross and the
angels hovering above and around it all show
evidence of joyful faith in the Lord Whose death
redeemed a fallen world. Spending time in
meditation on the entire crucifix while asking
the Lord to open your heart to His message is a
powerful way to deepen your faith. Those who
pray for a deepening of faith will receive it.
Those who witnessed the crucifixion, as pictured
on the San Damiano Crucifix, are evidence of
faith invigorated by their love of and loyalty
to Christ. May the San Damiano Crucifix inspire
that same love and loyalty in all who pray while
gazing at it.
Hope
The San Damiano Crucifix is a crucifix of hope.
Every crucifix signifies hope because Christ
died for all and all who believe in Him have
hope of eternal life. Nevertheless, the San
Damiano Crucifix exemplifies hope in the
victorious gaze of Christ Crucified and Risen
and in the smiling and peaceful faces of those
who are clustered around His agony. In the
darkest times of our lives, the San Damiano
Crucifix reminds us that God is triumphant. When
all seems lost, and life could get no worse, we
look to our triumphant Lord Who brought joy out
of despair, life out of death, and victory out
of defeat. May Christ, the Hope of the World,
prevail!
Delicate Scrolling
Overlapping the
red and black borders of the San Damiano
Crucifix, the iconographer has painted a parade
of delicate scrolls or curlicues. These
decorations are reminiscent of the braiding
found on kingly mantles. These scrolls or
curlicues proclaim, "Hail to Christ, the King!"
Christ is not wearing these decorations as kings
would do. Instead they surround Him so that His
Kingship, proclaiming that His Kingship is not
manmade but rather is eternally ordained by God.
New Beginnings
Each piece of artwork has a tone to it. The
tone of the San Damiano Crucifix is that of
a new beginning. The gentle, piercing gaze
of Christ, the figures clustered about Him,
smiling and whispering, the vibrant colors,
the upper figure of Christ ascending into
heaven--all combine to give the viewer a
sense of something new beginning. No matter
how many times the viewer has contemplated
this crucifix, something new is always
afoot. That something new is the new level
of conversion of heart. The crucifix calls
us to continual and deeper conversion, a new
journey to move closer to the mind of God
and His Will for our lives. This year, study
the San Damiano Crucifix and allow its power
to draw you into its depths. Begin anew to
love God.
Confraternity of Penitents
520 Oliphant Lane
Middletown RI USA
02842-4600
401/849-5421
bspenance@hotmail.com
copenitents@yahoo.com
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