The Size of the Crucifix

December 2007: Angels

We associate angels with the incarnation and birth of Christ. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to ask her to be the Mother of Our Lord. Twice an angel appeared to Joseph in dreams, once telling him to not fear taking Mary as his wife because her son was also God's Son, and the second time telling him to flee with Mother and Infant to escape Herod's murdering soldiers. Angels sang in the skies when Christ was born and beckoned shepherds to the manger where the Infant Lord lay. Angels figured in the life of Jesus as an adult when they appeared to Him in the Garden of Gethsemane to strengthen Him before His Crucifixion. The painter of the icon of Christ of San Damiano portrays angels as being present at the Crucifixion. At least eleven angels are depicted on the Crucifix, and perhaps as many as sixteen if the five figures on the top left are angels rather than saints (it is difficult to see whether or not these figures are winged). We can distinguish angels from people in this icon because the angels are winged. Since angels are pure spirits, they have no bodies so they could not have wings which are material parts of certain bodies. The symbolism of wings painted on angels is to show that these spiritual beings are not bound by gravity as fleshly beings are. They can go anywhere at tremendous speeds--they are free to dart through space as do birds. The angels present on the Crucifix of San Damiano portray the artist's belief that Christ was not alone on the Cross. God send His angels to sustain Him. This follows Church teaching, for our Guardian Angels are always with us, even in the most difficult times of our lives. The angels remind us that God is always near and that He always cares for us. He has given His angels charge over us. What a great gift for which we ought to be extremely grateful!

November 2007: Thinness of Christ's Arms and Legs

In some renditions of Christ Crucified, Our Lord's arms and legs are quite muscular, indicating strength and power. But the image of Christ on the San Damiano Crucifix has thin arms and legs. Was the artist trying to indicate that Christ was weak or skinny?

Not at all. The weak, thin arms and legs of Our Lord bear a message. Christ died for us and for all. His Holy Spirit is with us, but He no longer walks physically among us. He has no arms and legs in this world today, but ours. While the Holy Spirit is the one to bring about conversion of heart, people cannot know the truth about Christ unless others bring it to them. They will not know the love of Jesus unless others show that love to them. Saint Francis, in meditating before the San Damiano Crucifix, clearly understood the message when he heard, "Go and rebuild My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruin." Francis' arms became the strength in Jesus' arms, to lift the stones to rebuild San Damiano. Francis' legs became the muscles in Jesus' legs to carry those begged stones from Assisi to the tumbling down chapel.

In time, Francis would understand that those arms of his were to embrace lepers and console the suffering; those legs of his were to bring him to town upon town in order to proclaim the message of the Gospel. When we, as penitents, pray before the San Damiano Crucifix, we, too, understand that we, like Francis, are called to be the arms and legs of Christ in our world. So many do not realize that the empty place in their heart can be filled only with God. He calls us to go to those who do not know their own emptiness and to embrace them with love.

September 2007: The God Who Calls, "Let Yourself Be Loved."

Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, a Carmelite nun who died in 1906 at the age of 26, wrote a letter to her Prioress, to be opened after Sister Elizabeth died. The letter was found in 1934, on the dead Prioress' table, showing evidence that it had been heavily read by the Prioress. Scholars have titled the letter "Let Yourself Be Loved," a phrase that Elizabeth used six times in the letter.

Being a Carmelite nun, Elizabeth of the Trinity may never have seen the San Damiano Crucifix. Nevertheless, the image of Christ on the crucifix seems to call to the viewer, "Let yourself be loved." Jesus' arms are open wide to welcome us into His embrace. His penetrating gaze beckons us to trust and love Him. Although He died for our sins, although His fresh wounds are spurting blood that  redeems us, Christ is anything but condemnatory. He says to us, "No matter what your sin, let yourself be loved. No matter what your past, let yourself be loved. No matter what your imperfections at this very moment, let yourself be loved. Gaze at Me. I am Love Who hangs before you, Love Who beckons, Love Who forgives, Love Who loves. Do not be afraid. Let yourself be loved." For some of us, it is difficult to let God love us. But those who do experience the joy and serenity of the human figures standing under the arms of the San Damiano Crucifix. To allow God to love us brings a peace that nothing in the world can bring. "Let yourself be loved."

July 2007: Forgiveness

Have you ever noticed that people cannot look someone in the eye if they are holding bitter, resentful feelings toward that person? This is because, as philosophers say, 'the eye is the window into the soul.' When we look someone in the eye, we are peering into his or her soul. It is almost as if two souls embrace in understanding. How could we look someone in the eye and not see the human being behind that gaze? How difficult it is to hold onto bitterness and unforgiveness when we probe the depths of the person's soul?

On the Crucifix of San Damiano, Jesus' gaze penetrates our souls. He looks us directly in the eye just as He gazes on His betrayers and executioners. We see no lowered or averted gaze in the Christ of the San Damiano Crucifix. Jesus has totally forgiven everyone who harmed Him. His gaze challenges us to forgive our enemies as well. May He help us to gaze into their eyes and find their human souls, with all their weaknesses and all their strengths, with all the ugliness and beauty, all the triumphs and defeats. When we can see the brokenness and the talents of our enemies, we are led to forgiveness. God asks us to forgive others as He has forgiven us. The iconographer of the San Damiano Crucifix has shown us how complete is that forgiveness.

June 2007: IHS NAZARE REX IV DEORV

Painted on the San Damiano crucifix above the head of the Christ of the San Damiano is a red plaque inscribed with gold letters IHS NAZARE. Translation? “Jesus of Nazareth.” Beneath it is a black plaque ith gold letters REX IV DEORV. All four Gospels mention that an inscription reading “King of the Jews” (REX IV DEORV) was placed on the crucifix above Jesus’ head. Only St. John the Evangelist notes that Pilate wrote this inscription and that it read “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

The Gospels imply that written notices of accusation were commonly placed on all crucifixes so that passersby could know what crimes the dying criminal had committed. Perhaps the condemned person’s name was commonly added to these accusations, so that people would know that the area was now rid of such a menace.

Pilate did not realize that he was summarizing both the humanity and divinity of Jesus in the accusation that he wrote. “Jesus of Nazareth” referred to the human origins of this carpenter from the unpretentious town of Nazareth. The claim that He was “King of the Jews,” which Jesus did not refute, thrust Christ into direct opposition to both Jewish religious leaders and Roman politicians. This man, who had no earthly wealth or glorious following, bore no resemblance to an earthly king. He Himself told Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” Pilate washed his hands of Jesus’ blood. What was he thinking when he wrote that accusation? Could he have wondered, however fleetingly, if Jesus might actually be, not from Nazareth, but from “another world?”

When we die, what one phrase below our name will identify us to passersby? May it be one that reflects that we are sons and daughters of “The King of the Jews.”

The shape of the Crucifix of San Damiano resembles the shape of a Romanesque church built in the 11th and 12th centuries. This is the time period in which the Crucifix of San Damiano was painted.

A Romanesque church was built in the shape of a cross, with the point of entry being at the base of the cross. The faithful would walk into the church through a hall and then enter the main body of the church which was considerably wider than the entry hall. Here, in the center, stood the altar around which the faithful stood to pray. Extending behind the altar and on either side were additional wide halls in which were located chapels or side altars.  However, the primary Mass was always celebrated on the altar in the center of the church.

The San Damiano Crucifix is bordered with shells as if by a wall, but this border is missing at the foot of the crucifix. There the faithful can "enter in" to contemplation of the crucifix, just as they would enter a church. As one approaches the heart of Christ, the crucifix expands to accommodate the faithful who are sharing their faith beneath the outstretched arms of the Lord. This is where they would be standing in a church, around the altar where the Body and Blood of the Lord become the life giving Food and Drink of the faithful.  At the top of the cross and on either arm cluster angels, as if to indicate the holiness of the icon, but the main focus is in the center of the crucifix, where Christ's Heart is pierced for love of us. The artist is telling us that the Christ on the Crucifix of San Damiano is the Christ consecrated on the altars of our churches. We come to Him, to worship, to contemplate, to love, to share our faith with others. He is the center of our lives.

We associate red with the color of love. Since Valentine's Day falls during this month, we'll be seeing more red than usual in department stores, on cards, on television, and even in people's clothing. The seat of love is traditionally thought to be the heart, and so hearts are shown in fleshly colors of red or pink. If red is the color of love, the San Damiano Crucifix, with its predominance of red, shows us how much Christ loves us. It is as if the Crucifix is proclaiming, "I surround you with love, My people. You are never far from My love." How could it be otherwise when God's name is Love?

At the top of the San Damiano Crucifix is a red circle in which the risen and ascending Christ appears to be running into heaven, His stole billowing around Him from the rapidity of His motion.  In His left hand He carries a cross-topped staff, a reminder of His death on the cross and a symbol of our crosses, too.

In the ascending Christ, the iconographer has painted a visual message of how one attains union with God. The spiritual life is like this image of our Lord, apparently static,  yet simultaneously moving. If we bear our crosses with faith and keep turning toward God, we are actually moving in His direction, perhaps more rapidly than we imagine, even if we feel that we have stalled in our spiritual progress.  

When Saint Francis gazed upon that Crucifix, in his anguished prayer for God's guidance, the serenity of Christ must have beckoned him into having a similar, peaceful trust in God's Will. When we face life's adversities, we might take some moments to contemplate this crucifix and find in the face of Christ the peace He wants to give us. Whatever we are facing, God is in control.

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NOVEMBER 2006: "ORDINARY" SAINTS

The San Damiano Crucifix is a symbol of hope for everyone who aspires to holiness. Why? Not only because it so clearly portrays a peaceful, crucified, royal Lord Whose death brought us the grace to become holy, but also because the crucifix is so populated with ordinary people whose sanctity comes through their being spiritually close to Jesus in their ordinariness. We might consider the Blessed Mother to be extraordinary, and, of course, she was extraordinary in the area of grace. She alone of all humans was preserved from original sin and always cooperated with God's grace. But her life was certainly ordinary. She performed her daily duties, helped those in need, and remained in relative obscurity in the shadow of a very famous (some would say infamous) Son. The other saints pictured on the crucifix are ordinary, too. Even St. John the Evangelist, the most extraordinary of the ordinary, was a fisherman before he became an Evangelist.

As we meditate on the San Damiano Crucifix, we realize that sanctity is only achieved in the ordinary, day-to-day living out of our lives. All those pictured on the crucifix lived through some drastic events. Some witnessed the betrayal and death of a beloved friend. Others had a conversion experience that made them realize that God had to be first in their lives. Some underwent persecution for their faith. But haven't we all experienced similar things and more? What we experience does not make us holy. How we respond to it, can. We become holy by remaining close to Jesus, trusting Him, learning from Him, loving Him and all others, and doing what He said. Christ's outstretched arms on the Crucifix are open to embrace all who want to throw themselves into that embrace. Every ordinary person is welcome!

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October 2006: The Size of the Crucifix

Most people are familiar with various sized reproductions of the San Damiano Crucifix.  Most have no idea that the original crucifix is life size. When a person kneels before it in the Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, one is immediately struck by the full size image of Christ. One can almost believe that he or she is kneeling at the foot of the cross on Calvary.

That sense of being on Calvary is precisely what the iconographer desired. Christ is man-sized. He hangs before the viewer in pain yet glory, in destitution yet with the regal bearing of a king. Clustered around Him are smaller human figures, dwarfed by their Lord. The relative sizes of these viewers indicate the degree of their holiness. Spiritually, we are all dwarfed by the Lord, even the greatest of saints, His Mother. But compared to her and to Sts. John, Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of Clopas and the Centurion (other than Christ, the largest figures on the Crucifix), we are spiritual midgets. They had the courage to be with Christ at the foot of the cross, but we run from our crosses and often from Him on His. When the faithful kneel before the original San Damiano Crucifix, they feel small in its presence, even though their bodies are about the same size as Our Crucified Lord’s. Is this because the Crucifix is elevated above us? Or does our sense of littleness come from within our souls which now suddenly realize how much our spirituality must grow if we are to be a reflection of Him? How good to be dwarfed by the Crucifix of San Damiano! How beneficial to realize that Our Lord alone is God and we His creatures in need of His salvation!

JULY 2006: THE SOLIDNESS OF CHRIST

Crucifixes portray Christ differently. On some, He is weakened, dying, or dead. On others, His limp Body seems to almost fall from the cross. In some depictions, Christ's Body actually bends the cross earthward as if the weight of the world's sins, which He bore, is too much for even solid beams to hold. But on the Crucifix of San Damiano, Jesus stands solidly and surely. He does not seem pinioned to the cross as much as He seems to be standing in front of it. The cross almost becomes an indifferent backdrop, even though Christ's wounds are spurting blood as if He were nailed to the beams. However, His wounds could be spurting blood even if Christ were not nailed to the cross. Saint Francis of Assisi, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, and others who bore the stigmata had never undergone physical crucifixion, yet their wounds were real.  

The iconographer's portrayal of a solidly standing Christ shows both Christ's strength and His gentleness. Death and sin have not overcome Him. He has overcome them. They are behind Him as surely as the cross is. When we are weak and burdened, we can look for strength to Our Lord Who has been to the cross but not been defeated by it. Christ's graces can strengthen us when we are pinned to our own crosses. Jesus can teach us how to become victorious over our crosses rather than defeated down by them.

June 2006: BURNING WITH LOVE

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus generally occurs in June. This year it falls on June 23. While the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was instituted in the Church long after the San Damiano Crucifix was painted, the Crucifix embodies the message of the Sacred Heart devotion. The Sacred Heart of Jesus shows the pierced heart of Christ, surrounded by a crown of thorns, surmounted with a cross engulfed in flames and pulsating with light. The flames and light indicate the burning love which Jesus has for us all, a love so strong that it sent Him to the cross and caused His Heart, symbol of His Love, to be pierced for love of us.

The Crucifix of San Damiano portrays a Christ Who is "all heart." His body glows with the fire of His love for us and His image is surrounded by the same glow, the same light. The Crucifix says, "My Love radiates from Me and envelopes all of creation." What the Sacred Heart of Jesus says in its symbolism of pierced, thorn encircled heart, the San Damiano Crucifix says in its full image. When we ponder Christ of the San Damiano Crucifix, we see Love, crucified and yet ever alive, for us.

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